Chapter 57:
The Rowan Tree
❦
Rowan finishes her coffee
before she starts studying.
She's
already
addicted.
She orders a second cup.
Her textbooks
and notes
fill the length
of the four people table.
'You're not studying?' she asks.
A shrug.
I lean back
in my dark velvet seat.
'Maybe later,' I reply.
Her eyes
find a line on the page
and she disappears
into another world.
I can watch her
as I like now—
don't think she'll notice.
She doesn't wear earphones
when she studies
like Nora and I do.
But she might as well have.
No matter who
leaves the cafe,
who's talking out loud,
she doesn't hear it.
'Rowan,' I whisper.
Her coal-black eyes
tear away from the textbook,
her pen goes still.
'Yeah?' she asks.
But one word from me
makes a difference.
It's funny.
'You're really pretty in that dress.'
The tips of her ears
turn red.
She returns to the world
of study.
I push our cups of coffee
aside,
lean in closer to her.
There's a slight furrow
between
her eyebrows.
I touch the spot on her forehead
with one finger.
She doesn't respond.
The door is opened,
it gives out another tinkling laugh.
I put down my hand
and look over.
A couple is leaving.
(Other than us,)
there's only one man left,
typing furiously
obscured by the fronds
of a plant.
Outside the door,
crowds of people walk to and fro
like sardines
escaping a can.
Orchard Road is always this crowded.
But Whimsical Coffee
is always empty.
[Read the full story at novelconbini.com!]
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