after you left |ai|

6

I walked into the shop, put my sunglasses ontop of my head and headed over to my usual spot at the counter. I had an actual smile on my face, the bags under my eyes were less big today and I had taken the time to get ready. It was progress but I knew it was just for the day. I knew the sadness would return again and the bright would be taken over again by darkness soon but up until that moment, I would enjoy the smile on my face and the sudden brightness of the world.

A new waitress stopped infront of me and looked at me with a friendly smile, "Hi, welcome at Miller's Pancake shop. What can I get you?" She said so friendly and I looked at her with a smile.

"A black coffee, please" I told her and she wrote it down before going over to the coffee machine to make me my coffee.

"Hey Elle" another waitress said when walking past me, I could see the eyes of the new waitress go wide at the mention of my name. She looked like she just made the biggest mistake by not recognising me which made me chuckle softly.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were Elle. Is there anything else I can get you?" She asked as she put down the cup infront of me.

"It's alright-" I said before looking at her nametag, "Jessica. It's nice to meet you." I added and she smiled broadly before walking back and I could see her disappear in the kitchen.

When someone sat down two seats next to me, I looked over and when my eyes landed on the sad boy, I felt sorry straight away. I hadn't seen him with Jackie anymore since the party a few days back. I usually see him going in or out his apartment or picking up Jackie quiet a lot, but I haven't seen him since.

He is the only one able to take my mind off you for a minute. His darkness is able to interest me enough to stop thinking about you and her.

"Have you seen Jackie?" He asked me after he had kindly told the waitress he didn't need anything. He looked brighter than he did the last time I saw him. He looked more alive and maybe even happier. I didn't know how to describe the change he made but it looked better on him.

"Not yet, I'm supposed to meet her here." I replied wifh a smile but he clearly didn't like my reply. His kind eyes turned into furious ones filled with darkness.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He asked as he looked around just when his phone made the text tone at the exact same time mine buzzed in my pocket.

"Is that Jackie?" I asked and he glared at me for a second for asking something before he looked at his phone. I took out my phone too and found it hard not to laugh when I read the text. "She's probably just watching us from across the street."

"Yeah I'm not fucking doing this." He said as he took his things and I grabbed him by his upper arm to try and prevent him from running. But the second my hand connected with his arm, he froze. He didn't make any more movements and he seemed to get less intense. I expected him to pull back but instead he softened.

"Let's both just sit here for a little, we can talk about whatever you want. She wants her friends to get along, so let's atleast give her that." I said after a second, I let go of his arm when he turned around and he sat down on the chair next to me. He just stared at his phone and when I got a glimpse of his background, I knew Jackie and he shared the same darkness. Because that's the same girl as on Jackie's phone. Except that his picture was a picture of him and her and she was wearing a wedding dress. "So what do you do for a living?" I asked him as that was the most basic question I could think of at the moment.

"Can I just ask the questions?" Ashton asked and I could hear the smallest hint of nerves in his voice.

"Ofcourse but only if you will give me an answer to your own questions too." I said and he nodded while he kept his eyes infront of him. I looked away from him too, my good mood from this morning already gone.