routine is a funny thing
everyday after school i used to walk over to the diner by myself and order a mug of coffee with so much cream and sugar it slowly transformed to the tone of my skin
i sat there everyday
every week
month after month
nothing special ever happened
so how was it that I met you?
i was having a particularly off day
all of my routines seemed to be going awry
i missed my bus
i forgot my umbrella and had to fight the rain off with my backpack
i even spilled chocolate milk on my white blouse during lunch hour
in fact i questioned whether it was worth going to the diner in the first place
but it felt like a sin to a deity that i wasn't even sure i believed in
skipping out on the thing i most looked forward to?
that diner was my safe haven
in a world where nothing was guaranteed i could always count on the waitresses with kind faces and full coffee pots and the bell that rang so cheerily whenever a new customer walked through the door
so i went
i slipped in a puddle on my way
almost plummeting face-first into the murky water
but i caught myself and soldiered on
i pushed open the door and found my usual booth
but there was a stranger sitting in it
my booth
my personal bubble that separated me from the outside world
you were sitting in it like it was nothing
you were putting such a damper on my afternoon and yet you just sat there
completely unaware
i thought about leaving but i had already gone through so much to get to this point
so much just to sit in that stupid piece of crap booth
so i did something i would never do
i tapped you on the shoulder
"excuse me, i hate to bother you, but i've had the most horrible day and you're sitting in my favorite booth" i said, biting my lip and hoping for the best
you stared at me
incredulous
i'm not sure if you were annoyed at having to deal with some silly girl bothering you about a seat
and i'm not sure if you were confused as to why it meant so much to me
but you smiled anyway
i had won
i had beaten all of the forces that insisted i have a horrid afternoon
eager to delve into my routine and hopefully have a peaceful evening
but you didn't get up
you simply held out your arm
gesturing to the seat across from yourself
"coffee's on me"
that's all you said
i was baffled
but i was tired
i was exhausted actually
and i was sick of fighting
i sat
you spoke
i answered your questions, countering with ones of my own
you didn't make any comments when i drowned my coffee in various sweeteners and i pretended not to notice when you added an extra sugar packet to your own
and just like that
my routine was out the window
a new one taking place
i still sit there on the opposite side of the booth and hope you come back
but you never do
