Quick Love

"First love is dangerous only when it is also the last."

Addy sat on a wooden park bench, feeling the warmth of the sun against her back. She was contentedly reading an informational essay about the state of coffee consumption and its effects on the human body when a voice suddenly interrupted her.

"Hey Addy," Jake said, his voice pulling her out of her reverie. She looked up at him and was taken aback by his sheepish smile. It was the same smile he had the day before when they had gotten into a heated fight.

Addy had watched as he walked away in a fit of anger, and she had assumed she would never see him again. But here he was, standing in front of her with that same mischievous smile.

At first Addy was tempted to criticize him for his behavior the day before, but as she looked into his eyes, she could see something different; a vulnerability, a longing for something more than just a casual acquaintance.

Without realizing it, Addy began to feel a pang of sympathy for Jake. He was clearly struggling with something, and before she knew it, she found herself asking him what was wrong.

Jake took a deep breath, and then opened up to Addy about his life. He told her about growing up with a 'father that treated him like how a father shouldn't be with their kid.'

Addy listened intently as Jake spoke, and soon the compassion she was feeling for him grew even stronger. She ached for him, knowing that no one should have to live with such hardship. As Jake talked, her heart broke for him and she felt like she knew someone who could relate to some of the struggles he was facing.

Addy felt a sudden urge to comfort him, and so she reached out and gently touched his arm. She looked into his eyes, and she could see the pain he was trying to keep hidden.

"It's alright," she said softly. "It will get better. You'll see."

Jake nodded, and for the first time since he had started talking, she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He knew that she understood what he was going through, and that she was there for him.

Addy felt a deep connection with Jake in that moment, and she realized that she no longer felt angry at him. Instead, she was filled with a newfound sense of empathy and understanding.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, until Jake finally broke the silence.

"Hey," he said. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?"

Addy smiled and nodded, and the two made their way to the nearby coffee shop. As they drank their coffee, Addy couldn't help but think about how coffee had been the catalyst to bringing them together.

In spite of all the negativity surrounding coffee consumption, it had managed to bring Addy and Jake together in a way nothing else could have. She couldn't help but feel grateful for the power that a simple cup of coffee had.

Jake nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hands shaking as he set down the cup of coffee. His face was pale and strained as he spoke in a whisper. "Addy... You shouldn't be with Andrew... There's someone after you two..."

Confusion replaced Addy's contentment, her eyebrows furrowing in disbelief. "Who? No one can separate us."

He couldn't meet her gaze, guilt and sadness flashing across his features. He swallowed hard before continuing, his voice barely above a whisper. "Andrew's foster father... Don't tell him I said anything, but he's trying to find a way to keep you two apart... Be careful..."

Addy studied him closely, then finally asked, "How do you know him?"

Jake shook his head and looked away, avoiding her gaze. Memories of eight years spent doing something awful flitted across his mind, and he had to look away for fear she'd sense what was going on inside him. "That's for another time," he muttered. Addy noticed the tension in Jake's body and she knew he was keeping something from her. She didn't want to push him too hard, but she also knew that what he was hiding could be important.