Beautiful Boy

nothing

amara haven

David called about two weeks ago.

Vicki had called him. She didn't know where Nic was.

She didn't know where he was.

If he was okay.

Nothing.

He called again a week ago.

Nic had been back in San Francisco.

He'd been in the house when they were at an event for Daisy and Jasper.

When they got home, he sped off in his car and Karen tried to catch up but couldn't.

I was troubled by the thoughts, to say the least.

I'd felt terrible because I was constantly bugging Axel in an attempt to not drink.

He was nice about it, even going so far as to temporarily live with me.

It had been the longest two weeks of my life.

I hadn't done anything for my birthday.

My life felt the same every day.

I had a job at a coffee shop to try and occupy my mind with something. I got up every day, worked a six hour shift, then went home.

I was absentmindedly making a latte for a girl called Mila when I heard my name.

Leah came running over to the counter where I was.

"Hey, how are you?" She asked, "It's been too long."

I chuckled, "Yeah, it's been a while... I'm fine, I guess."

When I popped the lid onto the drink, I placed it on a separate counter.

"Mila," I said.

A dark-haired girl dropped her phone in a tote bag and grabbed the coffee.

She seemed put together, like she knew her purpose and I hated it.

"Thank you," she smiled.

I offered a fake smile back, "Have a good day."

"You too." And she turned to leave.

She couldn't have been much older than me.

I hated seeing people my age with their lives together. How did they do it?

They made it seem so effortless.

It made me feel worse about my situation.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I asked Leah.

We hadn't talked since before I left for Los Angeles, there was no way she could've known where I worked.

"I asked Kinsley," she said, "Can I put you down as a reference for a job application?"

"Sure," I shrugged, I checked the next receipt to see what I was to make.

It was a couple, a shorter light-haired girl and a taller dark-haired boy, he had his arms around her from behind and they were laughing about something.

Probably younger than me.

I sighed and quickly made the drinks.

"I'm taking my break," I said to my boss, he nodded and I untied my apron and walked around the counter.

"What's up?" Leah asked, sitting down with me.

"I don't know," I replied, "I'm just- everyone around here is so happy and living life to the fullest and they're all around our age."