GLAD YOU CAME

01

"Macchiato for Abbie"

I announced before placing the cup of macchiato on top of the counter for the other crew to serve. I sigh as I start to feel the numbness on my feet. Today's Friday and it's raining outside but still, the cafe remains packed and I only got the chance to rest at 4pm since my 10am shift. Jane, my supposed to be replacement at 2pm was not able to attend to work today due to an emergency so that only means, there's only Ssing and I left for the whole day. Gun, my best friend and the owner of the cafe have to do the monthly inventory today so he's locked up inside his office.

I roam my eyes around the cafe to observe the people who are either laughing with their friends due to a fun week, most of them are college students in their uniform. While others are looking dead tired due to "probably" a stressful week and tries to survive their last working day with a cup of coffee. If I will to group myself into them, I'll probably be part of the second. No, I am 100% sure be part of them. I've been part of them all my life.

At 17, I learned to be independent. I have to. Running away from my Alcoholic parents at a young age gave me no choice but to be one. I am an only child and a gay which didn't sit well with them so the time they found out after seeing me and my first boyfriend holding hands, they beat me almost to death. I did everything I can to escape that night after the incident. I planned to do that anyway since the moment I understood that the household I am living in isn't normal. At the age of 13, I have to start doing part time jobs to provide for myself and to study. My Mother's jobless while my Dad is a temporary worker which most of his salaries are spent on their alcohols. I can't even remember the last time they ask me if I am still eating or how am I. Living with them was hell enough. I might end up dying due to mental illness if not through my Father's beating so I might as well just run away from them. Sadly, they never looked for me. I hoped they will so, I stayed at my friends house for two days but I waited for nothing. It isn't surprising anyway.

That's when I decided to transfer to the city. I asked my boyfriend to come with me but the man refused, telling me he's not ready yet. He broke up with me right then and there and left me with no one but myself to face the unknown life ahead. I understood whole heartedly his decision. We are young and unlike me, he's not yet brave enough to face the world without his perfect family. He should not be the one to blame. So since that moment, I accepted the fact that I have to live alone.

I earned a small fund from doing some tutoring jobs back in my hometown which I use to rent for a small apartment in the city. It's really small and only fits a person my size but I don't mind since I love how it makes me feel less lonely at night. It's better than living on a spacious house with someone who seems not to exist.

I did everything to find multiple jobs everyday just to earn extra and survive daily. It's indeed hard for a teenager to face everything alone, no one trusted me enough to give me a regular job since as per them, I am still young and probably just rebelling and once I realize later on that the job's hard, I'll leave. Little did they know, I've known for so long how hard it is to earn money but I won't leave since I have no choice but to stay.

I admit that I almost gave up on my 3rd month in the city. I no longer have enough money to pay the rent and the remaining amount in my pocket can just buy me one meal per day for a week. I knew from the start that I won't last. I probably didn't die from my Father's hands but I'll sure die from hunger. Damn. I almost consider going back home and just kneel and apologize to my parents and allow them to just beat me up to death. That's much better than dying alone isn't it? At least until my last breath, I have someone with me.

One night, I was crying my heart out at the bus stop, waiting for nothing since I know I won't be able to ride a bus home because If I do, that's a meal less for me from the one week remaining budget when an old man occupied the seat beside me as he offered me a hanky to wipe my tears. A usual stranger will just stare at me but eventually will walk pass through as they also have a life to face but surprisingly, the old man stayed. He quietly waited for me to calm down then he talk to me and ask about what happened to my day, what was the reason of my tears and how I am surviving life. After a long time, I felt that someone cares for me. After a long time, I see some hope.