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17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡML7BpVbvBe
Talia poured coffee like her body was running on autopilot.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeIfFq6XoM
Customer. Mug. Smile. Repeat.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGP36Kw2Fi
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.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86l4jsG0pF
She barely spoke unless someone asked for something. Even then, it felt like moving underwater.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aOJDMGeJn
Nobody noticed. Or maybe they did and just didn’t care.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3k8UYTHZ2
Except Jonas.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXICitzyP0v
He always sat in booth three, always ordered black coffee and a grilled cheese. And always said, “Thanks, Talia,” like her name meant something.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9exQnCeM3l
Today, he looked at her longer than usual.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡockl27YDat
“You okay?” he asked.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxn1UjEW5Y
She blinked. A full second passed before she gave him her usual answer:
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyv0zdUsHU
“Yeah.”
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuw1ksyVXT
He didn’t push. Just nodded.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bSD2ufM7O
But after he left, she found a napkin folded under his coffee cup.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHnaR5ER2C
It said:
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4ADRNJ273
“You don’t look fine. If you ever want to talk, I’m always in booth three.”
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTDDmdAhyl
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZq7T9tkXO
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg4Zivez2u
She didn’t know whether to cry or tear it up.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbHnGQsm3o
So she put it in her pocket and kept pouring coffee.
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