She’s smiling.
Looking out over the sand coloured counter top, almost as tall as her, she’s happy.
Out of the house. Earning money. Moderately social. Keeping distracted.
The busy street a usual rush, cars stopping and going at the lights, people hurrying to quickly get to their destination and back home again. Buses doing their business every 10 minutes or so. It’s natural.
Everyone so wrapped in their own world, own issues, own selfish problems. All of which are exactly the same:
‘I wish I had more money…’
‘I wonder if she loves me…’
And of course ‘Sex, sex, sex, sex…’
Each with a subtle alteration, yet each mirroring another.
Then out he strides.
Breaking her detachment from the world outside the shop.
Skateboard under one arm, head to toe in a black uniform, brown hair a mess forever in need of a cut, but the strangest thing: he’s smiling too. No, he’s laughing. Laughing to himself.
Recognition hits her in a second like a punch in the gut. Instantaneous, for he is the solitary thought on her mind. Yet it confuses her, why is he laughing? He’s walking by himself… Maybe some private joke?
But no, no today it’s her. He’s laughing at her.
After 10 days of contact being reduced to sitting less than a meter from each other without a single word shared, and walking straight past, knowing full well the other is there, yet not so much as a nod of acknowledgement. Could this be a break through?
Is he ready to stop being a child? Playing victim… Geez, is he actually being, even just a little… Mature?!
She’s smiling.