One

One.

I wrap my hands around my coffee cup.
It’s now gone cold.
I’m not surprised as I’ve been sitting here, for what seems years.
I wipe the tears from my eyes by the heel of my hand and I put it back against the now, cold coffee.
I unravel my fingers from the cup, then wrap them back, I repeat this till I can’t feel my fingers anymore

‘Nora’ I look behind me and see Harrison, his brown hair wet because of the rain, that I had not notice start, and his green eyes full of curiosity, he’s going to ask a question.

I inwardly laugh, I’ve been in this town for five years, and yet no one knows me as well as they think.

‘Why are you sad?’ he asks, his head cocked slightly.

‘Everyone is sad Harrison, just some are brave enough to show it’

He slips down onto the bench.

‘Why do you say things like that, Nora?’ he says.

I look to him.

‘My mother used to say things think that. I don’t know why I do, but they just come to my head’

I take a sip of my coffee, I don’t care that it is cold, I just need something to moist my throat.
Every time I talk about her, it seems to become dry. 
Maybe it’s because I’ve cried too much that I have no tears left.

‘What’s changed?’ he asks.

I look away.

‘Everything’

He laughs and I turn back to face him.

‘You’re so very specific’

I chuckle too.

He touches my coffee cup.

‘Nora, it’s cold.’

I look down.

‘Why are you drinking cold coffee on a Monday afternoon?’

‘Why are you asking me why I’m drinking cold coffee on a Monday afternoon?’

Harrison smiles.

‘You didn’t answer my question, you just used another question for your answer’ I smile and turn to him.

‘The world is too big to never ask why’

He laughs again.

‘Remind me never to get into an argument with you, Nora. I know who’d come out on top.’

I laugh.

‘Want some cold coffee?’ I ask.

He takes the cup from my hand.

‘Don’t mind if I do, actually’

He takes a sip.
Harrison pulls the cup away and wrinkles his face up.

‘Nora, how can you drink this? It’s revolting’

I laugh and he does too.
Harrison hands me back to cup and I wrap my hands around it again
I then rest my head on his shoulder and pull my legs to my chest, I place the coffee onto my knee.

‘Harrison?’ I whisper after a moment in silence.

‘Nora’ he replies.

‘Don’t call me that, please’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Don’t call me Nora. It’s not my name’

He pulls away and looks at me as if I’m mental.
I’m not
It’s the truth.

‘I’ll tell you all of it, soon’ I say, breaking the silence.

‘But it’s not safe enought. Not yet’ I place the cup onto the bench, and I put my legs down. I look to him.

‘It’s not safe’

I walk away.