*KYLE'S POV*

Jitters had become my go-to place after Wendy had recommended it. It was a little overpriced, but it was the best quality coffee I had come across since moving in. I'd go just about every morning on the way to the office and sometimes on my lunch hour.

It was a Friday afternoon. I still wanted to put a few more hours in at the office, so I wanted as much caffeine as possible.

And...well, there she was. In the back of the shop.

She was way back there in the dark, but I noticed her right away. She saw me too, but the second we made eye contact, she went back to typing on her laptop.

"Dude?"

The barista's voice returned me to reality. "Huh? Sorry. Can I just get a medium dark roast?"

"Sure."

It was almost impossible not to steal looks at her - I guess because there was a chance I'd never see her again. That, and she was gorgeous. Striking.

A small voice inside my head was questioning my tastes. She wasn't anything like my usual type: dark-haired, nerdy, sometimes even goth. Really, Broflovski? A hot, chesty blonde? Is that what we're into now? Even in that moment, I was surprised at myself; typically, I had written girls who look like that off as generic, the one-dimension hot girl who everyone was attracted to. Not a very sympathetic image, but I couldn't help it.

Why was this one different, then? Was there just something in her face? Well, she was wearing glasses...

"Bro?" The barista snapped me out of it again and handed me my drink.

"Thanks," I said, taking and and moving toward the door.

Suddenly, a voice in my head - it kind of sounded like Stan's - started berating me. Is that it? You're going to have this super-meaningful moment and then just leave and never see her again?

Helplessly, I flashed back to last time I had overlooked an opportunity to talk to someone. We had been at a bar with Kenny and Cartman and they had all bet on whether or not I would do it. Cartman bet Stan 10 that I wouldn't work up the balls to, so I decided I'd give it a try just to spite Cartman - but when I looked back over, the woman had left.

And now, the voice was saying, Don't you dare let Cartman win again.

"Dude." I faced the barista again.

"Yeah?"

My eyes darted around the little snacks and toys and shit they had piled near the register. But then I realized I didn't know what she'd like.

"Do you have a pen?"

He grabbed me one from his apron pocket and I scrambled to find a coffee sleeve.

Kyle Broflovski

719-843-8333

You're beautiful. Let's talk.

There, I thought. It was straightforward - not too cocky, but not too needy.

I handed the pen back to the guy behind the counter. "Thanks, man." I inhaled. "Here goes nothing."

Moving faster than I have had, I approached the girl.

"'Scuse me?"

She looked up from her laptop.

"Here, you uh - dropped this." The thing was barely in her hand when I got the fuck out of there.

As soon as I was out, I called Stan.

"Hey."

"Stan, I just did something really, really stupid."

"What?"

"I fucked up so bad, man..."

"Kyle. What did you do."

"Remember when you said I should take more chances with women?"

"I guess?"

"WellyousaidIshouldtakemorechancestomeetwomanthatonetimeandnowIjustgavesomerandomwomanmynumberonacoffeesleeve!"

Stan laughed. "Smooth. You got some serious game there, Kyle."

"Shut up! What do I do? What if she calls me?"

"Honestly, I wouldn't expect her to."

"Good. I hope she forgets all about it and laughs about me with her friends over drinks tonight."

"That's the spirit."

And that's when my phone started vibrating.

"Fuck! Somebody's calling me!"

I ignored Stan's laughter as I clicked "end call and accept," hoping to God it was a client.

"Kyle Broflovski," I answered, trying my best to keep my voice level.

"Hello. We've been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty-"

"Goddammit!!" I hung up. Fuck this. She was never going to call. It was time to forget this whole embarrassing moment forever and head back to work.

Why did I have to tell Stan? He'll never let me live this down.

I've never believed in fate. But seeing a stranger twice in the same day was enough to make me wonder if I had been wrong.

It was just after six when I entered the dispensary. Whenever we had the guys over, weed was our responsibility and Kenny provided the booze. (Cartman was originally in charge of food, but he was relieved of that task when he started eating everyone's orders on the way over to our apartment.) I had thought we had enough to go around in our stash, but as soon as I left the office, I noticed that Stan had texted me.

Hey can you pick up a quarter of Ice Cream Cake? According to Wendy it's on sale. Thx

I groaned. I didn't mind picking up weed once in a while, as our favorite dispensary was right on my way home. But when I knew Cartman would be smoking it? I minded then.

