Spring had only just melted into the balmy laziness of summer when Mia asked Phoenix what his lunch plans were. He was too sheepish to admit he didn't have any, that he usually went alone to the small coffee shop down the street and got a sandwich and a coffee. He was well liked in his department, but he wasn't the type to socialise. However, he wanted to impress his bubbly new friend. Mia seemed to get along so well with everyone that he felt more than a little pressured to be the same way. He made up something up. Phoenix had to meet with his boss about his latest project.
He was too invested in selling this story to her that he failed to notice the disappointed look that flashed across Mia's face. She had spent the ride to work giving herself a pep talk to ask him out to lunch. The idea had entered her mind that morning before he had arrived to drive to work with her and she had been toying with it as they zipped down the busy streets together. As the morning sun shone down and warmed her cheeks, the idea seemed wonderful at the time. True, they commuted to and from work together, but that was the extent of their interactions outside of work. They were usually too busy to talk much while they were working, but if one of them happened to pass by the other's office, they would wave and say hello. But Mia wanted more. She wanted to spend more time with Phoenix and get to know him better. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the elevator grinding to a halt and signaling their arrival to their destination. She offered him her most cheerful smile and wished him luck on his meeting as she stepped over the threshold.
Phoenix spent his lunch hour holed up in his office; he was too afraid of running into Mia to feel comfortable going to the coffee shop that day. She'd certainly ask him about his meeting and he wasn't ready to lie to her anymore. One lie was more than enough; his conscience had been harshly berating him since the lie first left his lips. He had been kicking himself all day, cursing his stupidity. He still didn't know what had possessed him to lie like that, especially to her. He never wanted to lie to Mia. He felt like the worst kind of person. He didn't even know if she had believed his lie. The thought that she might have been able to see through his hasty lie and didn't call him out on it terrified him.
Mia wasn't too concerned with his whereabouts that day; she was too naive to realise he had lied to her, and had believed him when he said a meeting that day. There was no reason for her to doubt him. She went about her day as she usually did, not paying his excuse any mind. She had meant to ask him about his meeting when she arrived home, but Phoenix had rode away so quickly that she just barely had time to wave good bye. She shrugged this odd behaviour off; he might have had an emergency at home.
The next morning she had forgotten the previous days' events. He was relieved when she failed to ask about his meeting, but worried as to what that meant. Had she simply forgotten, or had she seen so easily through his lie? Phoenix would worry about that next Tuesday. They only really talked in the elevator, where they had nothing else to do, nothing else to focus on other than each other. They couldn't talk when they rode their scooters together. They wished the other a good day as they parted ways. Their relationship didn't seem to be ruined by his small lie, for which he was grateful. He would have to make it up to her, though Mia was unaware she had been wronged by him. An idea came to him, but he wouldn't be able to act upon it until he was able to talk to her, properly talk to her, again.
Far too soon for his liking, next Tuesday rolled around and Phoenix was standing in the elevator with Mia. They both started to say something, but stopped abruptly, wanting to let the other go first. She laughed quietly at the confusion; his ears turned a faint red. A moment or two of charged silence had passed before she curiously asked him what he had been about to say; it was rare for him to start conversation.
He took a moment to choose his words. She waited patiently for him to speak. Phoenix cleared his throat and asked what her lunch plans were. To his delight and surprise, a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she said she didn't have any. He didn't want this opportunity to slip away from him after he had so carelessly thrown it away. As they stepped off the elevator, he asked if she would like to go to the small coffee shop with him for lunch. Mia's small smile broadened as she agreed and asked if he would mind her coming by his office so they could walk together. He reassured her that was more than fine and told her where it was on the second floor. They were both giddy with their arrangement but unwilling to show it in front of the other. They waved goodbye and went their separate ways for the morning.
Mia couldn't hold in her excitement when she got to her cubicle. She danced a little victory dance to herself before settling into her chair, grateful that she seemed to be the first in her area to clock in. She didn't want anyone to ask questions about why she was so much more energetic than usual. It was against company rules to date coworkers, but this didn't count, did it? It was only a lunch outing, after all. They were scooter buddies, nothing more. She wanted to learn more about Phoenix, spend more time with him, before anything too serious happened.
Phoenix had spent the morning gazing at his work, thinking about meeting Mia for lunch. He was simultaneously terrified and exhilarated that she had said yes. He spent more time with her than any other woman his age outside of work; he was too busy with his work to socialise beyond his close circle of friends. Mia's company was refreshing and he wanted to learn more about her.
A quiet knock sounded at his door and he rose to answer it, though he had a good idea of who was on the other side. His face moved of its own accord into a broad smile as he saw Mia grinning up at him.
"Are you ready to go?" she asked, then hastily added, "I could wait a few minutes if you're in the middle of something."
Her voice was as lyrical and light as he had remembered, and it only made his smile bigger. "No, I'm good to go. C'mon." He stepped out of his office as she stood to the side to let him out, taking care to lock the door behind himself. Mia smiled at this cautious gesture and fell in step beside him.
They didn't talk much on their walk to the coffee shop. They had asked each other about their morning and then let a comfortable silence wash over them. Phoenix didn't feel pressured to keep up a conversation and she was content with looking at the scenery around them. Mia didn't often go to places by foot and it was a refreshing pace from zipping down the streets in her powder blue scooter.
