@bornbreathless liked for a starter from Rob
Rob holds his coffee cup in his hands, letting the steam rise to his face as he settles into the farthest corner of the shop. The place is small and warm in that overdone "artsy" way—exposed brick walls, mismatched furniture, and a chalkboard menu that requires squinting to decipher (or maybe he's just getting old). It's not his usual spot, but it's close enough to the studio and wonderfully quiet in the mornings.
He'd been coming here often enough to recognize a few regulars, but one stood out: The girl who lived upstairs. He didn’t know much about her other than that she always seemed to be on the go—running in and out of the shop, heading off to who-knows-where.
Today, she sauntered in wearing running gear and a pair of sunglasses on her head despite the overcast weather. Rob tried not to stare but found himself eavesdropping nonetheless, her order spilling out of her with the kind of precision that only came from repetition.
Smirking to himself, Rob makes a decision: he'd been meaning to say something to her eventually, now seems as good a time as any.
When she turns around, balancing her drink and a small paper bag, their eyes meet, and he raises his cup in a half-wave.
"You're the upstairs runner."
Rob speaks matter-of-factly, his voice carrying just enough curiosity to invite a response.
"You're hard to miss: Always in or out, coffee in hand, looking like you're running late for… something. Figured I'd say hello before the caffeine kicked in and you disappeared again."