[1]
I could hear the cars zooming past as I stared at the ceiling. Jane’s soft snores echoed through the room and I sighed. I closed my eyes and tried once more to fall into the sweet abyss of dreams, but still it wouldn’t take me over. Groaning, I turned over and stared at the clock shining 1:15 in neon green numbers. Finally accepting defeat I threw the comforter back, pulled a sweatshirt over my head, slipped into a pair of warm boots, and exited the dorm, quiet as to not wake my roommate up. Once outside I took a deep breath, taking in the smell of fresh air mixed in with a bit of cigarette smoke wafting over from the gas station across the street. I walked up the sidewalk until I found it: Ben’s Burgers. I opened the heavy, double glass doors and entered, the smell of grease hitting me immediately.
After giving my orders to the boy with the droopy eyes behind the register I waited by the fountain drinks for my number to be called. Not that it needed to be, since no one would be coming to a fast-food restaurant at one in the morning. When I got called up I took my tray and looked around for a seat by the window. Surprisingly there was one other person I hadn’t seen before when I entered. He sat at the end of the bar, hands wrapped around a paper cup of BB coffee. He was staring at something on the wall across from him. The boy had ordinary brown hair and ordinary brown eyes, but something about him had me feeling as if he wasn’t so ordinary. Hesitantly I sat down twelve stools away, on the other side of the bar and bit into my veggie burger. I had never had a Ben’s Vegetarian Special in the middle of the night. It wasn’t pleasant exactly, nor was it unpleasant. Just…different.
The boy hadn’t spared me a glance yet, so I thought it safe to survey him. His dark hair was messy, as if he had run a hand through it multiple times and there were slight bags under his light, brown eyes. There was a small bump at the bridge of his nose and his top lip was thinner than the bottom. It was like having fast-food at one. Different but not in a bad way. As if feeling my gaze on him the boy turned his head slightly to meet my eyes. I flushed at being caught but then shot him a small smile. He didn’t do anything. Not smile back, not even blink. He just turned back around and stared at the wall. I shrugged and shoved a fry in my mouth.
As I ate neither of us showed any intention to talk so I cleared the tray silently. Once in a while I would hear the boy take a small sip of the hot drink and then set the cup back down with a tiny ka-thump. Finished, I got up and threw my tray’s contents away, then placed the tray on the nonexistent stack above the trashcan. Just as I was about to leave I heard a deep voice behind me that set weird, fluttery feelings off in my stomach.
“Good night.”
I turned around and looked at the boy, but he was still staring at the wall. I looked around trying to see if anyone else was there, but it was just us and the boy behind the register, who was currently resting his head on it and mumbling words not understandable to anyone but himself. Sure it was the boy with the coffee who had spoken I turned to look at him, then answered.
“Good night.”
And then I left.
A/N:
I just wanted to inform you guys that I got this idea at 1:30 a.m. and started writing it at 2:00 a.m.
So forgive me if it sucked or if there's any mistakes.
Vote? Comment?
-Nova.
