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Talia poured coffee like her body was running on autopilot.
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Customer. Mug. Smile. Repeat.
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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.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28gZMFULTC
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.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLJbE9yTUJ
Except Jonas.
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He always sat in booth three, always ordered black coffee and a grilled cheese. And always said, “Thanks, Talia,” like her name meant something.
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Today, he looked at her longer than usual.
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“You okay?” he asked.
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She blinked. A full second passed before she gave him her usual answer:
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“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.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRHYBXDioB
It said:
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBand5takTI
“You don’t look fine. If you ever want to talk, I’m always in booth three.”
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2GcsPK60W
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcH8PVIYR1
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUq4z6Cicf
She didn’t know whether to cry or tear it up.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTyu8GPcWq
So she put it in her pocket and kept pouring coffee.
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