Nowhere to Hide

The Health Café was my favourite café in the whole world. They sold healthy meals and great tasting smoothies. They had dairy free, gluten free, and fat free options. Whatever healthy meal you wanted, they had it. Today I chose a protein smoothie and a fruit salad.

The café was also convenient, because it was right next to my apartment building. If I didn’t have time or didn’t feel like cooking, which was often, I ate at the Health Café.

Thando sat next to me, a drink in hand. As usual, she was dressed up.

‘Whatever happened to that hot personal trainer you had the hots for? What was his name?’ Thando asked.

‘Matt,’ I said.

‘Yes. Matt. So?’ She waited.

‘He’s unavailable.’

‘That’s a shame. But don’t worry; I’ll introduce you to one of Steve’s friends.’

I feigned a smile. Now that Thando was in a relationship with Steve, she wanted everyone else to also be a couple.

Ed walked into the café and following behind him was the handsome personal trainer Matt. They sat at our table. Ed sat next to me and Matt sat opposite me, next to Thando.

‘Guess who I pumped into? He lives in my hallway,’ Ed said.

Great, I thought. Now I’d have to find a new place to live.

‘You missed our first training session,’ Matt said.

That’s because I’ve changed gyms, I thought.

‘You’re still paying for the session by the way,’ he added.

I nodded.

Ed stood. ‘Q, may I have a word with you?’

I followed him.

‘So why didn’t you tell me that handsome Matt is gay?’

I cleared my throat. ‘Well…’

‘Yes.’

‘I was kinda embarrassed, because I practically and literally threw myself at him.’

Ed laughed. ‘I’m the one who literary threw you at him.’ He looked over my shoulder to the table where Matt and Thando sat chatting.

I turned the same direction and then back to Ed. ‘You like him,’ I said.

He didn’t respond immediately. ‘Well… you liked him first.’

‘I can’t have him. So he’s all yours. Besides, he’s not really that cute.’

‘Girl, are you kidding me? He is hot.’

I shrugged. ‘He’s OK, I guess.’

Ed smiled. I could see him picturing their future together. How they’d live happily ever after, while I was thinking of how best to avoid Handsome Matt who now lived in the same apartment building as me.