On Your Own

2A

It seems you have no one but yourself to blame, yet that fact does not make you feel better. You briskly stride downstairs and find yourself facing the same empty sidewalk you always face. You usually wouldn't miss the city, but you must admit the backdrop of life here doesn't do much for the eyes. 

Despite what you feel is a quite justified irritated mood, you find your legs walking just the same as they always do. Wind moves like a lazily pressed paintbrush against the Earth and does nothing to disrupt the pressing heat.

You find yourself, against your better judgement, at the Cherry Tree. This occurrence would not be considered odd for most, but you never enter a coffee shop unless you are absolutely certain your life has come to an end. Because of your rather dramatic take on life, you are a regular. The chair glides across the floor with all the grace of a one-legged panda bear and you sit down. Music creeps out of a muffled speaker in the back.

"Hey," says the solitary, in both number and demeanor, employee.

"Hey yourself," you say with exceeding irritation.

"It appears you have much on your plate," they retreat.

"Looks like you got nothing on yours."

"That is true. It does not seem I am doing anything, does it?"

"Listen, James-"

"Jamie."

"Listen. Have you seen Evelyn lately?"

They seem to consider this for a moment. "I have not spoken to her, if that is what you are asking. Do not concern yourself with that business. I have seen the 'ever so lovely Lynn' in the news, though."

"Oh?" Your curiosity is piqued. 

"Yes. She played a solo for the community orchestra last week. The local newspaper posted a short mention of it. Ah, was this not what you were hoping for?" They note your deflated response.

"I was simply hoping I wasn't alone in my torment. Evelyn's been constantly bothering me about something or other these last three days. It's like she makes an excuse to disrupt my life."

"It would seem she trusts you."

"Trusts me like you trust the ground to stop your fall. I can't imagine why she keeps coming back."

"Perhaps she wishes to facilitate a relationship? Nevertheless, I assume I cannot be of much help. She absolutely hates me."

You throw a disbelieving glare before exiting the shop. You don't know Jamie very well, only as a Cherry Tree employee and an acquaintance-of-a-friend, but you cannot imagine Evelyn hating them. They were cousins with the bane of her existence, though. It would seem that she was the type to begrudging cling to family ties. How wonderful.

Humidity clings in suffocating bouts across your body. A passing jogger gives no acknowledgement of you as they pass. You desperately try and think of other ways to distract yourself. You fail horribly.

Speaking of... you could of course speak to that certain "bane of existence." Distract yourself with his problems. God, it seems all you ever deal with is other people's issues. What a martyr.

Or you could try being productive for once. Your work is... not exactly normal, but it's still a drag. Still. You couldn't avoid it forever. 

2B - Speak with "bane of existence."

3A - Be productive.