24 september 2018
"Hi, Cyrus," she said with a bright smile, sliding into her usual spot across from him.
As always, he gave her a brief nod of acknowledgment but remained silent, his gaze focused on the iced americano in front of him. Sophia was used to this by now—the quiet nod, the absence of words—but today, she decided to push the boundaries a little. She wanted to get to know him beyond the surface.
“How are you?” she asked, her voice carrying a lightness she hoped would break through his usual stoicism.
Cyrus merely shrugged in response, lifting his cup to take a slow sip of his bitter drink. Sophia watched him, trying to ignore the way the scent of his unsweetened coffee made her cringe a little. She preferred her drinks sugary and decadent, the complete opposite of whatever Cyrus seemed to enjoy. Taking a sip of her own frappuccino, she turned her attention to the street outside the café, trying to think of a way to continue the conversation.
“So, where do you go to school?” she asked, thinking it was a safe enough topic to keep things going.
Cyrus mumbled something, barely audible, his words getting lost in the ambient noise of the café. Sophia blinked, leaning forward slightly. “Hm? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
"We go to the same school,” he repeated, a little louder this time, though his tone remained flat.
Sophia felt her face flush with embarrassment. All this time she had been observing him, trying to piece together small details about his life, and she had somehow missed something as glaringly obvious as the fact that they went to the same school. She couldn't believe she hadn’t noticed that he wore the same uniform as her.
She sunk back into her chair, pulling her cup closer to her face in a futile attempt to hide her growing embarrassment. Maybe if she stayed like that—half-hidden behind her frappuccino—she could escape the situation without any further damage to her ego.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Sophia felt the silence closing in around her. Just as she was about to apologize for being so clueless, she heard something unexpected—a soft chuckle. At first, she thought she might have imagined it, but when she glanced at Cyrus, there was the faintest hint of amusement in his expression.
Cyrus? Laughing? It seemed impossible. But there it was, the corners of his mouth just barely lifting in what could only be described as a quiet smirk. 
Sophia blinked, caught off guard by this rare display of emotion. She wasn’t sure if she should feel more embarrassed or relieved, but the sight of him chuckling—however softly—made her feel like maybe, just maybe, she was getting somewhere.
She relaxed a little in her seat, her initial embarrassment starting to fade. The awkwardness between them, which had felt so suffocating just moments ago, began to lift. The silence that followed wasn’t the same heavy, uncomfortable quiet that usually hung between them. Instead, it felt… lighter, almost like they had reached some unspoken understanding. 
Sophia stared out the window for a while, letting the moment settle. Cars passed by, the sun was shining, and for once, sitting across from Cyrus didn’t feel like such a strange, one-sided affair. She could sense the shift in the air, and it was as if they were both growing a little more comfortable in each other’s presence.
“Same school, huh?” she said after a while, her tone more playful now. “How have I never noticed that?”
Cyrus glanced at her from the corner of his eye, taking another sip of his coffee. “Guess you weren’t paying attention,” he said, the hint of a smirk still lingering.
Sophia laughed, the tension finally breaking. “Clearly not. I thought I was such a good observer too.”
Cyrus didn’t respond, but the fact that he hadn’t immediately shut her down this time was a small victory in itself. She could feel that he was more at ease, even if he didn’t show it in obvious ways. And in a way, that was enough for her. She wasn’t trying to force him into conversation or change who he was. She just wanted to be there, to see if maybe, over time, they could find some common ground.
For a few minutes, they sat in silence again, but this time it felt different—more peaceful. Sophia leaned back in her chair, sipping her drink and watching the world go by outside the café window. Cyrus seemed content, quietly sipping his coffee and staring out at nothing in particular. It wasn’t the warmest of exchanges, but it felt like progress nonetheless.
Sophia wondered what else she didn’t know about him. He was such a mystery, always closed off, always in his own world. But now that she knew they went to the same school, she started to realize how much she must have missed. Had they crossed paths before without her realizing it? Had she sat near him in class without noticing? The idea made her feel strangely foolish, but also more intrigued. 
“Do you always come here alone?” she asked after a while, her curiosity bubbling up again.
Cyrus gave a small nod, his eyes still focused on his drink. “Yeah.”
Sophia bit her lip, thinking for a moment. “I guess I do too. But it’s nice, isn’t it? Just having a quiet place to come to.”
He didn’t say anything, but the silence felt like agreement. Sophia smiled to herself. Maybe she wasn’t going to get long conversations or deep insights from him, but she was starting to learn how to read between the lines. It wasn’t much, but for now, it was enough.
As the clock neared 8:10, the usual time they both left, Sophia stood up, gathering her things. Cyrus followed suit, quietly putting his earphones back in and swinging his bag over his shoulder. They didn’t say goodbye—there was no need. But as they walked out of the café together, in their own quiet ways, Sophia couldn’t help but feel like this was the start of something different.
Maybe tomorrow, there would be even fewer words. Or maybe there would be more. Either way, she was willing to find out.