Genre: Romance, Drama, Slice of Life

Word/Character Count:  980 words, 5,329 characters

Date Written: 1/22-1/23/2025

Characters: Joan & Alex | Centered around Joan 

Episode: Three - This is Not a Date 

Synopsis: Joan and Alex meet up for coffee post break-up. Joan thinks back to when they first met. 

'This is not a date.' Joan reminded herself, 'Alex is just dropping off a few things I left behind.' The café they were meeting up at was empty this time of the day. It's what she had hoped for when they made these plans, but now she wished it was busier so they wouldn't be so alone. The barista at the counter gave her a familiar smile as she approached. 

"Hey, Jo! The usual?" 

"Yes, please."

She smiled to herself. Her first morning in this city was spent in this café. Warm neutral tones and tons of plants cared for with love made this homey atmosphere. This was also the place she had met Alex for the first time. A meet cute? She supposed that's what someone would call it. The barista turned around to begin making her drink, and she let her mind wander to back then. 

"Hey, uh... can I get a vanilla latte? With almond milk!"

"Sure thing, name for the order?"

"It's Jo."

Joan walked to the end of the counter, eyes passing over the patrons of this coffee shop. The Coffee Spot hosted a lot of their regular crowd; commuters, tired business men, and students. The constant buzz in here was comforting compared to how quiet her new apartment was. It helped ground her. Fingers tapping across the counter, she let herself think of ways to incorporate this place into her lifestyle blog. 

"Vanilla latte!" The barista announced, setting down the to-go cup on in front of her. Joan hummed a quick thank you as her hand reached for it. Someone else's fingers brushed against hers before she could get her drink. She looked up, momentarily confused and made contact with a beautiful pair of brown eyes. 

"Oh, I'm sorry- I think this is my drink..." She trailed off. 

"Nope, this would be my vanilla latte." He turned the cup to face her, showing his name in scribbled hand writing: Alex. Joan smiled at him, her hand retreating back to her side.

"Oops. Guess we ordered the same thing then." 

"You've got good taste, they make amazing lattes here." The stranger responded before moving to an empty table. Alex, that was the name of the handsome stranger. A little embarrassed but not shy, she stole glances in his direction; tan skin, dark eyes, dark hair, a short beard- yes he was definitely good looking. When her drink was handed off to her finally, she meandered across the shop to his table.

"This seat taken?" 

"Not at all," He looked up with a huge grin and motioned for her to sit.

"Here's that latte for you, Jo!" The barista, who's name was lost to her at the moment, passed the drink across the counter. Was he new here?

"Thank you!" The moment the coffee passed her lips a bit of the tension she was holding fell away. She could, and would, get through this 'not-a-date' without any issues. Her favorite table in the corner was available, but she opted for one near the door just in case. Alex showed up not long after she made herself comfortable, ordering his coffee before joining her. He was on time, as usual. He got a haircut, Joan noted. He didn't seem to have the supposed forgotten possessions. Was this a date? Maybe he was making an excuse to... what? Find closure? Work things out? No, of course not. Right?

"So, how've you been?" He leaned back into his chair, as nonchalant as he could be. 

"You know me, just keeping busy." The silence grew between them. Lovers to strangers in just one week. "So what did I leave behind?"

His hands searched through his jacket pocket, pulling out a small bag. "Just some of your jewelry, figured you'd want it back."

"Thanks, Alex." It felt wrong saying his name, the syllables fell off her tongue wrong and got stuck in her throat. Her hands didn't move to grab her jewelry, opting to stay around the warmth of her drink and willing it to come to her instead. "This, it's weird right?"

"Yeah I guess it is." He laughed. It was something that she always found attractive. His laughter was always so light and carefree, and she used to bask in it. He seemed happier, now that they weren't together. Joan wished she could say the same for herself. 

"Well I guess I should head out-"

"Jo, can we still be friends?"

They spoke at the same time, each catching the other off guard. 

"Friends?" 

"Yeah it's not like I want you out of my life. I'd miss you too much."

'Miss me? The same way that I've been missing us?' She kept that thought to herself and instead said, "Well, yeah. It would be a waste to throw the last year or so away like that." She had to force the the bitterness down, keeping a smile on her face. 

Their conversation continued about his school and work; about her blog and how Kel was doing. Joan knew that this brief respite into normalcy would end the moment they both departed from here. The self-indulgence won out against her logic, and she let herself laugh and smile with him. Tangents about the people they knew, complaints about work, friends they planned on seeing soon were all shadowed by one thought: this isn't sustainable. "I have class today, but it was really nice seeing you, Jo." He wrapped her in a light hug at the door. "I'll text you sometime, okay?"

"Nice seeing you too," She mumbled into his shoulder, covered in the familiar scent of his cologne and cheap body wash. 

Joan watched him walk down the street for a moment before turning and making her own way home. An idea for her next blog post at the front of her mind.

How to Stay Friends with Your Ex.