#ShortStorySession 1: Atmosphere

`In which a girl named Jane has a crush on a boy that comes to a cafe called Atmosphere every Monday and Friday,

Atmosphere

He smells like coffee and cigarettes, and something in between; probably a hundred sheets of old law book and a warm chocolate croissant. He looks super attractive in his black jeans and Cobain shirt, light brown cardigan tightly covering it. Jet black hair that almost reaches his neck shapes his face perfectly, the color matching with his almond-shaped eyes. He has pretty thick brows and long eyebrows, God it makes me jealous. Also a pointed nose and full dark red lips. He is perfection, something untouchable. Someone who ones wouldn't dare to approach first, no matter how many smiles he always flashes to people. He's just too good to be true. And he's my crush. My two months and still counting crush.

Yep, I have this tendency to crushing over people who are super impossible to crushing over me back. Keyword: Crushing.

"What's your order?" The voice of the waiter snaps me back from my daydreaming, makes me averting my gaze from the boy who's just two tables away to the waiter who's staring at me impatiently.

"Just a hot chocolate, please." I can tell the waiter almost rolls his eyes to me. I feel sorry for the waiter, I just can't help but lose my focus whenever I see him.

Coming to this cozy cafe called 'Atmosphere' just a couple of minutes away from my university building has been a habit for me since that windy evening on autumn season. I remember being exhausted after a long group-studying session and decided to came to the said cafe to at least warmed myself. Then my eyes un-purposely landed on him, sitting at the exact table he's right now. I fell for him immediately, probably just some silly crush, I thought. But turned out it wasn't. I found myself fell deep and fast later; realizing that he was actually in the same university and had two out of seven classes with me, I couldn't help but committed a bloomer here and there whenever I'm in the same room with him. He is being so active in class didn't help anything too, his husky voice with exciting tone was the most distracting thing ever exist. Then I found myself here, intentionally coming to Atmosphere every Monday and Friday, fully knowing he would be there.

Well, long story short; I'm head over heels with him. He's my sudden thoughts on every silence and the person I sing 5SOS' Valentine on top of my lungs for. I'm completely drawn to him and it really is driving me crazy.

"Here's your order." Again, the voice of the waiter interrupts my thoughts. The difference is he doesn't stare at me with that impatient stare anymore, but a stare of, maybe, sympathy?

"Thank you," I say with a confuse tone because after that the waiter stays on his ground and doesn't leave my table, "Uhm, can I help you?"

"His name's Levi," The waiter says as his gaze darting to... him. And back at me.

I gulp, "Pardon?"

"The guy that you've been drooling at every time you come here? The one that always sits two tables away from you? Levi is his name. He studies at the university near here, it's famous actually. You must know the university." The waiter looks so sure and all smiley, I'm... still confused.

I mean I know what his name is. It's Levi Rivette. Levi Rivette from law major at this country's number one university, same with me of course. What I don't know is why does this waiter telling me this? Am I being too obvious that I'm crazy for Levi?!

"Haha," I try to laugh—it comes out as a croak. "W-why are you telling me that?"

"Duh, Ms..."

"Jane."

"Right, Ms. Jane, we both know why I'm telling you that. Go approach him already, he probably already knows that you come here every Monday and Friday to do nothing but stare at him."

My jaw drops, "I'm not!" Okay, that's stupid because freaking obviously I am.

"Yeah, whatever." The waiter, I figure, happily rolls his eyes to me after probably wanted to do that long time before and leaves my table.

My eyes follow the waiter's movement until his body disappears to, where I suppose, Atmosphere's kitchen. After that, all I can hear is some melody of probably a video on youtube that has 'One Hour of Jazzy Christmas Music' as its title playing from the cafe's speaker. I can't believe what the waiter just said, there's no way Levi knows that I'm coming to Atmosphere only for him all this time. So I start to bring my eyes to look at Levi, know that I can stare at him as much as I want without worrying that he'll notice. Because he won't. I just know he won't.

Unless, this time, when I already landed my eyes on his face, his eyes suddenly leave the book he's currently read and land right at mine. Ouch, so much for 'I just know he won't'.

And so I'm panicking, like dead-ass panicking. My throat feels arid and the airs are suffocating me. He keeps staring and not once breaks the stare, it makes everything fall to complete silence. Not even that youtube's jazzy Christmas music I can hear.

Me, being the coward that I am, break the stare first. I put some money on the table and quickly gather my things. The plan right now is just to leave Atmosphere as soon as possible because I don't want Levi to see my face any longer and think that I'm some psycho who has been stalking on his prey for these last two months.

The coldness of winter greets me as I step out of Atmosphere. My cheeks are probably red by now but I don't know which one is the cause of it—the coldness or the embarrassment. When I'm about to step further leaving Atmosphere, I can hear the door of Atmosphere being opened and then closed. I pay nothing to it until a voice that I assume not even a meter away calling "Hey," to me.

Wow, sounds familiar.

Then I turn my heels, then the world stops. I can hear the angels sing from above, dramatically escorting me as I take Levi's presence in front of me. Heavens, Levi is standing there with the sweetest grin I've ever witnessed. He brushes his fine hair and hesitantly looking at me.

"Hey." There comes the calling I heard earlier, from his lips. Wow.

As far as I remember, I didn't get hit by a truck after I left Atmosphere, so, if I think that this moment happens after I probably enter heaven, the possibility is only zero point one percent. This moment here is real. Levi—my two months crush—talking to me is real. Should I run?

Of course not. "H-hey."

He offers me his hand as he says, "I'm Levi." I know!.

"Jane." I—finally after two months asking God to let me—take his hand. It's as rough as I imagine it would be—he plays American football. His hand's also warm, contrast with the coldness this winter season has offered to me.

He takes back his hand after we share a little handshake then the warmth leaves me. I'm sad.

"I've seen you around pretty often, Jane," My heart beats so fast, "In Atmosphere and some classes back in the university."

Danger, danger, danger! Is he going to ask me to stop following him and go away already because he feels disgus-

"I've been dying to know your name." Levi continues.

WHAT. "What?"

"Jane. The name suits you perfectly," He smiles and I sure am look like a tomato at this point. "Are you free this Saturday?"

I still can't believe my luck as I say, "Thank you and yes."

"Meet me at Atmosphere at eight a.m.?" He says softly.

"Sure! I-I mean y-yes, of course. B-but why?"

I feel like the dumbest person ever alive but at least this dumbest person ever alive knows how it feels like to fly to the moon when Levi said, "Because I want to see you on days other than Monday and Friday. And I want to sit at the same table with you in Atmosphere instead of being separated by two tables, Jane."

Much love,

N.