He, She and your's truly

He: It takes him a couple of seconds to decipher the code....but this time theres no mistaking it. She definitely smiled at him. He drops his gaze and almost violently pores over the menu card, pretending to read those items he knows almost by heart. Too afraid to look into those dark brown eyes. Afraid of encouraging even the briefest bit of conversation. Its a defensive impulse. He's been here before. The memories still make him wince, as if in physical pain. But he does not let these emotions control him. He has stored all those feelings neatly, behind closed, locked drawers in his subconscious. Although he is sometimes forced to frown, angered by their presence, clouding his otherwise expressionless features. Maybe this time it will be different? Quickly, his conscience shoots him down. Fool! optimistic, romantic, pathetic fool. He quietly accepts the inevitable negativity, and resigns himself to stay alone....unhappy maybe, but unhurt, and somewhat alive.

She: She cant believe what just happened. She just smiled at that quiet, serious looking guy at the corner table. But this guy did not react like the others. She saw the ghost of a frown on his face, and his blatant rejection, as he buries himself into the menu. What is his story?, she thinks. Is he damaged-goods?, a broken hearted, pessimistic ex-romantic like herself? Maybe, just maybe, he needs someone like me, who better to understand that pain, than a fellow sufferer. She recognizes his instant rejection as a product of his strong instinct of self-preservation, further enhanced by the sorrow's from his recent past. But why risk it, the hell with him, he doesn't know what he's missing...She consoles herself by ordering her pasta, and to spite him further, seats herself facing away from him.

Me:Too bad, neither took the leap of faith. Both so well entrenched in their own troubles that they never gave coupling a chance. And both found themselves trapped in that inescapable black hole of self-pity. Too bad. They would have been perfect together. But who am I to comment...I was too busy pretending to read that damn menu...