
146Please respect copyright.PENANAtYbJzfjuSg
Talia poured coffee like her body was running on autopilot.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAixo3PpSpqZ
Customer. Mug. Smile. Repeat.
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The diner buzzed around her like a film she was watching from the outside. She could hear laughter, clinking dishes, the cook shouting out orders. But it didn’t reach her.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAUoV3bdXcXG
She barely spoke unless someone asked for something. Even then, it felt like moving underwater.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAlc7bQ6Px7g
Nobody noticed. Or maybe they did and just didn’t care.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAiVlsKZ3vNo
Except Jonas.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAjyDgS4liuR
He always sat in booth three, always ordered black coffee and a grilled cheese. And always said, “Thanks, Talia,” like her name meant something.
146Please respect copyright.PENANArNlIflpiCT
Today, he looked at her longer than usual.
146Please respect copyright.PENANA8zynVLg7ma
“You okay?” he asked.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAIUYjbDuLdW
She blinked. A full second passed before she gave him her usual answer:
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“Yeah.”
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He didn’t push. Just nodded.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAlbsjhBFoT3
But after he left, she found a napkin folded under his coffee cup.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAMZji2Q3ck6
It said:
146Please respect copyright.PENANA8yaLBvQve1
“You don’t look fine. If you ever want to talk, I’m always in booth three.”
146Please respect copyright.PENANAk5eaJ8aR0l
146Please respect copyright.PENANA2F82UKDr9P
146Please respect copyright.PENANAJrEq2H74mj
She didn’t know whether to cry or tear it up.
146Please respect copyright.PENANAR628LJvG5s
So she put it in her pocket and kept pouring coffee.
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