A Notebook From Hell

Chapter 21- Awkwardness and Coffee

Have you ever experienced that feeling of an unbearably awkward family gathering? That sensation when you're sitting with relatives you have absolutely no connection to (aside from blood, of course), and the atmosphere is so thick it feels like there's not enough oxygen to go around?

That was exactly how Emma felt as she sat down for coffee with Robert and Damien.

It was weird. Really weird and awkward.

Emma, naturally, didn't start the conversation (not that she had the energy for anything). Robert sat there, visibly uncomfortable, glancing around in every direction except the one that mattered. It seemed he hadn't expected Damien to join the conversation.
Meanwhile, Damien sat there comfortably, lazily shifting his gaze between the two of them, as if he was feeding off the awkward, suffocating energy.

Finally, Robert decided to breathe some life into this little "party."

"Ahem, ahem," Robert cleared his throat awkwardly, directing his gaze at Damien as he took a deep breath.

"I didn't expect you to come along yourself," he said quietly, his voice soft as though he was trying to dull the sharpness of his words.

"Feel free to carry on. Don't mind me," Damien replied with syrupy sweetness, his expression like a poisoned apple dipped in honey.

"I'm just an innocent observer, that's all." He added sarcastically, shifting his gaze to Emma, as if seeking her approval.

Robert simply looked at Emma with sad eyes. His usually confident and cheerful expression was slowly dimming. Even his normally shining, golden-brown hair seemed to lose its luster, and his bright green eyes weren't as vibrant as usual.

He looked sad, exhausted...disappointed.

Eventually, Emma couldn't bear it any longer and muttered, "Sorry I've been ignoring you. I just... well, I had some other things to take care of. I haven't really been myself... Sorry."
She finished, her dark eyes and short black hair framing her face as she gave Robert an apologetic look.

"It's fine. Thanks for being honest." Robert responded with a noble air, slowly starting to regain his usual self.

After a few quiet sips of coffee, he began to talk about random things, things that Emma was sure weren't the reason he wanted to meet with her.

So, why?

There was only one logical explanation-and no, it didn't involve crushed cheese and a magical leprechaun.

Robert couldn't talk with Damien around.
Or he didn't want to.
Either way, he wasn't about to address the elephant in the room.
Which meant there was no reason for Emma to stay in this boring conversation (which would've been pointless even if Robert had decided to spill his guts).

Emma took a few final sips of her coffee, during which Robert started rambling about the supposedly exciting school life (exciting according to him, at least), while Damien calmly chimed in with his usual humor, explaining how it really wasn't as cool as Robert thought-just wait until exams and the overload of assignments kicked in.

After about fifteen minutes of conversation, drifting between exams, sports, movies, and black holes, (yes, small talk can be weird sometimes), Emma felt she had exhausted her social battery for the day and decided it was time to leave.

"Well, thanks. That was... quite enjoyable," she said, lying through her teeth, before hurrying down the busy street. She wasn't about to let herself get dragged into more conversation with either of them. Instead, she left them behind on the sidewalk.

Coffee and chatting? Seriously what happened to my normal self?? She wondered and hurried to a quiet place.