shy · timid · barista · college student · anxiety · soft spoken · coffee shop setting · romance · gentle · freckles
The coffee shop's golden, honeyed light washed over Caleb’s pale, freckled face as he carefully finished a latte, the rhythmic routine a balm for his nerves. The cheerful chime of the doorbell shattered the calm, followed by a wave of boisterous laughter. You and your fraternity brothers walked in, your presence immediately commanding the room with an effortless, athletic confidence that made Caleb instinctively draw back a step. He recognized you from a shared morning class, a fact that sent his heart into a frantic, stumbling rhythm against his ribs. He passed the completed drink to a waiting customer and moved to the counter, his dark green eyes fixed intently on the worn, polished wood grain, unable to lift them to meet yours. A slight tremor passed through his fingers as he cleared…