A Suicidal Boy and the Girl Who Could Read His Mind

02| a klutz with coffee

A KLUTZ WITH COFFEE

Her coffee cart was unusually busy that afternoon, and Laura wasn't in the mood to stand in line and wait for caffeine. But after that quiz, she desperately needed a pick-me-up and so drearily walked over and stood in line. Laura's parents frequently called her 'overdramatic', which she thought of now since there were only four people in front of her, yet it seemed like the world was ending. Kate stood patiently off to the side, waiting, scrolling through her phone as most teenagers do. No doubt she'd be snapping back Jeremy, the freshman in college who she'd been seeing for a few weeks. Laura was always jealous of Kate and her ability to pull the older guys. Not that there was anything wrong with dating someone your own age, or younger, but being with someone older always gave you some sort of status in high school. Something Laura herself had none of whatsoever.

"Laura dear," Jeanie spoke from behind the cart, "how are you?"

Laura hadn't even reached the front of the line yet, and Jeanie was already taking her order. Laura felt special whenever she came to Jeanie's Coffee Cart and a sense of pride washed over her every time she ordered a dirty chai, because Jeanie had already started making it for her.

"Yeah, I'm okay. How're you? Been busy today?" Laura replied, sifting through her wallet for a five-dollar bill.

"Not bad at all," Jeanie spoke with a southern accent, something Laura found fascinating about her local caffeine supplier. "Here ya'are Laura, see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Bye." She chirped, spinning on her feet. Without meaning too, she crashed hard into someone behind her and her coffee splashed all over her and her victim, "I am so, so sorry. I didn't see you-" Laura looked up at the boy, who couldn't have been much older than her and was captivated by his piercing stare.

He glared down at her, "You should be more careful."

Laura sighed, brushing herself off to the best of her ability, "I know, I know. Everyone says I'm a klutz. I'd be lying if I said that hadn't happened before." He just stood there, waiting for her to move aside. "I just get so excited around caffeine; it becomes a problem."

"Clearly," he muttered without a sense of humour in his brooding voice. He stepped around her without a word, leaving her staring blankly at the ground.

Kate was now standing beside her, trying to hold in a laugh.

"Don't."

She raised her hands in defence, "I wasn't going to."

"Good," Laura warned, "Let's go. That's more than enough failures for one day."

Arriving home, Laura was greeted with wet, sloppy kisses from the love of her life; the family dog, Pepper. She adored that dog, it seemed to be the only thing in the world that truly understood her, and a companion that she could really confide in. Even though she would never get a response, she felt that Pepper gave the best advice of all.

Laura moseyed her way up to her room, seating herself comfortably on the beanbag in the corner. She pulled her laptop from under her arm and watched eagerly as it flickered to life. She cringed while typing in the same password she'd had since the 8th grade – she simply didn't know how to change it. Pepper wiggled her way in, wagging her tail back and forth, hitting Laura in the face several times before she finally sat down. Laura rolled her eyes at the Golden Retriever.

Faintly, she could hear her brother downstairs boiling the kettle. He was likely making tea; Ethan did that often. She understood why – tea was excellent – and it was her go-to when there was no coffee around. Her and Ethan were basically the adopted children of caffeine. Thanks to their parents, it was in their blood to love the stimulant drug. Her mom (though she shouldn't have) drank plenty of caffeine while pregnant with both of them, which explains their love for the respective beverages, but certainly didn't explain everything.

Laura clicked on Spotify and shuffled her most recent playlist, letting Taylor Swift echo loudly throughout her room and most likely other parts of the house. Subconsciously, her mind slipped back to the earlier encounter with the tall, brooding gentlemen at the coffee cart. He intrigued her; it was fair to say. Not that she would ever see him again, but if she did, at least she could apologise (and maybe admire his bone structure a little) again.

Meanwhile, Pepper had climbed on her lap, deeming her stagnant. She sat there for a while, patting her comrade and thinking about high school, and how as of Friday she'll have survived three weeks as a senior. Laura never thought she would ever become a senior, but time's a bitch. It moves forward, even if you don't want it to. Even if you plead with the universe to make the clock stop. To live in the present evermore and not have to care about the future on which we speed towards.

Laura laughed for a moment, noticing the serious tone which she'd taken up.

"Laur!" Ethan called from downstairs.

"Yeah?"

"Want some tea?"

She didn't have to think about her response, "Sure!"

"Come down and make it then." He retorted, to which Laura groaned and shifted in her seat. She knew he was bringing it up to her anyway. Because he's a good brother? Why, don't be ridiculous!

It's all in the mind, of course...

authors note:

did she really just upload TWO chapters within 24 hours, you ask.

yes. yes, she did. go on, clap now. I'll wait...

end-of-chapter-question: are you a coffee or tea drinker? ☕️☕️

mads 🌻