Waterless

s e v e n

The oriental cafe and store down the street is my only escape. With a pea coat to cover the bruises. I sit in the corner and order an iced latte, watching as the owner bustles about serving tables. Her son is the busboy, and the way he speaks English perfectly makes me wonder if he'll ever speak it for more than nine seconds around me. His sweatshirt bears resemblance to one sitting in my closet, forgotten after I turned 19. It isn't the way I stared at him, over and over, trying to pick out a reason to speak to him about something, anything.

He brings my coffee to the table, a smile on his face. "You're the only one that has ever ordered iced coffee in January." It isn't that strange, I didn't even hear what he said because I was too busy admiring how perfect he looked.

"I guess I just needed a change." I mumbled, staring through the endless portals that his dark eyes created. "I-I'm Mina."

He stuffed the rag he was holding into his apron, then stuck his hand forward. "I'm Jeong Sook. Tan Jeong Sook." He smiled as he gently shook my hand. "It is nice to meet you Mina."

"You too." I breathed, watching as he picked up my empty water glass and filled it up.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." I was almost too quick to reply, mesmerized as he sat down across from me. His dark hair was tainted with ginger, and it took everything I had to look away.

"Do you come here often?" He asked lightly, the rag now resting on his shoulder. I nodded my head.

"I've never seen you here before." I replied, taking a sip of the coffee. It tasted of caramel and sugar, but it wasn't nearly as savory as the moment I was in now.

"I started working last week. I needed a little extra money before I started my winter semester at  the university." His eyes were kind as we talked, and I had never known that a busboy could make me so happy in the hour and a half that I'd known him.

We were talk talk for what seemed like hours, talking about me, talking about him, talking about movies and music and how iced coffee in the winter made me mesmerizing.

"Jeong Sook?" I asked hesitantly, upon seeing the shops hours. It had cleared out not long ago, and the only reason it hadn't kicked me out was because of the busboy in front of me.

"Hm?" He smiled, his hair falling onto his face.

"Walk me to my car?"

He opened the door for me as we walked out, and not far away my Mazda was sitting. The streetlights began to light up as I stuffed my hands in my pockets. He followed my lead and hid his in his apron.

When I stopped at the door, he grabbed my arm.

"Will I see you again soon?" He asked slowly, his arm gentle on the bruises that littered there. I nodded swiftly, smiling up at him.

"Count on it."

As I buckled myself in, I rolled down the window, handing him a card with my number on. "Call me when you have a fresh pot tomorrow, I'll stop by."

He smiled and took it, and as his fingers delicately grazed mine, I couldn't help but wonder if meeting him was something I should hide from Arron, or if it were cheating.

I guess some things are meant to be.