I spilled coffee on his notebook in a crowded café, and that tiny accident turned into weeks of meeting up. Today, I finally told him, "I like you," hoping it would clear things up. He just smiled and said, "Thanks for the coffee, it really helped me focus," and I realized he thought I meant friendly thanks, not a date. All that time, I thought we were more, but to him, I was just a study buddy. Sometimes, city life mixes signals as much as it mixes people.