Memories of Home

ɪɪ. ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ

Michelle Jones cursed, looking at the shards of the broken mug across the diners' floor.

This is why Antonio pushed the paper cups, even after her insistence that it was awful for the planet, and what kind of sorry human would just contribute to the destruction of the earth after it had already almost been destroyed by countless crazy aliens?

But then again, the paper cups didn't smash into pieces when they were dropped.

MJ wasn't an easily perturbed person, and yet here in an almost empty diner at the end of the night...she stared at the pieces of on the floor and felt a prick in her chest.

It was just a broken mug. So then why did she feel like she was looking at herself.

Snap out of it.

She took a shaky breath as she finally bent to pick it all up.

Things had been so weird the last couple months and she had no idea why. Everything was great - she was going to MIT in the fall with her best friend for god's sake. Ned was ecstatic that they were even thinking of getting a place together. Her own place. She was finally getting away from her father. She was going to be free...if she could just get enough shifts under her belt here.

For as many things that were going right, why didn't it feel as great as it sounded? Why was a stupid mug making her want to cry?

Maybe it was the lack of sleep.

She had woken up on so many cold nights, with her body covered in sweat. Always feeling like she was falling....but she would always wake up before she found out if someone was ever there to catch her...the feeling of phantom fingertips tracing her skin. The embrace of a ghost that she would never know leaving her cold and alone.

Maybe she was nervous about what MIT would hold. It had to be the only explanation.

But..she had always been alone. She would do just fine continuing that way. She would catch her own damn self.

Sighing after the mug incident, MJ picked up her phone to check the time..12:50am. Finally time to shut things down and go home.

MJ didn't mind the closing shift anymore since it kept her from her dreams these days.

She turned off the coffee burners, and made sure the cash register was counted out and locked up, restocked some straws and cups, and then finally went to the back to grab her coat.

Locking up, she put in her air-pods, and made her way home. A 20 minute walk wasn't the best in this city, but she had made it countless times before.

Her phone buzzed suddenly, and she saw a notification flash across the screen from Harry, a new friend she had met through Ned who had just moved to New York.

"Hey - just checking in on you. Thinking we should grab some coffee tomorrow...somewhere other than...well you know. Txt back."

She smirked, but as she did, couldn't help but feel like something was watching her. Or someone. Without responding, she subconsciously put the phone away and moved quicker.

She knew streets were less crowded after the closing shift...but now...her heart quickened as they seemed even emptier than usual.

Maybe she should just take the shortcut.

She walked faster as she turned the corner into it's neighboring ally, city streets she had walked countless times before. She would be fine.

This is what she kept telling herself, until she heard rustling from behind her.