It was a good five minute walk before the couple turned a corner to the small coffee shop where Phoenix usually had lunch by himself. This was the first time he brought someone along to this tiny corner of the world that he considered his own. Most of his coworkers completely overlooked the coffee shop in favour of the fancier cafés that were closer to the offices. He opened the door for her and Mia thanked him as she stepped into the shop, letting the strong scent of coffee and pastries flood her senses.
They stepped into the short line to order. She gazed up at the menu, unsure what she wanted. She turned to Phoenix and asked what he liked. He pointed out his favourite item on the menu. She nodded as she read the description; even though she trusted his taste, she wanted to know exactly what she was ordering. After he ordered for himself, she stepped forward and ordered the sandwich and a coffee.
The cashier was an elderly man who looked chronically bored. In a wheezing voice, he asked if they were together or separate; before Mia could open her mouth, Phoenix had his wallet out to pay for both of them. She offered to pay for herself, but Phoenix told her it was okay as he handed his credit card over to the cashier, who didn't bat an eye at this exchange. As they waited for their sandwiches and coffee, she quietly thanked him for paying. He smiled and said it was nothing, he had been the one to invite her, after all.
He led Mia to the window table towards the back of the store he usually sat at and pulled out her chair for her. The lightest blush set into her cheeks at this act of chivalry and she nodded her thanks as she sat down. He took the seat opposite her and began to doctor his coffee with the sugar packets that were at their table. She sipped her coffee black, she didn't mind the slightly bitter edge the French roast carried.
Neither talked as they began to eat their lunch. It was a natural silence, a silence that didn't require awkward small talk to fill it. After a few bites, Phoenix asked if she liked her sandwich. She smiled at him and told him she liked it very much and thanked him for the recommendation, then asked him if he came here often. He nodded and admitted to spending most of his lunches at the small coffee shop. Mia's curiosity piqued, she asked if he was usually alone. The thought that he might bring other people along made her feel unexpectedly deflated. She was delighted when he nodded and said he used the hour to escape from the stress of the office. Once he said this, he wished he could take it back. He didn't want her to think less of him for needing an escape from the stress of life.
To his surprise, she nodded thoughtfully at what he had said. "Could I join you for lunch from now on?"
He smiled broadly. "Sure thing. I'd love to have you join me." Sometimes the small coffee shop felt lonely to him, especially in the little back corner where he sat unnoticed. With her sitting across from him, the small coffee shop was transformed into a cozy little world of its own, completely separate from the cold, intimidating office where he spent most of his time.
She beamed at him, pleased with his enthusiastic reply. She had been afraid her company would infringe on his escape, but knowing he wanted her around felt good, much better than she thought it would. The rest of the lunch went by quietly as they finished their food and coffee. Mia would occasionally point out a person or a thing on the street she found interesting and he would peer out of the window to see where she was pointing. Eventually, Phoenix would point out things he found fascinating as well and she laughed delightedly, glad that he was joining in her little game.
Much too soon for either of their liking, the lunch hour was nearly over and they had to walk back to the office building. Mia thanked him again for lunch and Phoenix thanked her for joining him. They parted ways with more than a little reluctance, but they would see each other again that evening.
"I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, right?" she asked after their nightly ride to drop her off at her home. She didn't want to seem clingy, but she enjoyed their hour together and hoped it could become a regular thing.
Guilt jolted through Phoenix as he remembered he had meetings with his boss on Wednesdays during his usual lunch hour. "I'm sorry, Mia, but I have a meeting tomorrow during lunch. But we could go again Thursday, if you'd like."
She liked that he had given her Thursday instead of just declining pointblank. But then a thought occurred to her. Her brows knitted in concern as she asked, "Then what do you do for lunch on Wednesdays? Do you go at a later time?"
"No, I usually make instant noodles. It's easier than trying to rearrange my schedule. And I, uh, I have a snack drawer in my desk." He laughed sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.
Mia laughed and told him about the candy stash she hid in her own desk. Her worries having been successfully dissipated, Phoenix chuckled at her story and headed home on his scooter, waving goodbye to her as he rode away.
The next day after his meeting, he found a small brown bag on his desk with a note attached with a pink ribbon. He opened the folded piece of paper to find small, neat, curvy handwriting. "This is for your secret stash—try not to eat them all at once!"
Intrigued and wondering what exactly he would find, Phoenix opened the bag. Mia had made him brownies; upon further inspection, they had milk chocolate chips in them. He smiled as his cheeks grew warm, touched that she had done this for him. He set a brownie out to munch on while he worked and put the bag into his snack drawer to get rid of any temptation. No matter how hard he tried, Phoenix had managed to eat half the bag of brownies before the office closed for the day.
That evening before they began their ride home, he thanked Mia with a tentative, quick hug. His arms wrapped around her shoulders loosely as he murmured his thanks. A light blush coloured her pale cheeks at the affectionate gesture and she returned it with a more confident hug. She hooked her arms around his waist and gave him a quick but gentle squeeze. Both flustered by this strange but pleasant new interaction, they began their ride home.
Every Wednesday, Mia would deliver a batch of brownies while Phoenix was in his meeting and attached a note to it, sometimes with silly jokes written in them, but most often words of encouragement to get him to the end of the week. He would always make sure they lasted him until the end of Friday.