...

0 views

a story from an archive
It was dark and gloomy mornight when she quietly tapping on her laptop, exhaling the words she used to breathe. Her active status on Facebook indicates that she was still online.

A pop on her inbox came out, an unknown user messaged her.

"Hey," the message says.

She thought for awhile and replied after thinking that there'll be no damages if she'll reply back.

"Hey," she replied.

"How are you?"

'Why would he ask me how am I? We're not even close.' she uttered silently.

"Ah, I'm fine. How about you?" she replied and went back typing for her manuscript to be sent.

"I'm good. Would you mind if we’ll share some talks and coffee?” the latter said.

She paused and thought again, she looked at the clock beside her bed and it said it’s 3 am.

“Are we even on the same place?” she replied.

As she waited for his response, her curiosity got the best of her. She kept her eyes on the screen, wondering who this mysterious person could be. A few moments later, his reply popped up.

"Yeah, we live in the same neighborhood. I've seen you around a couple of times," he messaged back.

Her heart skipped a beat. Living in the same neighborhood meant that they were practically neighbors. She hesitated for a moment but decided to take a chance.

"Okay, sure. Coffee at 3 am sounds interesting. Where should we meet?" she typed, a hint of excitement in her words.

He quickly sent her the address of a nearby convenience store, and they agreed to meet there in 30 minutes. She couldn't believe what she was about to do, but there was a thrilling sense of adventure in it.

As she arrived at the dimly lit convenience store, she spotted him sitting by the window, a cup of coffee in front of him. He had a warm smile on his face as he waved her over. They introduced themselves, and their late-night coffee chat began.

Over the next few weeks, their 3 am coffee meetings became a regular occurrence. They discussed everything from their dreams and aspirations to their favorite books and movies. They took long walks in the quiet, still parks, sharing their thoughts and secrets under the cover of darkness.

As the days turned into weeks, their connection deepened. He couldn't help but fall for her, and one gloomy morning, as they sat in their favorite corner of the convenience store, he confessed his feelings.

"I really enjoy spending time with you," he said nervously. "I've grown fond of you, and I can't help but hope that we could be more than just friends."

She looked at him, her heart racing. She had grown fond of him too, but she was afraid. She didn't want to risk ruining the beautiful friendship they had built.

With a heavy heart, she replied, "I value our friendship so much, and I don't want to lose that. Let's continue being friends, okay?"

He nodded, a mix of disappointment and understanding in his eyes. They finished their coffee in silence that morning, but their friendship endured.

Their late-night coffee chats and early morning park walks continued for two more months, as they shared their lives and dreams. The bond between them remained strong, proving that sometimes, the most beautiful connections are the ones that start online, even if they stay just friends.

(Photo by yours truly; in frame: Denaley and Hans)

© aubby.krrn