coffee stains [ed sheeran]

1.

1.

The usual bickering outside the thin walls of my bedroom started to grow louder as the sun went down. I have not eaten yet due to my mother not being able to keep the power bill on or food on the table as my grandmother yells at her knowing how messed up her life is. My mother's boyfriend didn't seem to mind all the bickering back and forth through the night as long as he had his television.

Sometimes I wish I could just escape, which I happen to do, but I would have to wait for at least another hour. There was a cafe that happened to stay open until the early of the mornings just a block away. I've been going there ever since me and my mother moved in with her own mother here in this apartment complex.

It didn't help that my mother found herself a 'man' and let him move in as well. I tend to steer clear of him; over the past two months of him being in my mothers life, I have picked up a few things about him. First, he's messy and has this disrespectful personality. Second, he has these beady eyes that seem to follow wherever you may go. And lastly, he gives me the creeps and makes me uncomfortable.

I tried talking to my mother about him, but, of course, she refused to listen claiming he's a good man to have around and how much she's fallen in love with him. All of this, plus the fighting, does not help my grades whatsoever when it comes to the college I'm struggling to get by.

I figured all my life, I just need to get out of here. I need to get away from all this madness. After my father died--about four years ago--my mother lost it, and I guess that's why she and I have never been on the same page. Plus, I'm almost nineteen and I barely get by with jobs. Never expected the day my schooling would pile back up on me, causing me to grow overwhelmed.

What I should be doing right now, instead of growing annoyed with the disruption, is studying. Since my nights have turned into long, endless hours of procrastination, the only studying I have seemed to be achieving is when I'm at the cafe. I know I should at least wait until another hour so the night and traffic would be calm, but I also can't keep up with myself if all I do is procrastinate. It hurts me the most, and especially my grades.

I grabbed my backpack, stuffing the few textbooks and grabbing my extra money from my savings I scrummaged from my past job, placing everything inside. I grabbed a pencil as well, knowing I would have to take notes to remember through my horrid memory.

When I figured I had everything, I left out my bedroom door, passing my mother and grandmother at the small kitchen area. Arms were waving and her boyfriend sat in the recliner, flipping away at the satellite shows. They didn't even see me as I slipped out the apartment door, bouncing down two flights of stairs to outside.

••

"The usual tonight, ma'am?" I nodded in response to the twenty something year old woman behind the counter asked. Her badge said Darla but through the years they come and go and all I really want to remember is if they remember my usual order of coffee. As selfish as that seems, all I care about is staying awake as long as I could to get my studies down and completed before the sun comes up.

Tonight here was one of those nights; you know, the ones where all you can hear is the multiple coffee machines running, draining, and steaming as the night carried on. I sat in the very back; the last little booth. In this small cafe joint there wasn't many tables and I could tell over the years not many people must know about it.

I laid my books in front of me, papers laying carelessly around the table as I sipped my coffee. By three in the morning I was usually done; my third cup of coffee leaving a stain on a few notebook papers.

It was around that early morning as I sighed, seeing Darla had disappeared many hours before. A few times, I've actually crawled over the bar to fill my cup serving once more. It's only happened a few times; thank God I've never actually been caught. This time, I knew Darla was somewhere in the back and I wanted at least another cup to get me home, even if I had to drag myself from the booth.

I straightened my sweatshirt; the coldness of the cafe seemed to hit me then from my motion. I grabbed my mug, placing it on the counter as I hopped up and over, careful not to make a sound. My intentions were all good, well for me, as I turned on the brewer, smiling at all that I knew.

"What's your usual?" I hear a distant voice, causing me to literally squeal as I jumped, hugging my arms around myself. My eyes meet another set of eyes, startling me.

"I had no idea someone else was here...I just wanted another cup and the lady isn't around...," I trailed off, knowing I had been caught.

The stranger sat up front, near the window that scanned the darken night alleys. "I'm not going to say a word," he chuckled, looking down at his own cup of coffee. He had a spoon in the glass, stirring it around slowly.

His ginger hair was quite messy from obviously the long night and I wouldn't be surprised if mine happened to be crazy looking as well. I sighed, finished my cup, removing it from up under the distributor as I moved to mix the rest of sugar and such into it.

"So, like I said before, what is your usual?" He spoke up again, asking. I hesitated, still stirring as I shrugged.

"I guess as much as I need to stay awake through these early hours. What about you?" I question, sliding my fresh new cup across the counter as I slid back over.

He watched me as I did this, an amused smirk resting on his lips. "I guess I can say that as well for my usual." I nodded, walking back to my booth to gather my things. I had never expected someone else being here at this hour but hey, it's a public place. I'm here for the coffee and silence, and he could have his own escape reason. Or maybe, he has insomnia and can't rest at night. I used to have that a few years back, when I first found this place. This cafe is my sanctuary.

As I walked back, heading toward the door, I didn't know if I should say anything back to him. I guess he came off nice but, as my horrible curious side continued, I still wondered why he happened to be here this hour. No one ever comes around here it seems.

"Have a good one," I called over my shoulder to avoid any awkward cut-offs to our short conversation. I had to leave anyways before my curious side got best of me to bother such an absent minded stranger. Maybe i'll see him around again, maybe not.

x x x

how does this sound? wrote it on my phone so I apologize for any errors :-(