Jet Black Hearts / l.h.

𝟏𝟑

Tuesday, September 22, 2018
10:12 a.m.
Around Town

The only time I really leave my room these days is for school—although I've been skipping almost every day—and for group therapy, and I'm not so pumped about going this week because of the chance of Luke not showing up again. The circle felt empty with his vacant chair. I didn't talk at all, even when Dr. Hunter asked me questions. I sat, slouched in my seat, with my arms crossed over my chest and no emotions on my face. After the session I immediately left, even when Dr. Hunter was calling my name for me to stay over a few minutes to talk. I left and didn't look back.

This morning my mom woke me up with an abundance of light streaming in through my once-shut windows. She pushed me out of bed and practically dressed me before shooing me out the front door, telling me to go out and do something.

I stayed standing on the front porch for a few minutes until I realized that she wasn't going to pop right back out and say, "Just kidding!" Because, honestly, it was ridiculous. She locked me out of the house with only the shoes on my feet and the clothes on my back. What am I supposed to do?

I ended up walking downtown, where all the little flower shops and cafes are. I passed a pet store with birds and hamsters displayed in the front window. I considered purchasing a hamster, but dropped the thought as soon as it entered my mind because A) I'd end up forgetting about it and it would die, and B) I had no money on me.

So I walked on and here I am, on some random street I've only ever passed by in the car. I walk by random people, some carrying paper bags of groceries, some holding the hands of their significant others. A man passes me with a small, beaming child riding high up on his shoulders. Loud giggles leave his mouth and he holds his arms out wide as if he were flying.

The happiness around me is suffocating. I slow my walk until I eventually stop in the middle of the sidewalk, just staring numbly at everyone living their lives.

A strum of a guitar drawls me out of my stupor.

A sweet melody wafts over me and I'm drawn forward, towards the source. As I'm entering a vintage flower and antique shop, a smooth voice joins the acoustic guitar. The music gets considerably louder as I near it.

The melody leads me to the back corner of the shop that's hidden by a bookshelf. What lies behind the shelf catches me by surprise.

Luke, sitting on a vintage red chair with two other people standing by, is strumming a wooden acoustic guitar as a beautiful sound flows out of his mouth. His eyes are closed and his foot is tapping against the wood floor.
The two people watching, an elderly couple by the looks of it, dance together. The man's large hands are on the woman's hips, and her delicate hands are wrapped around his neck. They sway back and forth on their feet to the beat. Wide, toothy grins cover their wrinkly faces.

When the song ends, the couple laughs and kisses. Luke looks up and opens his eyes. He smiles at the couple, but he freezes when he spots me leaning against the bookshelf.

I watch him as he stands and slips his guitar off of his body.

"Brin, w-what are..." He scratches his neck. "What are you doing here?"

I ignore his question. "That was cool."

His cheeks flush.

The elderly man and woman turn to us. The woman smiles warmly at me and suddenly wraps her arms around me in a tight hug. I just stand stiff, not hugging her back because she's a stranger and I don't know how to deal with physical affection. Or any signs of affection, really.

She releases me and Luke looks embarrassed.

"Hello! Isn't my grandson just so talented?" she gushes.