When the golden rays of the sun illuminated Melanie's tiny apartment, she already knew that today was The Day. She had been thinking about it for too long, and now she couldn't maintain her quiet and warm silence any longer. She had gotten up an hour earlier to look her best, as she had no room for error. She had a orange dress with a white ribbon belt and delicate buttons specifically for this occasion. Her hair, makeup, and even her underwear (which she was particularly embarrassed about) were perfectly styled and graceful. She had an important mission to carry out - to storm the heart of the one who had not left her thoughts for many weeks.

Melanie jumped out of the apartment building and, light as a feather, rushed to the bakery building. Everything was perfect - bright sun warming her skin, birds chirping overhead, great mood and a gentle excitement before the confession. Step, another step, and after a turn and... A huge dark car rushed past without even slowing down. Cold water from the puddle left by the sprinkler machine sprayed the girl from head to toe. In an instant, her appearance was completely ruined by the dirty and dark stains that covered not only her clothes but also her skin.

Upset, but maintaining optimism which was extremely difficult in such a case, the girl entered the bakery from the back door and immediately felt something strange - the usual measured and slightly lazy atmosphere was replaced by a hurried chaos. A scientific conference at the nearby university turned the coffee-bakery into a real Mecca for those who were eager for hot coffee and delicious croissants.

"Melanie, quickly put on your apron and go to the sales area. We have a lot of work to do," came the boss's voice, much more irritated and cold than usual.

It was a whirlwind, with people coming and going, conference participants gathering in small groups at tables, and orders being placed almost constantly. By six o'clock in the evening, the girl's feet in lightweight flats ached painfully, and her makeup and hair were in disarray. Exhaustion and frustration mixed together, causing the already anxious girl to feel almost delirious.

There was a "Closed" sign on the glass door, and a tired man was counting money in the cash register to close the shift. They hadn't spoken to each other all day, and they didn't have the energy to do so. However, Melanie let her emotions take over, put the mop back in its place, approached him, and smiled softly. "We d-did a great job-b today. It was so-o... Intense," she whispered, her voice strained with excitement. The man looked up at her and nodded in agreement, seeming too tired for praise. "You know, I was wor-r-ried," the girl whispered timidly.

The man looked up and took in her appearance.

"Yes, darling. It was difficult," he said, his eyes fixed on the dark stains on her beautiful dress. "Take it to the dry cleaner tomorrow. Maybe there's still something that can be done," he added, returning his attention to the money. "Uh-huh..." the girl whispered, shifting from one foot to another, and then took a timid step towards him. "I want-ted to t-talk to you," she said uncertainly.

Their eyes met. He immediately understood what she wanted to say - he could see it in her sincere blue eyes.

"No need, sweetheart," he said and shook his head.

"But why?" she asked, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. Shouldn't she have confessed her feelings, and was fate clearly indicating this to her?