Lennon

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen - Just a Wayfaring Stranger  

"Strange to see you here again," a familiar voice greets me from behind my back. 

             As I turn around to face the man, a smile tugs at my lips. The last time a small sparkle of happiness that came out of me in the past 12 hours is from when I pasted a level on Candy Crush, but I hardly think that counts. It wasn’t even all that hard of a level. 

            “Nice to see you too, Troye,” I greet him just as he takes a seat next to me. 

            Does he feel the slight tingle of déjà vu that I felt when I walked in here?  Having sat here for long enough, the feeling has vapored into something more. A lot has changed since the time I met Troye and it’s obviously to me in every way. The emotions that plagued me then have faded away a bit, replaced with more of a tragic longing tone; I didn’t know how it felt to live in Ellison back then. 

            Although that moment feels like it happened light years ago, it’s really only been a few moments.  Do I really expect the suburb dad to read my mind, as if it’s some sort of book written in thick black ink across my face. I bet it doesn’t feel any different for him, as he’s already reached contentment. Troye probably thinks that I somehow healed myself and that’s the reason I’m no longer living on the campground, seeing that I don’t need it anymore to be sane. 

            Oh, the irony. 

            The squeals that produce from him wheeling the chair to face me makes my ears bleed, causing me to flinch away from the friendly man. I’ve been here for a good bit of time, but I still haven’t gotten used to the vibrant sounds that echo all around me or the bright lights that will be the death of me. It just goes to show that I’m not fit to live in a small town, no matter how good the food may be. 

            After telling the same waitress who was here last time who’s name I don’t remember with much clarity, Troye beats around the bush. “How are you, Lennon?” 

            “After this cup of heaven,” I hold up my cup of coffee that I swear comes straight out of Nirvana, “how can I be anything other than happy?” 

            We both know that my words are a bunch of lies that I didn’t even try to cover up and make it seem believable, but he smiles over at me like it was the truth. I can see how his kids must feel when he smiles at them like that, as if you’re the best thing to happen to Earth since slice bread. 

            “Truer words have never been spoken, my friend. I’ve been telling Lana that for years now, but she still refuses to drink anything that doesn’t have the Starbucks or Dunk N Donuts logo plastered across the cup. She thinks those are the best coffee’s in the world and everything pales in comparison. Her taste in coffee is one of the only things about her that I hate my wife.” 

            His words come out effortlessly, showing just how much he loves his wife. It must be really nice to find someone you click with like that, having a mutual  love strong enough to want to spend the rest of your life with each other. Then again, marriages aren't really forever.  

            "She doesn't know what life is, then." I bring the cup up to my face, sipping on the delicious beverage a little bit too loudly. I can't help it, it’s just so good. For long after I finish my sip, I let my head hang in place. The hot aroma dances around my face, covering my skin in a thin coat of stem. If I could just live in this moment for the rest of my life, I'd die happy. 

            Oh God, I'm going to have a coffee baby now. 

            “It’s a real shame that she’s missing out, but the more for me, am I right?” He grins, the act instantly reminding me of Jude. The grin processes a boyish nature, making Troye look a few years younger. The thing about the smirk is that they both look so happy when they do it, lighting up the whole world with it. Both of the guys are genuinely happy to have spread the grin, reaching their eyes almost every time. Smirks are the bane of my existence, I swear to all of the Gods in the universe.