Her voice

[RF] You fall in love with a voice on the radio.

Day out and day it has always been the same for me, especially when I started working in this 24-hour diner. My shifts ran from 10p.pm. To 7 a.m. Yes, they weren’t the best of times for a uni student but those were the only free times I could get. And the setup wasn’t all bad. There were barely any people around that time. If there would be, it would be at least 1 or 3 people to serve then they’d leave me alone. It was a peaceful time for me and I could still study when there was nobody around or some random dude wasn’t calling out for more coffee or syrup for his sugar-filled pancake. 

I’ve no complaints because I’ve always been more of a night owl too. I mean, the working conditions and the pay wasn’t all bad. I could say that for a uni girl in her early 20s, who is living alone, this setup isn’t that bad. What makes the nights better for me was this radio station the diner’s radio was stuck on.  Couldn’t tell whether it was the old waitress’s fault or if the radio’s always been like that but it’s always tuned on to this specific station. 

Every single night, from midnight until 6 a.m. there would be a late-night station and in that entire session, this girl would be the host of the station. At first, I didn’t mind it. I actually wanted to turn off the radio then but after a while, I just let it play. 

She read letters to late-night workers like me. Played select songs from her own playlist that kept her up. And amazingly, it worked for me too. What was more amazing was how soothing her voice was. It wasn’t like the voices you’d hear on the radio during the day. Her voice was husky yet soft and extremely calming. I liked that voice that much. 

Not a day passed that I would pass up the chance to listen to that voice of hers. I even wished she was my instructor instead but that seems like a dream too far-fetched. I would settle for hearing it over the radio. 

Saturday, My last shift for the week. Something really unexpected happened. It was 6 a.m. My shift was already done and I was getting ready to pack up and hand over the keys to the guy who took over my shift but there was this customer that ordered coffee and I could swear- my heart almost exploded when I finally recognized that voice. 

I wasn’t even sure if she was the host of that radio show, but I could have sworn that was the same voice.  I didn't want to ask right off the bat but I was curious. I mean, it’s not every day that your celebrity crush would walk into your workplace to have coffee. 

But- confirmation first! I steeled myself and approached her table as I was heading out for the day. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t just assuming things or my curiosity. 

“Hi, sorry to disrupt you while you’re enjoying your drink” I offered a shy smile as I spoke “I was just curious about something. Is it alright if I asked something?” 

She gave me a deadpan looked as she carefully placed the Styrofoam cup down “Go ahead, but I’ll have to leave soon so make it quick” 

I immediately nodded and went straight to my question “Are you the DJ that hosts the late-night shows on this radio station daily?” I may have sounded a bit too excited but when her eyes widened, it seemed to answer all my questions

“And what if I am?” 

She was so different in person but I guess that was how professional she wanted to be “I have been a fan of yours for a while now and I really love your segment!” I couldn’t stop the excited grin on my lips. I was basically bouncing in my place but she didn’t seem all that excited to be recognized. 

“I appreciate that you tune into my show. Maybe I’ll come back here. You make good coffee, miss. It’s strong but it’s not the kind that would kick you awake. It has a subtleness” She said as she got up from her seat. 

I could only stand there and stare as my crush walked out of the diner. 

True to her words, she did come back. At first, it was on every few days, then it became every other day. I honestly wished she would visit me daily but seeing her this often was enough to brighten up my day and in return, I would sneak in some sweets and maybe a few fruits with her regular order of coffee. I wasn’t sure if she ate them because she usually ordered on a to-go basis. And usually, I would engage in small talks with her. Anything to hear that voice of hers. 

I wasn’t even sure of myself but I think… I was falling for her. Not just with her voice, but also with the way she would laugh when I would make a small mistake because I get nervous around her. And the way would hum while she was thinking of something else to get along with her coffee. Also when she would always sit at the far end of the diner so she could take her time looking out the window. 

I honestly thought hard about if she would even date me. Most importantly, on how to confess to her. I thought long and hard on my next moves but then I recalled a segment on her show where she would read letters out… And maybe that was it. I would write her a letter. 

Who knows if this was the best way to go about things but It was better than taking precious sleep time away from her, and I definitely can’t after both our shifts because I still had classes. So this will work just fine. I sent in my letter to their office… then I waited… A day? A couple of days, nothing. 

It made me wonder if they had that many submissions but after a week of waiting and tuning in to the station, I finally heard her read my letter.

“The first letter we have for this week seems to be a love letter. How adorable!” She said in her calm tone, She even said it with a little chuckle. She might not be aware of what those letters contained. “So let’s get to it. Dear DJ Em. Oh, it’s addressed to me? How unusual” I turned the radio up and sat closer to the small device “First off, I haven’t been a fan for that long. Maybe only a few months now. Even so, I still enjoy listening to you every midnight until my shift ends. I also love your music playlist you share with us. A love the things you share with your audience because you make it feel like we have a friend in you because of the kind of bond and interaction you have with us. It’s comforting to hear your voice, especially when you offer your personal advice. But most of all, I love that you’ve been visiting the diner more often. I wanted to tell you this in person but I didn’t know how to go about it. I like you. A lot. This is my first love letter and will hopefully be my last. I don’t plan to confess to any other girl besides you. From, the waitress girl that always makes your coffee” 

The line went dead for a while and none of us could tell how she reacted to the letter but after a while, her voice came up again. It sounded softer as if she just finished crying “Let me just set up this song while I get my thoughts together” was all we heard then a soft tune played over the radio. By the time she was back, her voice sounded normal again, as if she didn’t sound so vulnerable just moments ago. 

Perhaps it was too much of a shock for her. I would never know until the next time I saw her again. Or if I would ever see her again…

Luckily I did. She still made her way to the diner and she still ordered her usual coffee and bagel but with her payment, she left a letter for me as well. Hurriedly, I read over it, and the words messily scribbled all over the paper were enough to have me grinning ear to ear. I didn’t even ask for permission. I just bent over the counter and pulled her into my arms

“Thank you for liking me back. I’ll make sure you won’t regret it.  

Been thinking of continuing it onto this prompt because I was thinking it would be cute for this ❤

[WP] 2 girls realize they like each other, and try to hide their relationship from their friends. Problem is, they're terrible at it.