Daffodils in the Dark

Chapter 1

Cory Decker entered Eddy's Diner.

It was a shabby old thing with busted windows and peeled booth chairs. Outside, a huge red sign hung above the entrance but some of the letters had lost it's light so instead it said 'Ed's Dier'.

A gust of warm air hit him and he pulled his hood back, wallowing in the smell of it all. The spices, the food, the smell of the coffee maker in the back corner beside a soda machine. Cory sighed. Despite its flaws, it was a comfortable place for the people of Orange to relax-or hide.

Cory let the door slide shut behind him as he unzipped his coat. His eyes wandered to a booth at the far end to his left. It sat up against the cold window pane. This was the only window that didn't seem as damaged as the others. Him and his little sister, Bella, would come here every other weekend and sit in that booth. He could almost remember the way his sister created a cloud against the window with her breath. She'd take her finger and draw a crooked heart within. There was no heart on the window today.

Someone else sat in the booth. A girl with dark hair and almond skin. He approached the booth. Her manicured fingers were twirling a straw inside a cup of ice. Coca Cola he guessed from the dark substance that sat at the bottom. She did not look up until he slid into the booth opposite her.

"You decided to come after all."

"Had nothing better to do." He shrugged off his coat, placing it on the space beside him.

"I waited for two hours. I was about to leave." she said.

"Well I'm so glad you didn't. Eating alone here would've been awkward." He chuckled.

"What do you want to eat?" He flipped through the menu.

"Nothing. I already ate."

"Oh," he pointed at the menu. "Then I'll order some fries for myself. Have you tried their chili fries? They're phenomenal."

"Cory-"

"Or maybe I'll try their new double cheese hamburger. Kyle can't stop talking about it-"

"Cory!" She snatched the menu from him. He didn't have to turn around to see the sea of eyes landing on their booth. He stared at the window. She waited a moment. He felt the stares ease.

"Cory we need to talk about last night." She said.