Calligraphy

Seven

Rafael had never been happier to wake up early on a Saturday morning. He threw on some sweats and his glasses before hurrying to Anais's apartment. The two had been texting and Snapchatting all night but Rafael was excited to talk to her in person.

He knocked on her door and she answered almost immediately. Rafael smiled wide.

"Rafa!" she cried, immediately wrapping him in a hug.

"Hey!"

"Come on in!"

Rafael was happy to see that she was in a better mood than the night of the party. He had only seen her smile once that night and that left him feeling empty.

"I made some coffee with these coffee beans I bought in Jamaica before I left. I haven't tried them yet and Cornell doesn't really like coffee so I know he won't be drinking this anytime soon so I figured I'd try them with my new bestie Rafa!" she chimed, pouring two mugs of the Jamaican coffee.

"Wow, you already have it made," Rafael said accepting his mug after settling into one of the barstools at the kitchen counter.

"I was a little excited," she giggled. "Ok, we both take sips on three. One, two, three!"

The two took sips of the coffee and stared at each other for a couple seconds. Anais shook her head and Rafael agreed. They spit the drink back into their mugs.

"That was disgusting," Anais gagged, wiping her mouth. "I'm so sorry."

"YOLO, you know?" Rafael joked.

"You're so dumb," she laughed taking Rafael's mug and pouring it into the sink.

"You got any Folgers?"

"Yes," she chuckled, brewing some more coffee. "I don't know what to do with the rest of these coffee beans, though. Cornell will throw a fit if he sees them in the trash."

"But they're gross..."

"I know," she said with a smile. "He's just weird like that."

"So how do you like Oakland because Cornell kind of spoke for both of you last night," Rafael said accepting his new cup of coffee.

"Um, I like it," she responded with a nod.

"Are you sure?"

"I mean, it's not like home," she elaborated. "I miss my family and my friends and the familiarity of home but Oakland's home now."

"It's okay if you don't like it here. I'm not offended."

"It just bothers me because I feel like I don't belong here. Like, Jewel hates me and Cornell doesn't want me to do anything and everything here is so much more different than Jamaica, which is obvious, but I thought the transition would be easier," she said leaning on the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry," Rafael whispered.

"It's not your fault. I just need to find something to keep me busy. But then Cornell would probably get mad at me for making friends there and stuff," she mumbled rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Is it safe to say that he sucks really bad?"

"Sometimes he does," Anais laughed, waving curls out of her face. "But I've been with him for such a long time that I'm afraid to go anywhere else."

"How long is a long time?"

"Maybe...four years."

"How long?!" he gasped.

"Four years," she repeated, amused at his response.

"Why?!"

"Because I don't know where to go if I leave him."

"You stay single," Rafael laughed, taking a sip of his coffee. "Like me."

"Aw, don't say that."

"It's true though. I mean don't stay with him because you're afraid of being single. If you're not happy you need to leave," he told her.

"But I'm in a totally different country now. I'd need a job and I'd have to find a house. I don't know anyone here except for you and Daveed and Jewel and Jewel doesn't even like me. Where would I even stay?"

Rafael coughed obnoxiously while maintaining eye contact with Anais. She smiled wryly and shook her head.

"Really?"

"Yes. We can start the Jewel Hates Us Club."

"You'd really let me stay with you? For free?"

"Just don't totally take advantage of me but sure. I feel bad for you."

"There's times that I've thought about going back to Jamaica because I feel so out of place."

Rafael's heart sank. She couldn't go home. What would he do without her?

"I've only known you for about a week but I'd miss you a lot if you moved back," he confessed, looking at the remaining coffee in his mug.

"Rafa!" she groaned, running around the counter to give him hug. "That's so sweet of you."

"I'm being honest. I mean, ever since Diggs and Jewel got serious, I've been on my own so it's nice to hang out with someone."

"I won't leave immediately. I don't have the money for that right now," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "And I'd miss you too."

Rafael smiled and took in the magic of the moment. He wasn't having a hard time making contact with her. That made him extremely happy.

"I'm surprised you don't have a girlfriend. You're a great guy," she said, pecking his cheek.

Holy shit.

She kissed him. Cornell would murder him if he ever found out.

"Thanks," Rafael managed to spit out. He didn't want her to know her little gesture shook his entire world.

"And don't worry about Cornell, okay? I'll make sure he doesn't threaten you because I know for sure he wouldn't beat you up. He just doesn't have that in him," she assured him.

Rafael could feel her eyes on him. He wanted to look at her but he couldn't bring himself to.

"I think you deserve someone better though," he said. "Because if you're really not happy you need to find someone else."

"I know," she whispered. "But I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"What he'll do to me."

"Does he hurt you?"

Anais didn't reply. Rafael forced himself to look at her then. He could see the answer in her eyes.

"Anais..."

"Let's talk about something else," she concluded, letting go of him. She sat down on her couch and wrapped herself in her Rasta balnket.

"I think we should talk about it," Rafael pressed sitting next to her. "It's really important."

She remained taciturn and looked the other way. Something was going on and Rafael didn't like how quiet Anais was being.

He studied the Bob Marley painting on the wall and her various red, yellow, and green decorations. She had definitely brought Jamaica to her new home.

"Anais?"

"What?"

"I'm here for you. Okay?"

Anais nodded before turning back to face Rafael. She scooted closer to him to lean her head on his shoulder again. He put an arm around her, bringing her closer to his chest. He felt comfortable here and Anais seemed to feel the same way.

"Can you take me somewhere tonight? I don't want to be in the house," she said while playing with the fabric of his white V-neck.

"Of course."

"And if Cornell has a problem he can come talk to me and stop being a little bitch."

Rafael laughed to himself and silently agreed in his head. Maybe attaining Anais wouldn't be as hard as he thought.