Jet Black Hearts / l.h.

𝟏𝟎

Monday, September 7, 2018
4:40 a.m.
Dunkin' Donuts

The man behind the counter hands over my paper bag full of donuts. I take the bag and sit in the furthest corner of the empty store before getting out the first donut I'm devouring this morning.

Just as I'm sinking my teeth into my second donut, the doors to the Dunkin' Donuts open and in walks a familiar blond boy.

He doesn't notice me until after he orders and the man hands him his coffee. His bright blue eyes meet mine and he smiles slightly.
He walks over.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He taps the chair opposite from me. "Can I join you?"

"Go ahead."

He slips into the chair easily. His hands wrap around the warm cup in his hands and he takes a sip.

I examine the half-eaten donut in my hand and wonder if eating in front of him would bother him. I don't take any chances and slip it back into the paper bag, occupying myself with my coffee instead.

Luke doesn't notice as he sips on his own cup. "So," he says, setting his coffee down on the small square table between us. "What are you doing at Dunkin' Donuts this early?"

I take a long sip of my coffee, trying to think up a lie because I'm not sure if the real reason why I'm here would make him uncomfortable. I couldn't sleep and drove around town for a good two hours before stopping to gorge myself with donuts to fill the void in my stomach. Instead of this, I say, "I needed coffee." Although it's a shitty lie, it's the best I can offer this early in the morning.

Luke nods. "Me too. I can't start my day without it."

There's a few beats of silence.

"Thank you, by the way."

I freeze and look at him with confusion. "What?"

He shrugs, playing with the plastic lid to his styrofoam coffee cup. "I never thanked you for last Thursday when you told Andrea to stop talking. I don't know how much longer I could have took her saying that kind of stuff before I would have broke down." He scratches the back of his neck. "So, yeah. Thanks."

I stare at him. Was he really thanking me for stating the obvious? Obviously, since he is, not very many people stand up for him or get it. I mean, I don't understand what it's like to have an eating disorder, but I get it.

"Don't thank me," I tell him. "Andrea was being ignorant and you didn't deserve the things spewing from her mouth."

Luke nods.

We sit in silence the rest of the time until Luke gets a text and has to leave.