Sunflower Café

23

DISCLAIMER
Contains mentions of sensitive topics such as suicide and self-harm.

***

...I was naive and hopeful and lost,
Now I'm aware and trapped in my thoughts...

–H

"Amaya?" Harry asked the sleeping woman.

He'd been greeted by the sight of a slumped down Amaya sat on his usual nook with her head on her arms and her hair covering her face. Harry had arrived earlier than usual at the café after waking up unexpectedly energetic that morning. He planned to see Amaya for a few hours before meeting with his friends for their writing session.

     What he didn't expect was to be greeted by the beautiful woman passed out before him in the same clothes as the day before looking somehow even more exhausted with her eyes closed than when she was actually awake.

     He wasn't surprised when she didn't respond him. Taking the chair before her and placing a hand on her shoulder he gently shook her. "Amaya," he said again.

The woman groaned and stirred but didn't look up. She whined, "Nooo..."

Harry instantly stopped, folding his hands before him on the table. "No?"

"Go away," her voice was muffled by her posture.

     He chuckled "Someone's not a morning person," he spoke softly, his voice low so he wouldn't startle her.

     "Looks like someone else clearly is." She groaned, sitting up and smoothing her matted hair out of her eyes. She looked up with tired eyes and day-old mascara, the imprint of her leather jacket on her right cheek. She stared around the bustling café, asking disoriented, "What time is it?"

    "Around nine I think." He watched her rest her face on her palms, covering her face to shield out the light. "Did you sleep here?" he asked the obvious.

     "Yeah, I guess..."

     "Would you like a coffee? I can go get you one," he offered cautiously, not knowing how she'd react.

     "No, no," she brushed him off with the wave of a hand. She straightened her back against the booth and finally looked at him for the first time, "Thanks but it's alright."

     "Are you alright?"

     She yawned before saying, "Is that your question?"

     Harry knitted his eyebrows confused, "What?"

     "The daily question dare thingy. Is that your question?" she explained.

     "Umm... no?" He wasn't sure what to answer.

     "Then I'm fine."

     "That wasn't very convincing," he frowned.

     She ran a hand through her hair, trying to tame the mess of knots as she diverted, "I should really go home, I'm desperate for a shower, I fucking stink."

     Harry rested forward on his elbows, "Why'd you stay here?"

     "Had somethings I had to take care of."

     "Like?" He knew he was being intrusive, but he was genuinely curious as to why she'd spent the night sleeping over a table.

     "Just checking up on things I missed when I was away."