“Okay, let me dive deeper into this hilariously awkward crush saga of mine – the tale of me, Jake, my crush Emma, and my buddy Mike, all set in the world of an IT company’s canteen.
It was a typical Monday morning, the kind that felt like a personal attack by the universe. I dragged myself to the canteen, craving the mint chocolate coffee that was my only solace. That’s when I saw her – Emma. She was like a ray of sunshine in our otherwise bland office environment, her laughter ringing clear even over the clatter of keyboards.
I watched, half in awe, half in disbelief, as she ordered the exact, peculiar coffee concoction I adored. Our eyes met, and I blurted out, “You too?” pointing at her cup. “I thought I was the only one weird enough to like mint chocolate in coffee!”
Her laugh was like music. “Looks like we’re both weird then,” she replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
That was the moment, folks. The moment I fell for a girl over a shared love for weird coffee.
Over the next few weeks, our coffee encounters became a regular thing. We’d joke about our mutual disdain for Mondays, exchange funny anecdotes, and sometimes even share a table. Emma was amazing – she had this way of making you feel like you were the funniest, most interesting person in the room.
I remember this one time, I was mid-rant about how the new software update was more confusing than a plot twist in a soap opera, and she just listened, laughing at all the right places. I felt like I was on top of the world, making Emma laugh.
Just as I was mustering up the courage to ask her out, she casually mentioned her boyfriend. My heart sank faster than the Titanic. But then, the plot thickened – she was dating Mike, my work buddy. The same Mike who I had known for years. The guy who once accidentally spilled coffee on me and then bought me lunch for a week out of guilt.
I was trapped in a rom-com, minus the romance and plus a whole lot of comedy.
Emma, blissfully unaware of my feelings, started seeking my advice on her relationship with Mike. I wanted to be a good friend, so I played along. I even helped her pick out a watch for Mike’s birthday. “He’ll love it,” I assured her, all the while wishing it was me receiving gifts from her.
And Mike, he wasn’t any different. He’d ask me what Emma liked, and there I was, suggesting the best romantic restaurants I knew. If only he knew the agony behind each of my recommendations!
So, here I am, still sipping the same mint chocolate coffee, watching Emma and Mike, the office’s IT couple. I’ve become the guy who knows too much about their relationship but can’t do anything about it.
But hey, life goes on. I’ve learned to find humor in my situation. And who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll find someone who shares my love for weird coffee flavors and isn’t dating my best friend.
And that, my friends, is the story of how a coffee flavor defined my love life, or the lack thereof”.