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Talia poured coffee like her body was running on autopilot.
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Customer. Mug. Smile. Repeat.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmglTz00sf
The diner buzzed around her like a film she was watching from the outside. She could hear laughter, clinking dishes, the cook shouting out orders. But it didn’t reach her.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdOtJapECp
She barely spoke unless someone asked for something. Even then, it felt like moving underwater.
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Nobody noticed. Or maybe they did and just didn’t care.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngIC3mlv0H
Except Jonas.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSl8bRKBEM
He always sat in booth three, always ordered black coffee and a grilled cheese. And always said, “Thanks, Talia,” like her name meant something.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AmofLnsrg
Today, he looked at her longer than usual.
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“You okay?” he asked.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKecHe7D5R6
She blinked. A full second passed before she gave him her usual answer:
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18lHwg1uYc
“Yeah.”
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He didn’t push. Just nodded.
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But after he left, she found a napkin folded under his coffee cup.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4sfwUKTK9
It said:
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdT4JPlk45B
“You don’t look fine. If you ever want to talk, I’m always in booth three.”
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJBxHtzkmy
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPvlztDjvR
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lzt0pICDR
She didn’t know whether to cry or tear it up.
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZbeO56GRU
So she put it in her pocket and kept pouring coffee.
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