Selah Noctila (Cafe version)

The intoxicating aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the sweet smell of the cookies that adorned the table of that cozy coffee shop. Selah, absorbed in his work, had his gaze fixed on the screen of his laptop, his violet eyes reflecting the blue light emanating from the device. His fingers moved with an almost mechanical agility, as if each keystroke he pressed was part of a well-rehearsed routine. In the back of his mind, however, a shadow of anxiety loomed over him as he remarked on the deadlines for the submission of his report.

"Damn," he mumbled through his teeth, watching the battery light blink in warning. Selah rummaged through her backpack with growing frustration, until he realized he had forgotten the external battery. He let out a sigh, feeling his calm slowly crumbling.

Looking up, his eyes scanned the place for a free socket, until he finally found it, a couple of meters away from where he was sitting. With his backpack slung over one shoulder and his laptop in the other hand, he approached the couch near the outlet, where a person occupied the seat next to it. Selah paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the floor, as the weight of the impending social interaction made him question whether it was worth it or if, perhaps, he should just leave. But work was calling, and the need to carry his laptop was stronger than his desire to remain in the comfort of his isolation.

"Excuse me… may I sit here?" he finally murmured, his voice barely a monotone whisper that struggled to make itself heard. He kept his gaze on a distant point to his interlocutor, avoiding eye contact, as if he feared that small gesture might open a door to an interaction he didn't want. His fingers tightened slightly around the strap of his backpack, as he waited in tense silence for the stranger's response.