Page 10 of Summertime Friends

My curiosity takes over, the imagination gate wide open. I wonder what it would be like to be that cup. His lips are on me instead—the ones that make up a smile reserved for God alone. His lips are full for a male and a delicious shade of pink-red.

I blink.

Our locked eye contact breaks as I hear the barista call out my order loudly as if she’d already called it. “Black coffee to-go for the American.”

I swiftly stand up, push the chair back I’ve been sitting in, grab my book, and walk up to the counter to grab my coffee.

Turning back around, I find his eyes are still on me.

He didn’t stop watching me.

I glance down at my outfit, checking to make sure my underwear isn’t showing or that I didn’t step in dog poop.

Nothing. Everything is in place.

“Thank you.” I smile at the barista over my shoulder before leaving.

With my arm outstretched, I open the heavy wooden door to leave and glance back at the place. I don’t need to search to know exactly where he is. Like a compass finding north, there he is. He’s still watching me. My face doesn’t falter from its indomitable position.

Turning my head back toward the exit, I push it the rest of the way open and walk out.

My body is buzzing. Fueled by the coffee I’m sipping, that place, and the thought of him, the remainder of the walk back to the hotel feels quick.

“Where have you been?” Natalie is frantic. She’s rushing around the room, getting ready, throwing clothes out of the wardrobe, and trying to figure out what to wear.

“On a walk. I wanted a coffee.”

“And you didn’t think to bring me back one?”

“Here.” I hand her the cup even though I know she hates black coffee. “You should wear what you have on. It’s nice.”

She takes one sip. “Blah.”

Natalie hands the to-go cup back to me.

“I thought something happened to you or that you were going to miss our day trip!” she huffs while lacing up her shoes, grabbingher purse from the table, and adding lip gloss and her phone to its contents.

“Yeah, you appear concerned. Almost as if you would have gone without me.”

“I wasn’t going to have both of us miss it. Whatever, you’re here now. Are you ready?”

5

LIAM

Now

I watch Emerson and Brandon as they leave. His arm around her as they walk down the street. She tenses up when his hand settles on her shoulder, a subtle jump that spills her coffee.

Through the windows at the front of the shop, I see her peering back at me. Over her shoulder, her brown hair covers part of her face, but I can tell her eyes are searching for mine.

I find them.

She doesn’t smile. She stares at me with a haunting expression, her eyes singing the sad song that has become us.

Her gaze leaves mine and turns back to his. She nods to whatever he’s saying, and I watch as their image fades into the street.

Have you ever had a moment in your life that you fixate on only to realize that it’s a fantasy that won’t come true?

---