a short story

coffee shop (fiction)

The aircon gives off a steady hum to the usual quiet of the room. She lay quietly on her bed which she had left unmade for the past two days. A half empty mug of coffee on her bedside table, leftovers from last night’s dinner have been her late brunch. A sole tricycle passed by her bedroom window. She stared up at her ceiling and mumbled:

What’s left for me? What am I to do now?

She was remembering the things she had dear to her. She tried to cry but the tears had dried out from two days’ worth of crying and staying in her room. It was still a fresh wound…

~

This was the first place they met, this was where he approached her and asked if he could borrow her lighter, and from there, everything blossomed into something beautiful. This was where they stayed until the shop closed talking about anything and everything. This was their coffee shop. Their little piece of heaven.

He was something special. He treated her like a queen even if she didn’t ask for it. She didn’t have to ask for anything, he gave her what she wanted as long as he can provide. Everyday spent with him was bliss. There was never a rainy day in their perfect weather. It was always warm and fuzzy, like a comforting sip of hot chocolate. That was what he was, her comfort. When she needed company in her unit, he was there without question. He would just hug her until she fell asleep in his arms and wake up to his morning kisses and tickles.

Those were the memories of 2 years being with him. All of a sudden, something’s changed. They were picking fights here and there, from the littlest things like how she keeps the candy wrappers in her bag instead of throwing it. How he would not wash the dishes after, those little things. He wouldn’t sleep over anymore. The movies, the dates, the coffee sessions, the moments of just sitting beside each other in that coffee shop became more of a ritual than of a habit which one of them became tired of.

~

Flashback to two nights ago… they were in their usual spot in their favorite coffee shop not to far from her condo unit.

We need to talk .. he said with a face she can’t decipher. This doesn’t look good, she thought.

Why what’s wrong? Is this about us? Did I do something to make you feel this way? She was fighting back the tears, she knew where this was leading to. It’s over. She thought sadly.

I’ve been meaning to tell it to you but I jut don’t know where to start. He held her hand and continued I made a mistake, and I didn’t mean to hurt you.

What? What mistake? She was confused. Where is this leading to? She wondered.

He looked into her eyes, tears were starting to fall from his. I got someone pregnant. It was one drunken night of mistakes and I don’t know… he couldn’t continue. She was crying her eyes out. Suddenly the floodgates had opened. How can you do this to me? Why? Why did you have to ruin what we have? Didn’t we have something special? You told me that! She didn’t know whether to hit him, slap him or just run away and hope this was all a bad dream.

I’m so sorry… her family wants us to get married. I don’t love her, I don’t. but they want us to get married. if only i could say no...

Why can’t you do anything about it? Just like that it’s over? And I’m supposed to accept that fact?

I have no choice. I’d still choose you. You’re the one I want to marry. Even if we were fighting, it doesn’t mean that I don’t love you anymore.

But that won’t happen. You’ve hurt me. We can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to see you…

She stood up and left the coffee shop for good. Pieces of her broken heart will remain in that coffee shop forever. She didn’t look back even if she could still hear him calling after her.

She went back to her pad and locked herself in her room. She didn’t have the energy to even call her bestfriend. She wanted to be alone.

~
Back to the present day…

She lay quietly on her bed which she had left unmade for the past two days. A half empty mug of coffee on her bedside table, leftovers from last night’s dinner have been her late brunch. A sole tricycle passed by her bedroom window. She stared up at her ceiling and mumbled:

What am I to do now? How will I tell him I’m carrying his child too?

~