Prompt: Marco can't say it out loud in front of her and so he puts it into words.


Sticky Notes

"You're such an idiot" Ferguson exclaimed as he fluidly walked all over the work station.

"Thanks pal. I know" Meanwhile Marco leaned against one of the countertops, hands in his pockets. His shift just ended and just and about during his shift, he made one of the most incredible mistakes of his life.

You see, it's not very often for Marco Diaz to pay attention to a potential love interest. His last being Jackie Lynn Thomas back in high school. But now, twenty one and a working student, he mainly focused on his studies and karate.

So when the tiny bell dinged signaling another customer one cold afternoon, his breath hitched in his throat, and although Marco didn't believed in love at first sight she might have challenged that.

Bright, seemingly kind blue eyes stared back at him. They were so blue he thought she might be wearing contacts before immediately concluding they must be real. Her long and blonde hair spilling in brilliant waves as the sun's light just reflected how fair and naturally pink her cheeks were. She reminded him of a princess. She stood tall with class and graces.

"One caramel frappe please" Her voice, sweet and gentle brought him right back in his senses just in time to take her order.

"Name?" Marco has never been more excited to know the name of a customer. So when he took out a sharpie, awaiting with excitement, he had taken some quick glances at her.

He realized then that she's staring right back at him with a megawatt smile. He felt his heart hammering so loud that it almost hurt. I should talk to her. He realized, if it meant seeing her smile like that.

"Star" Marco chuckled to himself as she wrote her name on the cup before placing her order.

"Cool name"

"Thanks" Star trails her eyes on his pin. "Marco"

Marco felt his chest swell with warmth as she said his name so fluidly.

And so the pathetic routine of waiting for his favorite customer started. Marco then had often taken her usual order since. She always sat beside the window where he sneaks a glance or two, learned that she came to the shop to either study or read a book, and that she's a psychology major (solely based on the books she's carrying).

Sooner after that, Star walked in with the saddest eyes he has ever seen. She looked like she's carrying a huge weight on her shoulders and he didn't like it. He doesn't know why but he felt compelled to cheer her up, and so without giving his idea any second thoughts, he wrote in a piece of sticky note,

Princess, please smile more often.

You look beautiful that way.

By the time Marco realized how stupid it was, Star had already taken her drink with his note attached to it. Calling her princess? What's wrong with him? Now that he thought about it, it sounded pretty lame. He has never felt more anxious as he watched the entire situation unfold. It didn't happen at once. Star had taken a good look at her drink fifteen minutes later.

But the small curve of lips said otherwise. Despite the fairly amount of customers in the shop, he still managed to hear her cute giggle. It was probably a pity giggle but he didn't care at the moment. He just made her fucking laugh. He was happy.

In the corner of his eyes, he sees her making her way to the counter. Marco pretends to busy himself by cleaning his work station (though not part of his job).

"Um excuse me" She starts. "Uh this strange note came with my drink"

Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Star just called his note strange. Marco concluded that she must have giggled in pity on his attempt because she's just kind like that. She might have found it creepy and wishes to see the manager. He finally turns to her, smiling at her crookedly. He wished nothing more than to be cast into oblivion before he does anything stupid.

"I was wondering if-er if you wrote it"

Now in numerous fight or flight situations like this one, Marco had always taken fight when confronted with muggers, bullies and many more. But as Star looked at him expectantly, he wanted nothing more than to choose flight. She'll probably never come back if she found out it was him.

And so he shook his head. "Um no. Someone uh–some guy gave me a few bucks to put that note on your drink. Uh he left a while ago"

"O–oh" Disappointment clearly laced in her voice. "I was hoping I'd thank him"

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

"Oh well. Please let me know if he does give me another one, I want to know him"

Say something you idiot! Now's your chance! But as much as Marco willed his mind to say something in this right moment, he had lost his voice.

Marco regretted everything that has happened until that point as soon as Star left the shop. God where did his plan went wrong? Somewhere between getting the sharpie and sticky note. He was sure. But he just wanted to say that he thought she was the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. He thought her voice was angelic, just the most beautiful sound he has ever heard. That he's usually not this quiet. Maybe a little shy but never quiet. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to tell her countless things but that seemed impossible now.

So on different days, Marco had led Star to believe that some guy gave her notes. Mostly just contained polite greetings, sometimes when he felt bold he'd compliment her. Otherwise, he'd leave nothing which made Star frown. She expected them now and as much as he wanted to let her know it was indeed him, he didn't have the balls to.

By the time Ferguson discovered a few crumpled sticky notes lying around the floor, Marco had no escape route but to tell him everything which brings all of it back to the present.

Marco watched Star examine the little note he gave her. Today, it said You look pretty yesterday and beautiful today.

It was pretty lame. Admittedly.

He couldn't care less though. A man can run out of cheesy lines.

"You know you're gonna have to tell her sooner or later, right?" Ferguson says.

Marco sighs heavily. "And how am I gonna do that?" It was a rhetorical question. Meant to be ignored. Ferguson seemed to think differently.

"Easy"

"Star!" Ferguson yelled, catching the attention of almost everyone–including her of course.

Marco jerked his head to his friend, eyes slightly wide as though he couldn't believe what he just did. "What. Are. You. Doing?" He almost yelled but Ferguson seemed unfazed.

"You'll thank me later" Ferguson moved Marco aside as the very subject of their talk stood right by the counter. She had never looked confused in her life, she had to ask if there's just someone who has the same name as hers.

"Um hi. My name is Star but if there's someone else who's–"

"You're looking for the guy who's giving you all those notes right?" Marco tightened his grip on Ferguson's shoulder but it was hopeless.

"Yeah why?" Her voice hopeful. Marco's ears perked up at this.

"Well you're looking at him" Ferguson smugly says.

"Y-you?"

Ferguson flatly looks at her before placing Marco in front of her. "Him"

Marco watched her eyes slightly widen as she couldn't quite believe it was him all this time. It was her gaze alone that stopped him from slapping himself and Ferguson then and there, and making a further fool of himself.

"M-marco?"

He cringed at the sound of her voice. She said his name as if it offended her.

Obviously this wasn't what he expected to happen. He thought Ferguson would just leave him be but nevertheless, Marco couldn't blame him entirely. Ferguson just wanted to help because he does seem pretty desperate. Alright he IS desperate. It must have been painful to watch Marco steal glances and do nothing more to a girl he really liked.

To Ferguson, it nearly killed him.

But now Marco braced himself to meet any insult she throws his way. He didn't dare look at her, no matter how beautiful she looked today. He wasn't ready.

"Okay here" Star returned the note on her drink and slid it on the counter.

It's probably her way of rejection.

Except there's something else written on the note.

A series of numbers.

Marco looks up at her wide-eyed. He sees her grinning at him widely, all pink in her cheeks.

"Pick me up after school" Star slyly winks at him before darting off. She missed the way Marco's entire face reddened. Along with the dumbstruck look on his face as it never quite registered to him that she gave him her phone number! He has her phone number! But how–

"What just happened?" Marco asked. Another rhetorical question.

"You, my friend just earned yourself a date" Ferguson elbowed him teasingly.

"Yeah but how? I didn't ask for a date nor her phone number" Giving Ferguson a second look, Marco realized,

"No way" Marco shakes his head.

Ferguson simply gives him a knowing smile.

"No way!" Marco gives his friend a bear hug. "But how?!"

"I replaced your note with the one scattered on the floor" Ferguson says proudly.

Marco doesn't say a word as he looks down on the note and all his blood rushed back to his face.

I wanna kiss you but before that let's go on a date?