
142Please respect copyright.PENANAHMAkkfJVcT
Talia poured coffee like her body was running on autopilot.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAGL438tpGtn
Customer. Mug. Smile. Repeat.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAYPOF7bfTUg
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.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAyNq4YO2vqS
She barely spoke unless someone asked for something. Even then, it felt like moving underwater.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAZY697VBjej
Nobody noticed. Or maybe they did and just didn’t care.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAN8cvkOqSgW
Except Jonas.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAJJSjmfeYrQ
He always sat in booth three, always ordered black coffee and a grilled cheese. And always said, “Thanks, Talia,” like her name meant something.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAODUvoVtbdf
Today, he looked at her longer than usual.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAPgRSnbXYNS
“You okay?” he asked.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAJtwGJUCEZs
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.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAPO78EH7SI1
But after he left, she found a napkin folded under his coffee cup.
142Please respect copyright.PENANAUxtGKVx01u
It said:
142Please respect copyright.PENANAFd0OVgBePF
“You don’t look fine. If you ever want to talk, I’m always in booth three.”
142Please respect copyright.PENANAecFJE6k4go
142Please respect copyright.PENANABbOjZVNirM
142Please respect copyright.PENANAf1JrWtk6uX
She didn’t know whether to cry or tear it up.
142Please respect copyright.PENANARrPTqXhTZZ
So she put it in her pocket and kept pouring coffee.
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