Fine but tell Cartman he needs to pay me back TODAY. He owes me like 150

As soon as I entered the shop, I noticed the line. Part of me was tempted to text Stan back and tell him I would have liked a little more notice so I could have gotten here earlier, but I felt like that would border on passive-aggressive, so I didn't.

Behind me, the door chimed. Weirdly, I knew right away who I'd be seeing. I turned around.

Yup. It was her. I was now trapped in a long line with the same girl I had stupidly given my number to a few hours ago.

Jesus, how can this get any worse?! I thought.

Turning around to avert her eyes, I grabbed my phone. But I was so aware of her presence behind me that I didn't pay attention to what I was texting.

"Um, Kyle?"

You're about to pay out the ass for what you did, I heard my inner voice say. Brace yourself.

I turned back around and cleared my throat. "Hi. I mean, yes, that's me."

"That was you earlier, right?"

"Yeah." I rubbed the back of my neck and wished to God I'd stop blushing. "I'm sorry."

"No, no! I'm sorry." She shakes her head. "I don't want you to think I was ignoring you. I was gonna call you tonight, actually."

It took me a second to register what she had said. I found myself loving the way she sounded as much as I loved the way she looked.

"You were?"

Much to my relief, she was blushing, too. "Yeah. By the way, thank you for the, um - compliment. And the coffee sleeve, I guess."

"Oh. No worries. I just needed - ya know - a vessel for my number."

She giggled. If her cute half-smile was one thing, her full-on laughing smile was almost too much for me to handle. I stood there like a retard and wracked my brains for something valuable to say.

"Next guest!"

I jumped. "Uh - one second." Still painfully aware of her gaze, I showed my ID and took an empty seat in the waiting room, careful not to look at her as I passed her.

My phone dinged; it was Stan.

???

This, of course, had been his response to the message I had sent when she had walked in:

Girl coffee what do

Yeah, I was right, it didn't make sense.

After showing her own ID, she came and sat in the seat adjacent from mine. Even though my anxiety was skyrocketing, it was nice to know she wasn't coming over here to make fun of me. I hope.

"I'm Daphne." She held out her hand. I shook it.

"Daphne." It wasn't a name you heard very often. "That makes me think of Rebecca."

Her green eyes lit up. "That's one of my favorite novels! And Hitchcock movies!"

"No shit! Mine too."

"It's a fucking classic! Daphne du Maurier is so underrated."

"I know!" I nodded. "She literally redefined the female writer of her time. You know, in my junior year, I took a Hitchcock elective and my final paper compared The Birds to the film version..."

We nerded out about film vs. literature until they called my name.

"Kyle Broflovski? Come on back."

I turned back to her. "I guess I'll, um, see you around."

She smiled. "I'll call you."

I bought my weed. I knew she'd be a few minutes, but you're damn right I waited for her outside. When she came out and she started walking in the opposite direction, I knew I had to speak up.

"Daphne?"

She stopped.

"I don't wanna wait for you to call."

She was quiet. Then a blush broke across her cheeks again. I took a step closer, and she did, too.

"Look, I know this is sudden and everything, but what are you doing tonight?" I held my breath as I waited for her answer.

"Nothing. What about you?"

"Nothing. Oh no, wait! My roommate and I invited some people over. We live right down there." I pointed to our building a few blocks north. "Wanna come?"

"I..."

"It'll be quiet, just a bunch of stupid guys smoking up and playing video games. Actually, that sounds lame, maybe you shouldn't -"

"I'd - actually really love to."

I exhaled.

"If that's still okay, of course," she finished.

"No! Yeah! Definitely." Wow, I really do have game. "Everyone's coming at around 8 if you wanna come then. Or we can just head over now."

"Oh." She ran a finger through her long, wavy blonde hair. "I'll probably just go home and shower real quick if that's okay."

"That's definitely okay," I said and instantly regretted it. Goddammit! That sounded potentially suggestive! Get it together.

She waved and headed in the other direction. "I'll text you so you have my number."

"O-okay." I waved too. "See you soon!"

I headed in the direction of our apartment and checked my phone again.

Oh shit, did you mean the coffee shop girl is at the dispensary?? You should invite her to hang with us

As always, Stan and I were on the same wavelength.