Time on the Run 2

Daniel sat in the locker room, scrolling through his phone while the other players celebrated their victory. His heart pounded, but not from the match.

His thumb hovered over Sofia's chat.

Daniel: Hey, want to go for coffee after school tomorrow?

He hit send before he could overthink it.

A minute passed. Then two.

His stomach twisted. What if she said no? What if she thought he was just a teammate and nothing more?

Sofia: Sure. Where?

Daniel exhaled.

Daniel: There's a place near the academy. La Plaza Café.

Sofia: Sounds good. See you then

Daniel grinned. Miguel, sitting beside him, peeked at his phone.

"Finally, tío," Miguel teased. "Took you long enough."

Daniel shoved him playfully. "Shut up."

The Coffee Date

The next afternoon, Daniel stood outside La Plaza Café, adjusting his jacket. It wasn't a date, not really. Just coffee.

Then Sofia arrived, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, a soft smile on her lips.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey."

They stepped inside, ordered their drinks—café con leche for Sofia, black coffee for Daniel—and found a small table near the window.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The soft hum of conversations filled the air. Daniel drummed his fingers on the table.

"So… we finally got promoted," he said.

Sofia smirked. "Took you long enough."

"Wow. First Miguel, now you?"

She laughed. "I'm just saying, I've been here longer. You're the new guy."

Daniel leaned forward. "That means you have to help me survive."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what do I get in return?"

He hesitated, then smirked. "Free coffee?"

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine. Deal."

A Moment of Honesty

As the conversation flowed, Daniel felt his nerves ease. They talked about school, football, life as they normally did.

Then, Sofia tilted her head. "Why do you always seem distracted?"

Daniel tensed. "What do you mean?"

"I see you in class, on the pitch… sometimes you look like you're somewhere else."

He hesitated. He couldn't tell her everything—not yet.

"I just have… a lot on my mind," he admitted.

She studied him, as if deciding whether to push further. Then, she nodded. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here."

Warmth spread through him. "Thanks, Sofia."

The air between them shifted. A quiet understanding.

Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't just coffee.