The next morning when she got up, Mia promised herself today would be better. If it wasn't, then at least she would be better. In any case, she had a cinnamon bun before leaving her apartment, so it was already looking up.
As she marched up to The Alley, she stood outside the door for a beat, unsure if she should go in. Stalled by the fear of running into Andrew for yet another morning. But then she realized, she was stronger than this, better than this, and her need for coffee was much stronger than her fear of running into Andrew again.
Stepping inside, she immediately noticed something was off. John wasn't behind the counter, his usual warm smile absent. Instead, a girl with bright pink hair and a septum piercing was taking orders. Mia's heart sank a little. John had become an unexpected source of comfort, and his absence, she admitted, made her a little less excited to order her coffee than usual.
She ordered an iced latte and found a table by the window, ready to enjoy her perfect morning routine. The morning rush flowed around her, people coming and going, but she felt disconnected, floating through the motions of her routine.
Andrew didn't show up immediately, and she allowed herself to relax slightly. Maybe he wouldn't come at all. But 30 minutes later, just as she was beginning to believe it, the bell above the door jingled and there he was. Their eyes met briefly as he entered, and she gave a small, tentative wave. He nodded, acknowledging her presence, but then moved to sit a few tables away without another glance in her direction.
Mia frowned. It was odd. Andrew had always been so present, so overwhelming in his concern. His distance the past two mornings was unsettling. She tried to focus on her notes, preparing for their brainstorm session at two, but she couldn't help glancing up every so often. Each time, she found him engrossed in his laptop or his phone, as if she didn't exist.
When she looked up again, he was gone. She assumed he had already left for work without her. A pang of something—disappointment, frustration—twisted in her chest, but she told herself it didn't matter. Why should it? She was here for coffee, not for Andrew.
At work, Mia met with Sarah, who was practically glowing with excitement. "I just got the green light on my article!" she exclaimed.
Mia felt a pang of jealousy but quickly pushed it down. "That's amazing, Sarah! Congratulations."
"Thanks! We should celebrate. Lunch later?"
Mia agreed, even though her mind was already drifting towards the brainstorm session with Andrew. She and Sarah went out for lunch, toasting to Sarah's success with sparkling water and sandwiches, and Mia did her best to fully immerse herself in the celebration.
Back at her desk, she went over her ideas for the session, trying to anticipate Andrew's responses. She wanted to be prepared, to show him she was more than capable of handling whatever he threw at her. By the time two o'clock rolled around, she felt ready, or as ready as she could be.
She had headed to their reserved conference room 10 minutes before 2pm. She wanted to show that she took this seriously, despite this not being her own concept or article. Andrew arrived precisely on time, his usual confident stride somewhat muted. They exchanged polite greetings, but the air between them was thick with unspoken tension.
"So," Andrew began, sitting across from her. "Let's get started."
Mia nodded, spreading her notes out in front of her. She launched into her ideas, her voice steady even as her heart raced. Andrew listened, his expression unreadable, occasionally nodding but offering little feedback. It was disconcerting, this new version of him, so detached and distant.
He had always been serious about articles back in their university days, but this version of Andrew was different. He was more intense, almost hyper-focused. As they began to wrap up their meeting, they summarized the key points, highlighting items that would be top of their agenda. They had enough research to work on the structure of the article, and their next step would be to look into their own interviews to add credibility.
When the session finally ended, Mia felt drained. She gathered her things, avoiding Andrew's gaze. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I'll refine these and get back to you."
Andrew nodded. "Sounds good." Andrew moved to check his watch, so Mia did the same, it was 7:00pm.
"It's pretty late, sorry for keeping you at this hour." Andrew said to her as he fixed his things, sounding genuinely apologetic.
"It's no problem, I get the same when I'm really focused on my piece." Mia replied.
"Well, thanks for today." Andrew said.
Mia was unsure of what she should do next, luckily her phone rang.
"Hello?" She said into the receiver.
"Mammaaaa Mia! My love! Let's have dinner!" A voice said on the other line, loud enough to sound like the person was shouting. It could only be one person – her best friend in the whole world, Mikee.
"Mikee my love!!! Are you in town?" Mia said ecstatically. She hadn't seen Mikee in over two months, and she was overdue for a girls night out
"Yes lady, I am! So get your wonderful butt home, I'll meet you in 15 and I'm taking you out on the town!" Mikee's cheerful voice boomed.
Mia couldn't help but grin, "I'll see you there, you have a key!"
She ended the call and was about to leave as soon as possible, but when she looked up, she saw Andrew smiling at her.
"What?" she asked, almost accusatorily.
"Was that who I think it was?" Andrew asked, his smile widening and his tone completely different from when they were working.
"Well, that depends. Who do you think it was?" Mia replied in a bored tone, growing petulant at Andrew's little game.
"Who else? Your other half, Mikee!" he said, a laugh escaping his lips. "Man, you guys were inseparable in college. Good to know you still are."
"Well, yes, it was Mikee. And yes, we're still inseparable. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading home to get ready to go out with her. Have a good weekend, Andrew," she said, walking out of the conference room.
As she walked towards the elevator, she heard Andrew close behind her.
"Wait up! Do you guys mind if I join?" he asked, back to his usual charming and cocky self.
Mia looked at him, completely confused—not just by her feelings towards him but by the way he switched his personality so quickly. It made her feel unsettled.
"Actually, yes, I do mind, Andrew. Goodbye," Mia said, and then walked away.