Life, Love & A Little Coffee

Chapter Five- Disappearing Act

Tom's relationship with Ada began when she was just a quiet freshman, feeling like she had no place in her own life. She was a sweet girl with an extraordinary heart and in the last four years, he'd watched her blossom into an exceptional woman. Because of that closeness, that bond, he'd given in when she requested more than just a brief glimpse into his life. She'd let him into her own life so willingly throughout the years it seemed only fair.

While he was waiting for her to come over, he'd been noticeably nervous. He used that hour to clean the best he could; re-stacking the boxes he'd been too lazy to unload and packing his trash with the to-go containers that had taken over his kitchen counters.

Agreeing was not an effortless thing for him to do. Tom lived his life by the rules and above all, lived his career that way. A student over at his place was against those rules, but one glance at her hopeful face and he gave in.

It was the greatest conversation he'd had in... hell, he couldn't recall the last time he enjoyed conversation or someone else's company like that. Though they had known each other for four years, it seemed longer and on a much profounder degree than it ever had been before. Sitting with her on the couch and talking felt like the most natural thing in the world, despite the initial hesitation.

She'd stripped away all nervousness he felt and all the insecurity within him seemed to vanish. Ada had an incredible mind and spirit that opened up to him that night. Remarkably time flew while talking to her.

But he hadn't spoken to her since the day after.

It was not surprising when a student missed a day of school, but when he couldn't remember the last day she'd missed, he checked her records. He couldn't remember because it hadn't happened. Ada had the perfect attendance until then.

Now his nerves were back, induced by the absence of her presence this time. He hadn't seen or spoken to her and neither had Brittney, who appeared further on edge than himself.

Tom spent Saturday painting and unpacking boxes. He checked with her godmother, Crystal, who owned the coffee shop and was covering Ada's shift. But she wouldn't tell him a damn thing. Tom could see it in her eyes, she knew something; something she was unwilling to share with him.

Saturday night he hung out at the bar which had an unobstructed view of the coffee shop, but still no Ada. Sunday morning, he remembered he had her cell phone number because of the newspaper, but it went straight to voicemail. He called the house phone after looking it up in the phone book. Her mom said she'd return the call when she was ready, but Tom wasn't holding his breath.

The uncertainty that tormented him didn't come from her missing school, but because no one was talking. He'd run into Britt when he was leaving for the bar and she was leaving the coffee shop and she'd admitted no one was telling her anything either.

That's what struck him.

Because of their bond, Ada seemed comfortable turning to him with many obstacles throughout the years. Only this time, she wasn't just avoiding him but also avoiding her best friend.

He was feeling like 'Creeper', hovering around the balcony of his apartment hoping to see Ada. But with it being Sunday, it was Tom's turn to monitor the place, per Brittney's request. It was reasonable considering she'd spent her entire Saturday night there, but it didn't make him feel any less creepy for staring.

Instead of investing his day into staring over there like a psycho, he just went to the damn place. It was lively with the Sunday church crowd and loud as hell. A political debate was going on at a table to his left, and the table to his right had a group of women cackling away.