Unreciprocated Feelings Between Me And You

chapter | s e v e n t e en

seventeen | coffees and mornings

"IT'S TOO EARLY in the morning for you to get lost in your thoughts, don't you think?" Ruby says while snapping her fingers in front of me before plopping down on the sofa.

I blink a couple of times before pausing the song I'm listening to. Sorry, Chet Baker, you'd just have to wait.

"It is too early in the morning that's why I'm getting lost in my thoughts," I retort before taking a sip of my coffee.

"Don't get smart with me. My one brain cell can't take it."

I let out a laugh. "Of course. I'm sorry."

She takes a long look at me before saying, "You look good today."

I release another laugh. "I look good?" I point at myself while making a face. My hair is up in a messy bun, I have bags under my eyes, my shirt is way too big for my size, and I haven't even taken a bath yet. "Yeah, you should definitely go back to sleep."

"I'm not saying you look beautiful, kid. I'm saying you look good."

That makes more sense.

"Well, the day is good."

It's still dark outside. The sun is barely peeking out of the horizon. The only light illuminating the living room is coming from the kitchen, but we don't mind. The aroma of the bread fills up the entire place and the coffee is keeping me warm from the forthcoming winter. The day is good.

"Had a good sleep?"

I nod my head while smiling at her. I take another sip of my coffee. "I'm planning to sleep a lot today. Is that fine with you?"

"Yeah, of course. I plan to do the same."

I make a face at her. "You really are so lazy, you know?"

She scoffs. "That's rich coming from you!"

"I'm broke, but yes, it's coming from me."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Yes."

"It's lame. You're lame."

I grin at her. "I know."

She rolls her eyes, and for a while, it's silent between us. It doesn't take long before she's talking again. She tries to play her voice out as casual but I can notice the underlying worry. "So you're okay with it?"

I meet her gaze and I immediately understand what she's trying to say. I nod my head. "Yeah."

She's shocked by my answer. "Really?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "I don't really know. There's a part of me that thinks that I'm ready to see the both of them, that I'm fine with this..."

"But?"

"But there's also a part of me that just hates it. My father has the nerve to make me meet the girl he cheated on my mother with and she allowed it to happen. I honestly can't believe any of it," I let out a breath. "It's too perplexing for me to understand so I don't bother at all."

Ruby apprehensively gnaws at her bottom lip while looking at me. "Sia, honey, not to be mean or anything, but your dad's kind of a jerk."

I stifle a laugh. "Don't you get along with him?"

Daddy met Ruby the one time he came to visit. He was teaching me how to fry fish when Ruby arrived from her work. They just clicked the moment they started talking about food.