Remedy

coffee spill.

The small, red and round table was messy, as brown liquid spilled from the coffee cup. Everyone in the coffee-shop was staring silently with their furious eyes. They couldn't stop from tearing their eyes away from these two strangers who had words left unsaid, who were standing like two lost dogs finding their way back home. The cashiers hid behind the coffee machines, and the customers quickly looked away, whispering to themselves nonchalantly. As the cocoa smell burned the nostrils of the new strangers that entered, the spotlight started to hover dim right above the two lost soul's heads.  

"What's wrong Rue, what are you hiding from? It's okay if you tell me the truth, I'll understand.. You don't have to promise me anything!" A girl with a silver beanie, curly brown hair as soft as ravioli noodles stood in the distance. She shook her head, letting her thin eye-brows squeeze together in worry, and her lips to tightly clasp together with no hesitation. 

"Nothing, I just have been busy, but I kept you waiting for so long..I'm sorry about that," he sighed and sipped his caramel mocha from his cup.

 "Look, I know the past is what is holding you back from keeping any new people in your life, but you are a dreamer. Just because you lost someone who really mattered to you, doesn't mean there aren't other doors open. People will always come and go, but that doesn't have to mean that everyone who walks out doesn't care about you. You will always meet new faces, Rue." She smiled and her hazel brown eyes began to sparkle. As she lifted her cup, her eyes wandered around the shop to the designs and decorations on the walls. 

"Ah, I just don't know if I'm really going to need advice about that anymore.. Lately, I have been feeling happier on my own with my own dreams, especially self-perseverance," he responded with a smirk, but blinked his brown eyes shorter than a second, as if he was trying to push something away from entering back in his life. He grabbed his cup, let his hand shake a bit, and pretended to drink the caramel mocha without a hesitance. Then he stood up from his chair, took a deep breath, and shuffled his black hair with frustration. 

"R-rue, it's okay.. You know, love is not a show, joke, or something superficial. It's when we keep someone in our thoughts and hearts.." She began to stutter and a tear dropped from her eyes. "They wanted something else, Rue...or was it you what wanted something else?" She got up from her chair and looked back at him heartbroken. As she held back her tears, she reached out her hands to his shoulders, and looked deep into his dark brown eyes. Then, she took a step near him to only sob on his shirt, leaving wet markings formulating to a splatter. "That is not love, Rue. You hurt yourself. No wonder, no wonder," she exhaled. 

"No, it's not.. That's why I just need some time," he calmly responded. He gently pushed her hands away, sipped the caramel mocha from his cup, and raised his eye-brows. "Why do you care so much about my choices in life anyways, Emma?" He asked.  

"Because I saw a part of me in you, and by that I mean, there has been many people I cared about that I had to watch leave this town..Yet, to move on from it, I got deeper and deeper into my passions..All those stories and lessons I've learned so far from the people I met, I put into what I love, " she responded and fiddled with the bottom of her hair..

"I see, Emma..but..still. You just popped out of no where and became my number one fan, you wanted to know about what I'm doing..You cared about the person I lost..Why?" He blinked constantly, closed his eyes, and shook his head as if he couldn't understand something like this could ever be possible. 

"Oh.... We're closer than you think. Didn't you say that to me, Rue? I feel like I've known you for a thousand years or more. I'm not trying to sound creepy in any way, I didn't expect to really meet you, I just felt content and peace when I did..I felt like I could understand you," she nodded and closed her eyes. "And yeah, I like to know about people's lives, it kind of inspires me, you know? People die every year, but I think if I ever get the opportunity to know about them, why not? And hearing about Susan who left to a better place from you, means a lot, so thank you so so much," she sips the coffee from her mug and beams. 

"Wow, really?" He smiled with his eyes, and squirmed in his seat. "I'm glad...Emma.."

"Oops," she accidentally drops the mocha cup on the table, again. "Looks like we need another one," they both wipe the tension away from the air with their calming laugh. The customers finally become relaxed at last and lean back against their chair, enough to stop whispering and begin talking.