Boys of the Dark | ✓ (2015)

9. The Boy with the Coffee Grinds and Valentines

9. The Boy with the Coffee Grinds and Valentines

"I never thought we'd actually end up in a coffee shop," Delilah admitted. 

Coldness erupted from the bottom of her jeans as she slid into the booth.  She wrapped her two hands around the steaming black coffee and held it close to her, sighing at the warmth wafting up her chin and kissing the tip of her nose. 

"Why did you invite me anyway?"

He sat opposite of her, putting his brown leather notebook on the table next to his jacket.  He pulled out a tape recorder and Delilah immediately leaned back, the cold leather sending a chill down her neck. 

She focused on one part of the shop, the third light bulb hanging above this couple. 

Her vision focused on the gold specks and honey coloured blurs of the light, resting her eyes as she tuned in her hearing.  The coffee grinded behind her, and the machine compressed and choked before hot liquid filled the emptiness of the cup.  A small ring went off every few seconds, shoes sliding against the rug before softly thumping up her side and halting after three steps.  Laughter flowed in the air, a soft jazz acoustic sending crisp waves between conversations. 

She gave herself to the sounds and rested among the peaceful place of the coffee shop.  She didn't know how long it lasted but she found a warmth envelop her fingers. 

Her gaze flickered away from the light and drifted to the five fingers cupping hers.  She looked up and faced the jawline of Ryland, his gaze focused in on the window. 

A small smile fought its way to her lips and she moved her gaze back to the light, it not the only warmth surging through her body now. 

They sat there until the sky was painted in black and the grind of coffee wasn't as often. 

The traffic simmered down like the temperature of her coffee and it wasn't until she snapped out of her daze when her lips met the bitter, cold taste. 

Her tongue smacked against the top of her mouth and with one hand, she embraced the bitter taste, liking the strange tang to it. 

Ryland's hand was back on his side of the table and he finally peeled his gaze off the window.  He clicked a button on the tape recorder and the tape stopped spinning. 

He pocketed the grey tape and stood, scooping his jacket off with him.  Delilah followed after, gulping down the rest of her coffee. 

They left the shop in silence as she tossed the cup, both admiring the clouds coming out of their mouths and shoes crunching in the thin layer of snow. 

They started walking.  Headlights shone on their backs and they kept walking until the lights went past their shadows, becoming bigger. 

Delilah turned around and saw the car cruise beside them.  The window rolled down and a dark figure stuck out of the window. 

Delilah squinted, unsure how what it was until it took her a good few seconds to figure it out.  She grabbed Ryland's shoulder and brought him down. 

It sounded like a firework. 

Ryland swore, holding onto his beanie but Delilah clutched his neck, pushing him forward to run. 

She glanced once more at the window, staring into the gun and then burst into speed down the sidewalk.  With his long strides, he matched her speed and they ran down the street, the car engine choking behind them as it began to pick up speed. 

Pain struck up her leg at the sudden sprint and she stumbled a bit, Ryland's hand on her back helping her forward. 

They rounded the corner, hearing the tires screech against the sloshy road, feeling the mud spray the back of their legs.  Delilah cut the corner, quickly cut another, diving into an alley.