***JENNIE***
It’s a small world after all, huh?
I thought while scooping the cereal in my bowl.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what I saw last night. She’s just in the neighborhood.
Geez! Why am I so bothered with her existence? If I didn’t see the note on my cup yesterday, I wouldn’t be thinking about her.
That’s right, Jennie, you’re just bothered because it feels odd to read a note from a stranger.
I shook my head to wash away the thoughts flooding inside my head.
“What was that?”
Mom interrupted.
“Hmm?”
I asked.
“You’re shaking your head. So, there might be something in it.”
She pressed while sipping her coffee in her right hand.
“Nothing, mom. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
Well, there’s no lie about that. I really didn’t have a decent sleep last night.
“Might be because of the caffeine.”
I continued to spoon my cereal.
Of course, Jennie, it’s not only about the caffeine. It’s more than that, right?
Then we all flinch at the sound of the doorbell.
Mom and I immediately eyed grandma. Maybe we have the same question about this someone visiting this early.
“Oh, I’ll get that. I think I know who it is.”
She stood up cheerfully and headed to the front door.
I stared at mom with a creased forehead. I don’t know what question to ask. Should I ask mom who it is? But before I could even ask her, she already shrugged, “I don’t know.”
I heard grandma talking to someone, and their voices are getting clearer and clearer. Are they going here to the dining room?
The next thing I know is they’ve already entered the room. Then I heard grandma spoke.
“Come… have your seat.”
I looked up before this person pulled the chair beside me.
*****
***LISA***
Waking up early isn’t my thing, but why on earth I’m alive at this hour?
My digital clock says it’s only 7 A.M. I want to go back to sleep.
I have no agenda today. But no matter how much I close my eyes, my thoughts aren’t shutting down. It’s already 100% alive!
So this doesn’t leave me a choice but to go downstairs and find something to eat.
“Oops! I forgot to run to the grocery yesterday.”
I muttered as I continued to walk towards the kitchen.
I opened the fridge, hoping that I left something yesterday or the other day. Unfortunately, it’s as empty as my stomach.
I guess the only option I have now is to go outside and ring someone’s bell.
I’m still in my pajamas when I crossed the road. I’m not in a hurry though, why should I? I don’t care if people see me wearing PJs. It’s still early, so I think it’s acceptable, right?
I pressed the doorbell once, and press again. Oh, that might be enough, since I already heard someone walking towards the door. She opened it, and I greeted her with my wide smile.
“Do you have sugar?”
She laughed.
“Come in. No one’s home yet?”
“I think they forget I exist.”
We both laughed.
It’s now our inside joke every time I knock at her door.
“You still can laugh with it, huh?”
“Well, it takes years of getting used to. You know that I’m used to it.”
Used to it? No, I’m not. I still hope every night that there’s someone who’ll open the door for me. Or prepare breakfast every time I wake up in the morning.
She nodded. Maybe she doesn’t believe me at all. I guess she knows me now better than my mom and dad.
I followed her to the dining room. Wait, I didn’t know she has a visitor. It froze me to see two figures sitting at this usually empty dining table.
“Come… have your seat.”
She said as she walks to her chair. And it froze me more when I see this girl sitting beside this empty seat.
*****
***JENNIE***
I almost spit my cereal when I saw her holding the back of the chair.
Hold it, Jennie. But out of impulse, words seemed to come out from my mouth.
“It’s you!”
She said nothing. She’s still standing there. I think she’s as surprised as I am.
“You know each other?”
Mom interrupted.
We gazed in mom’s direction in unison. Then I heard the chair moved. She just tucked herself before grabbing some food on the table.
“Hmm, she’s in the coffee shop last night… behind the counter.”
I saw her nod to my mom in my peripheral.
“That’s nice. At least there’s someone who’ll tour you around.”
She said with a wide smile on her face.
“Mom!”
I complained.
“What? You need to go out, honey. We’ll be staying here for a month, so you need a friend to talk to.”
“Your mom’s right, Jennie. Besides, it’s Saturday. I don’t think Lisa has something important to do today. Right, Lisa?”
“Yeah, I’m free the whole day. If you want… we can visit some galleries later.”
“Seems like a plan, honey.”
Mom said to her, still smiling.
“Are you getting rid of me here?”
I whispered.
I meant nothing, though. But it seems to change the mood of the morning.
“We just want you to breathe some fresh air. You’re in a new place and that means a tour for you.”
I said nothing anymore. There’s no point in arguing whether or not to go outside. It seems like they’ve already decided on that.
“All right.”
*****
***LISA***
I like the fact that she remembers me from last night. But this silence is killing me, and I’m feeling uncomfortable with it. I need to break the ice and kill the enormous elephant in the room, or this entire day will be a disaster for us.
But the thing is, something is bothering me, and it’s the note I’ve written in her coffee last night. It might be the reason she’s not talking or looking at me. She might have felt strange about it.
I wish I didn’t give in to my impulse to write those words. Because if I didn’t, maybe I’m having a friendly conversation with her at this moment.
Say something, Lisa, come on!
“Hmm, if you don’t feel going out today, you can say so. Me, when I’m not comfortable with something, I don’t do it.”
She handed me another plate for me to wipe.
“It’s okay. They’re right. I have nothing to do here, so maybe it’s better to go outside.”
She didn’t bother to look at me. Her gaze stayed on the last plate she’s rinsing in the faucet.
I stayed still. I’m not sure what to say anymore. Then she turned to me, handing the last plate.
She tried to push a brief smile before she spoke.
“If it means babysitting for you, you can say no. You know.”
So this is what she’s thinking? That I’m complaining? Oh, my… she might have misinterpreted everything I’ve said.
“No, no. I’d love to tour you around. There’s a lot of great cafes here, and there’s one gallery that you might get interested in… Well, we can try all of them.”
“You love to tour me around?”
She paused with a blank expression. She’s waiting for an answer from me. But before I could say something, she spoke again.
“Is that why you wrote the note on my coffee last night?”
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