Delirium

Chapter Two

Wisconsin. Average Joe's Coffee. December 20th. 7:02 am. I'm the first one to reach the coffee shop. I grab a seat at mine and Vivian's favorite table- the one in the nook that no one really notices. It's the perfect place to just watch people go about their day, unseen by them. There are people ranging anywhere from young, boot and tights-clad college girls that come in for their spice lattes to old wrinkled professors who like their coffee black as night. Though, not very surprisingly, there aren't very many people here. Most students on campus are away with their families for the holidays, and I'm left completely alone. Well, alone, except for Beau, the coffee shop's owner's son. All the regulars here, including myself, call him Average Beau. Average Beau is not at all average. He's six foot five and huskily built with deep set eyes and a rolling voice. He looks like a bear wrestler to me.

            Once he finishes serving the customer with whom he's currently occupied, he glances over at me in the corner, his scruffy face widening into a grin. He checks to make sure there are no more customers, then walks with naturally heavy steps to where I sit and leans on the table.

            "Haven't seen you here in a while, Kyle. Thought you'd forgotten about me," he bellows good naturedly. His voice is one of those that you can feel in your own chest.

            "Never, man! I've just been too lazy to get out of the dorm. You know me."

            Beau smiles. "I understand. It's been cold out lately. Aren't you going home for winter break to see your family?"

            "Ah, well, no. I usually spend holidays with Vivian and her family. My own family..." I sigh, trying to figure out exactly how to word this. "My family...not really in the picture." Beau gives me a quizzical look, so I continue. "Let's just say they dropped me like I was hot at some orphanage and disappeared off the face of the planet. I've looked everywhere. It's like they never existed." I sigh and tousle my dark blond hair in frustration. "But hey," I say, trying to not to get worked up about it. "I don't care. Not one bit. I'm done searching." This conversation is making me bummed and uncomfortable.

            Beau makes a frown. Not so much a frown of sadness, but of disappointment. Disappointment in me. In my giving up. "You should keep looking," he says in a way that it sounds like he can't understand why on earth I would ever give up. Like his idea is the only obvious answer. Obviously.

            "You don't understand," I say dully.

            "No, maybe I don't. But giving up? That's not like you."

            I shrug dejectedly. Beau is about to pat my shoulder when the little bell hanging above the door chimes happily. We both turn to the door to see my lovely lady Vivian walk in in her black pea coat and scarlet scarf that lights up her perfect little face, pink from the cold. Her raven black hair that cascades beautifully to her waist shimmers in the light, and her dark eyes light up when she sees me and Beau in the corner.

            "Well if it isn't my beautiful lady," I grin happily. Just seeing her always puts me in a better mood.

            "Hello, hon'. Hi, Beau," she lilts as she stamps the snow off of her snow boots outside and shuts the door against the cold. Her boots clunk on the floor with every step she takes across the room until she reaches our table and slips into a chair, lightly as a cat. "How are you?"

            "Cold. Very cold," I laugh with a fake shiver.

            Beau springs from his resting place on the table. "I can fix that! Black coffee for Kyle. You want the usual too, Vivian?" he asks as he thumps on the floor to the counter.