“This isn’t a date,” Annie said with an ice princess chilly stare, “It’s a hangout.”
Sam and Annie met on Tinder, didn’t talk for six months, then, out of the blue, he invited her to a date, which started with marathon chats that lasted until her roommates complained of needing sleep.
“Okay,” Sam replied. That’s not what you said earlier, I thought, remembering what I learned about meta-messages, the real meaning behind what people say, “are you hanging out with other guys?”
Honne’s Warm on a Cold Night played in the cafe shop.
“Yeah,” she parted her hair, looking away,“I’m hanging out but with other guy friends.”
That was it, wasn’t it? What Annie really wanted to say was, “I met this, these, other guy, guys, that I also want to date so I’ll call it hanging out instead of dating that way I don’t feel bad about dating someone else when I spent so much time getting to know you.”
WHEW!
Sam's insanity was alive and well. Either way, if she was going to hang out with other guy friends, then he’ll also hang loose with his gal pals.
Fair is fair.
His new philosophy was if he saw a pretty girl he would talk to her.
Baby steps, “hi” at first.
Followed by,“What’s your name? Want to drink with me and my friends.
Some rejections, motivating successes, and then one big win with a girl who’s favourite past time was eating cake and drinking coffee at new coffee shops.
She picked him up at the Manila airport. Tinder served him well that night.
They later went on a 3 AM hike through a Filipino mountain range called Tarak Ridge.
Looking for Igorot shamans they booked a 7-hour bus ride to Baguio,supposedly the spiritual capital of the Philippines.
Sunnybito, the 70-year-old street shaman selling palm readings for 50 pesos, became their spiritual guide.
You’ll be the breadwinner,” she pointed at Annie, “he’ll be your señorito that spend time writing in coffee shops.”
Haha, fair is fair, babycakes!
Annie winks at Sam before sharing her dream, “I want to own a restaurant,” squeezing harder around his neck, “That means I’ll stare at you all day when you write your books in my coffee shop!”
Whoa! The way she looked at me was the way I always wanted a woman to see me: can’t help but smile when together.
Sam thought.
It made him happy to hear her include him in her dreams.
Their second morning together they spot a coffee shop from their balcony hotel.
They wanted to ride the Ferris wheel for a once-in-a-lifetime view of a volcano, but the typhoon ruined their plans.
Next best thing? Coffee and cake!
Always, ALWAYS, the pastry case was their battleground.
She kept picking the tastier dessert to pair with the coffee, so when she said, “Oreo cheesecake looks good,” he choose that one instantly, HA-ha, because he knew he could trust her sweets judgment.
“Alright, Smore’s cake for me.”
Sorry, babycakes, I’m sure it’ll be tasty.
Off the beautifully colored menu, they ordered their drinks:Americano, sam, and Mocha, Annie.
Ed Sheeran’s Perfect serenaded them. They sat in front of the window and read each other’s personality profiles based on the coffee they chose.
The waitress walks up to them and asks, “You’re such a cute couple. Can I take your picture?”
She then takes one with Annie’s phone.
This is a pretty groovy cafe, I think. This place is actually, pretty freaking incredible.
WHOA, WOW, DAMN! It’s so vibrant in here!
The walls, the serving counter, the ceiling, every part of this cafe except the floor is decked out in coffeeillustrations!Sam thought.
They stood up and walked around the store, taking pictures of the paintings, laughing at funny poses, exploring the coffee shop as they explored each other’s love for coffee.
Great coffee, great cake, and a great environment, this has got to be the best coffee shop in the world!
Sunnybito, their street shaman, told them three traits for mastering to have any relationship succeed:
Trust, loving, and patience.
This coffee shop had all three of them.
Trust with its beverages and cakes, loving with the beautiful illustrations, and patience with the staff who put up with customers taking pictures of their store.
Unlike with other girls, when Annie looked at Sam he felt loved. At the end of the day, as long as he has that, nothing else matters to him. Well, that and coffee and cake.
He told her everything about himself. About his past and present, so they could both belong in each other’s future.
She was pouring out so much into him too.
After all, fair is fair.
“This is probably my favourite coffee shop,” he said, stealing a fork-full of her Smore’s cake. “What about you? Do you have a favourite coffee shop?”
She bit his nose.I don’t know why.“My favourite is when your with me.”
I am inviting 
