The Game of Perceptions — “Since you confessed to observing me before entering,” you began, your voice almost confidential, making him lean forward to listen, “let’s test your intuition. What else did you notice about me through that glass? Besides the fact that I was ‘somewhere else’?” He exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning your face as if reading between the lines of a forbidden book. A slow, audacious smile appeared on his lips. “Do you really want to know?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave. “I noticed you don’t drink your coffee all at once. You savor the aroma first, let the warmth of the cup warm your fingers… you’re someone who appreciates the process, not just the result. And I noticed the way you bite your lower lip when you think no one is looking. It’s a dangerous habit for someone who wants to go unnoticed.” He paused deliberately, letting the provocation hang in the air as the thunder outside emphasized the pause. “But what really got to me,” he continued, his voice now a whisper you felt on your skin, “was your expression of boredom with the world outside. It seemed like you were daring someone to be brave enough to break your silence.” You took a small sip of your coffee, without taking your eyes off his. “And you think you’re brave enough for what comes after the interruption?”