Parfait

24: Lucky Charms

When I wake up in the morning, all the lights in the living room are still out, the sole source being the faint sunlight peeking through the not fully closed shutters. I search blindly for my phone and my shoes, but I only find my Samsung A30 sitting at the coffee table. The time is already seven-thirty.

I get up and go to the kitchen. Alex is there, sitting at one of the chairs and holding a spoonful of cereal with one hand and his phone with the other. I mumble a "good morning" but he doesn't respond. A discreet glance at his phone confirms that he's swiping through pictures of him and Sofia.

I open the fridge and fill a cup with water. Only when I close the fridge door does Alex take notice of my presence. He shudders, dropping his spoon on the table. He blindly reaches for it again, only to grab the bowl and tilt it to the side. Milk and soggy Lucky Charms scatter around the table and his clothes.

"I guess I'm not a morning person," he mutters.

"Why are you up so early?"

"Olivia was snoring, again. I told you we should share the bed and let her take the couch."

Yeah, as if it would be easy to sleep next to you when I'm spewing lies in every sentence I say.

"Will you wait for me? I was thinking we could go to Parfait together. You're working this morning, right?"

My jaw drops but I manage to talk. "Alex, are you sure?"

He nods. "Yeah, yeah. I have to talk to Kal. The sooner the better." His eyes fall at the table and his freckled nose wrinkles. "I should probably clean this."

"Go change, I got it."

Alex looks up at me. "Thanks, Summer."

I hold my breath until he's gone. Sighing, I cut some paper and wipe the cereal away from the table before going over the stains with Kleenex.

I go back to the living room and frantically look around for my shoes, until I remember I took them off in Alex's bedroom last night. Tip-toeing in the room so as not to wake Olivia up, I spot them beside the bed. My bottom hits the floor as I plop down to put them on.

"Are you ready?" Alex asks from the door. "Did you eat? Do you want any clothes?"

Glancing down at the shirt I've been wearing since yesterday morning, I nod. "I suppose I could use a clean shirt."

Alex skips to the drawers and pulls out a previously neatly folded graphic T-shirt. "Here you go."

After I change into it, we make our way to Parfait and I can't help but wish the road never ends. The sun is out, creating soft oranges and pinks in the light blue sky cut only by ash-grey clouds. Alex and I walk to the shop together without exchanging any words. Every few steps, I steal a glance at him, only to see him gazing at the pavement with his hands in his pockets. When we reach our destination, I come to a halt. Through the windows I can see Kal is already inside, wiping the tables.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask Alex, hoping he might regret it and go back to his house.

He's not one to confront people, and for once I don't want to see him do that. At the same time, though, I know he should.

"Yeah, I am," he mutters. "Are you going to come in, too?"

"I have to work so..."

"Right. Ugh...I won't raise a commotion, I don't want to cause you any trouble."

I give Alex a weak smile and I push the door open. Kal looks up from the table he's wiping, freezing when he sees Alex next to me.

"Al, I..."