A faint sound of thunder could be heard while I was walking, making my way to the coffee shop we agreed to meet at. It was already Six Fifteen and we were supposed to meet by Six o’clock. I was running late and I just hope she didn’t arrived there too early.
The coffee shop wasn’t crowded as I thought it would be. Just a couple sitting at the far end of the place and a few groups of people in their corporate outfits. She was sitting near the window, wearing a white long sleeved blouse folded up to her elbow. I touched the envelope folded inside my pocket just to be sure it’s there and I walked to her.
“I’m really sorry. Work just got a little busy.” I said.
“No. It’s fine. I’ve actually just arrived myself.” She replied. We both turned silent. I felt awkward with her but still tried to be friendly. We never really meet or even talk except when K’s with us.
K was a long-time friend of mine. We met when we were still in high school. He’s the type of kid that wouldn’t talk unless you talk to him first. The quiet student who just stays at his sits and read his books. The first time he entered the classroom when he transferred in our school, nobody really cared about him. He didn’t strike anyone about anything in him. He just introduced himself to the class, name, age, address and gave a normal greeting to the class. Your typical transfer student introduction minus the hobbies and everything unnecessary.
He was given the nickname K by the class for the reason that almost all his responses to everyone were just “okay.” I saw him reading To Kill a Mockingbird one day, one of my favourite, and we started talking about Atticus Finch. Even at that age, where talking about the future was awkward, I still told him how I wanted to be just like Atticus. But sadly, I never really pursued law school. Up until we graduated high school and entered college we would still meet somewhere and just talk about things. After a year in college we both had our girlfriends and introduced them. We both had just one girlfriend each but mine didn’t stayed longer than his.
“Do you mind if we sit outside instead? I heard thunders from afar but I don’t think it would rain soon.” I asked her.
“Sure. I don’t mind.”
We went out. The evening breeze was good. Not too humid. Not too cold. We took a vacant table a few feet away from the door. She pulled the chair, sat silently and put her small leather shoulder bag on her lap. I sat across her and think for a few seconds for what to say. Or more precisely, how to tell her a few things.
“So how’s work?” I asked her without much thought.
She rested both her elbows on top of the table, pressing both hands against each other. “Every day’s the same. The usual papers you see in an accounting firm.”
“I honestly have no idea what papers you deal with.” I said.
“Never mind that. It just depresses me more. How about you? Still in that law office?”
“Yeah. Still there but I’m already planning to quit.”
“Planning to study?”
“No. Being a paralegal and working with lawyers made me realize that I’m not really cut for the job.”
The waiter went to us; I ordered a cup of brewed coffee while she had some Latte. Before he left I asked for an ashtray and pulled a pack of red Marlboros from my chest pocket.
“Do you mind if I—“ I said and put two fingers at my lips.
“No. Go ahead.”
I put a cigarette in my lips and lit it up with some cheap lighter I bought in a convenient store the day before.
