"The United States men's national soccer team won their first round of soccer against New Zealand's ,"All Whites" Soccer team with a score of 3-2, held yesterday at the local stadium. Astounding player, Florence Parhl, scored an impressive goal in the first half with a kick of directly calculated intensity that produced quality. All-time favorite, Mark Hale, got in the last hunch and saw his shot through Oliver Patel's wavering defense, garnering the team's win for the first practice match. All I have to say, Go team! Catch up with tomorrow's sports news here on Sports report. "

     The radio sounded in Hayden's earphones. It was always good to listen to some news late in the evening while waiting for the last batch of customers to finish dining and start closing up shop.

        It was already almost 11:00 P. M and even though his bar is a popular place to drinks in the wee hours of night in this part of the city; he planned to close earlier, preferably 12 A. M, than the usual 1:00 or 2:00. He already announced it with a sign yesterday, so accomplishing it shouldn't be that much of a problem. He just felt the need to retire early today and close shop for his selfish reasons.

      It wasn't much of a problem anyway cause' he didn't open this mainly for profit. He just felt like running it would have him make use of his time in a fun way, earning profit was just a plus that supported him all these years.

       Hayden at the moment was staring into the streets outside his cafe through the small windows as he leaned against the counter. He indulged in a beer himself and moved the radio's channel after the sport report to a music station. There he sat peacefully, just waiting. Tapping his fingers against the tabletop, he hummed with the rhythm of the radio's music choices. Doing this for a while now, he dozed off while he leaned against his palm carelessly.

     The cafe's door chime sounded that woke up tired Hayden before he could enter a deep sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he said to the unknown customer approaching his counter,

      "Good evening sir, what would you like?"

      "What's up A-A handsome face." With a yawn, he opened his eyes to see the person in front of him.

        "Huh, no wonder I heard a woman's voice."

        "Stop lazing off and give me a beer." Elizabeth said to him. He then ducks down to get a cold beer from the freezer and a beer opener below him and placed it on the counter. He turned around to grab a glass with some ice, but he was beaten to it when he heard a bottle opening from behind him. He turned around and said,

        "Don't you fancy yourself a glass for that."

        "No need, I just wanted a quick drink." Elizabeth replied. Hayden shrugged, poured the ice back in its container and placed the still clean glass back in its compartment.

      "So what's up with you coming here this late?" He asked, going back to his previous position as Elizabeth also sits in one of the bar stools in front of him.

       "I was working late and suddenly just wanted some beer, I'll continue it later."

     "You should just go to sleep when you head back."

      "I can't ignore the energy for a writing streak I have going on today." She reasoned out.

      "I'm sure the feeling will come back tomorrow, just lay off work tonight, you've probably been at it since morning."

        Guilty, she answered in a softer voice, " I have, but-"

       "Don't overwork yourself, El."

        With a sigh and another swig at the bottle of beer, " Alright, just let me drink tonight."

       Hayden nodded to the request as he turned off his radio and took out his earphones while taking another sip of the beer in his own hands.

       "I thought no one was supposed to drink on the job?" She said.

       "It's my place and besides, it is just beer."

     "Won't you get drunk?"

       "It's just one bottle El, nobody really gets drunk on that. Hell, even you don't."

      " Touché." She replied.

      Elizabeth opened her phone to scroll through social media to pass the time, a message then came up on her phone.

/Yo, El, gurl, you up?/

/What's up Meg?/

/Where are you rn??/

/At Brick, why?/

/Hayden's cafe?/

/yepp/

/Oh, it's nothing I was just bored, but you gotta be in the moment right now./

/Wdym??/

/Bye!! ;))))/

/Meg????/

      Megan never replied to the last text, and she didn't know what she meant by being in the moment. What's so important about what's happening right now?, she thought. Hayden, who was quiet beside her until now, suddenly spoke up.

     "What do you think about the place's decor?"

     "Hm?" Hayden circled his fingers around his head to symbolize the place. Elizabeth turned around in her stool and looked at the entire place's inside decorations. She saw that the good architecture of the place was very clear, even on the inside. It looked very spacious, even though the space it made use of was relatively small. Even though this factor had existed,

     "It's very... minimalist?"

      "It's empty."

      She couldn't help but agree to Hayden's observation, " Yep." Yes, it looked nice even without decoration, but it would look great with other things besides just chairs, tables, counters, and bottles.

       "How long have you had this cafe?"

     "Just got it a year ago, didn't really think about the interior designing and was too broke to hire an interior designer."

      "Hm, it does need work on the inside. Just a bit of color would do than just black, gray, and white all over."

       Hayden carefully considered how to continue on with the conversation they were having. He started the topic out of pure intentions just for his shop, but after much deliberation in his head, this could be an opportunity. He secretly schemed, showing no emotion of excitement on his face to plan the perfect chance. He then said,

       "You're a woman, right?"

       Elizabeth gave him her look of contempt, which made him laugh through his tiredness,

       "I'm just thinking, this place could use 'a woman's touch'." He said while motioning air quotations with his fingers.

      "What do you mean, 'a woman's touch.'?" Elizabeth asked, copying his air quotations from earlier.

       "I mean, could you help me decorate the cafe?" He asked nervously. This would give him his chance to spend time with Elizabeth outside for a change.

      "Oh, though I think what've you've said was a bit sexist, just a bit. Sure, why not?" She nonchalantly answered. Casually shrugging off any discomfort about the whole question.

      Mission accomplished, he thought to himself.

       " So, would you go by some stuff with me this Saturday?"

       "Where?"

      "I'll find places later."

       "Okay, it'll be fun."

     Elizabeth looked at the time on her watch and saw that it was almost 12 A.M. She finished the last sips of her beer and stood up. She opened her wallet and called Hayden to his senses,

     "Yo? Hayden." He turned to him as he heard his name and saw the bill of money stretched from Elizabeth's hand to his.

     "Here." She said while doing so, but he pushed it back towards her and replied to her confusion with the words,

       "On the house."

     "No...no, take it, I drank it-."

      "I insist." He quickly retorted back.

       Elizabeth sighed and placed the bill back into her wallet while saying, "Well, since you insist." and gives Hayden a smile of thanksgiving.

      "Thanks for the beer, I'll get going now." She says making her way to the door, but Hayden caught up with her while doing so and said,

        "Wait, let me come with you to hail a taxi. "

     "I was going to take a bus."

       "It's late." He said as they exited the cafe and felt the cold air engulf the surrounding atmosphere. Even through the cold, Hayden quickly called an empty taxi close by with a slight raise of his hands.

       "How did you find one so fast?" Elizabeth jokingly asked.

      "I'm telepathic, and its cold, I want to go back in." She laughed at his answer and there the taxi stops right in front of them.

      "Goodbye." She said as she entered the taxi.

      "I'll text you the details for this Saturday."

      "Hahaha, okay A-A Handsome face"

        He laughed at her comment for his contact name and quickly replied with, "You know it!"

      Making her laugh as well before she closed the taxi doors.

      He could still see her inside, telling the driver the address and waving him goodbye with which he waved back. They zoomed off and Hayden reentered his warm cafe.

       The customers were quickly finishing up, not more than two pairs remained as he thought to himself,

I really have to close up soon...