Café Click

4

Mark still went to the coffee shop at his usual time. It's grown into a habit, and it wasn't one he planned on getting out of anytime soon. He walked into the empty café, approaching Dave, who was at the counter.

Dave smiled. "Sorry, man. (Y/n)'s not here."

"I know. We live across from each other in the apartment building."

"Oh, that's cool. So you came here for your black coffee?" He started putting it into the register.

"And advice, maybe."

Dave stared at Mark. "You're falling for her, aren't you?"

Mark rubbed his neck. "It's hard not to. We've been talking every day. She's amazing."

"I know. Out of everyone who knows her, I should know that." He looked over his shoulder at the teen behind him. "Black coffee, please." He looked back at Mark. "Listen. There's a lot of things about her that she doesn't want anyone to know. She only told me because we're almost like siblings. The only other person that knows everything is the nurse that lives in your building, Lucille."

"Then tell me. Tell me everything."

"I'm not going to be the one to do that. You'll hear everything eventually. Maybe I'll tell you bits and pieces of her past. Like this, for example- she hates the color orange. In any shade."

"That's a weird thing to hate..."

"Not if you know the reason why, which I'm not going to tell you." He glanced around them. "There is another thing you should know. You probably were already told this, but there's someone in your apartment building that has a serious illness."

"Yeah, I did hear that, but no one will tell me who."

"It's (Y/n). And the illness has been there since she was ten. It makes her sensitive to sound and bright colors."

"That's why her apartment is dull."

Dave nodded. "It's also why sometimes she can't get out of bed, or can't make it to work- the sunlight bothers her too much." The teen brought up Mark's coffee and handed it to him. Dave smiled politely. "That's all I'm going to tell you today."

Mark pulled out his wallet. "How much is it?"

Dave shook his head. "On the house. Just this once."

Mark smiled. "Thank you. And thank you for telling me those things."

"You're welcome. Go go say hi to her for me."

Mark chuckled. "I will, I promise."

He left the café without another word.