StarStruck Coffee

Hotel

When Zach was finished, the old man sat for a while, and just stared off into the distance, almost as if he was contemplating whether he was going to believe Zach. Tears were running down Zach's face at this point, mimicking that night; it was the first time since, he had retold those events, the first time he'd felt this much pain.

It felt like an eternity of sitting at that bench before the old man finally spoke, "If you ask me." he paused. "If you ask me, that was a great tale, but it doesn't seem to be over." Zach looked at him confused, "What the hell do you mean?! Its not over-"

"Boy I'm only going to tell you this once. Do not interrupt me." The old mans fuzzy aura dissipated at that moment, and was replaced with that of a dragon. Zach felt so small compared to him, he felt like a child again. Unable to say anything, Zach merely nodded.

"Good." The old man nodded back, "As I was saying, you're stories not over. You told me your sister had come to see you. That means she wants to make things right with you, she wants to be a part of your life again."

At this point, the tears had began rolling again, Zach tried to hold them back, but he was too tired, all he could do was cry. "If I was in your position," the old man began again, "I'd find her and I would talk to her. It does no good dwelling on the past."

Zach's tears stopped. He looked up and sniffed. Once. twice. He then stood up, wiped his nose with his thumb, and spoke, "Listen sir. I am truly grateful for you hearing me out and letting me tell you my entire life story. But I have never let anyone dictate how I live my life. Not since that day. So with great respect, I am leaving."

"Son-"

"Don't old man." Zach glared at him, as he turned on his heel and stormed away.

The further he got from the dog park and the old man, the colder and darker it got. Zach knew it was just because he was going through dark alleyways again, but he felt as if the gods were trying to tell him that the old man was right. He hated that.

Zach had stopped thinking at this point, all he knew was he was upset. And what did Zach do, every time he was upset; especially when it was raining?

Starstruck Coffee. He'd go in, ask Beth for his usual, and sit down on the stools right next to the counter, so he could talk to Beth. At this point, Zach had forgotten all about his sister waiting at the shop. All he knew was he needed a coffee. It wasn't until he turned that final corner and saw her sat leaning against the glass door, head in her hands as if she'd been crying her eyes out did he remember. But he was too late, just as he was about to duck back into that same alleyway, Hannah looked up.

Zach just stood there, motionless like a deer caught in headlights,

"Zachie- no Zach." Hannah slowly got up, and held her arms out in front of her, as if she was talking to a child or trying not to fright a wild animal, "Listen I just want to talk. I know we've been through a lot-" she sniffed, she'd definitely been crying, and Zach knew it was because of him; he took a step back, "No Zach its okay." Hannah took a step towards him, "I don't blame you for what happened, he manipulated us both,"

Zach was frantically looking around now.

Beth. He needed his Beth.

 "Hannah-" his voice cracked, tears fell down his face in droves, "I can't- I cant do this. Please just let me-"

"Okay Zach. okay go. Ill be here when you're ready," she flicked a business card onto the floor Infront of Zach, it was for a hotel, a hotel about two blocks from his own place. At least he knew where to go,

"I'm leaving in two weeks, if I don't see you by then I wont contact you again,"

Zach picked up the card and nodded slowly. Hannah huffed a sigh of relief and looked down at her feet in resignation. By the time she'd looked up, Zach was gone.

Back to the present

"So thats the story. What do ya think.?"