The Café

Katie was alone in her apartment except for the company provided by her cat, Raja. Raja was an orange two year old cat that Katie had rescued as a kitten in a parking lot. While most people thought it strange that she only kept the company of said cat and never once had a friend move in with her, Katie had her reasons. Her cat could not leave her and her cat couldn’t make her feel insecure or tear her down. With that said, her cat couldn’t have conversations with her or help around the apartment.

“I don’t know, Raja. I really want to tell John, I really do, when I’m with him, I feel as though I’m at home, a feeling that I haven’t ever felt, or well, for at least a really, really long time,” Katie paused then looked at the cat who was licking her paws. “I’m talking to my cat. About my problems, the problems in my nonexistent love life. I feel as though I have finally hit rock bottom."

It was around eight at night and Katie was finishing watching Revenge, wearing only an oversized, black sweatshirt, black panties, and rainbow socks with her hair pulled on top of her head in a messy bun. Raja was sitting on Katie’s lap lightly kneading her declawed paws into the hem of the sweatshirt.

It was around seven-forty when John decided that he had to talk to Katie. He had to tell her, he couldn’t wait any longer. He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to at that moment as he had put it off for the past couple of days. Of course he was worried about what she would say, how she would react. Would she laugh at him, not believing a word like some other people had before, would she slam the door in his face? He was willing to accept anything. Anything except her hate.

“You can do this,” he said looking himself in the mirror. “It’s not like you’re asking the girl to marry you, just tell her. You’ve told so many other girls before. Hell, you’ve had so many other girls because of it,” he continued.

He quickly walked out of the house and got into his white truck, quickly locking the doors as if they would force him to carry on.

A knock startled Katie as she finished her show. Instantly she regretted wear as little clothing as she was, however, she had not expected any visitors at that time of night, actually, she hadn’t expected any people to visit her that night. She had already seen both John and Lynn that week and had declined some of her other friends’ offers to go out clubbing that night. Quite frankly, all she wanted was a night in with Raja.

“Just a second,” she called while she got off the couch. Silently, she wished that her apartment complex was nice enough to have a buzzer system so that way no one would have to know when she was home. She knew that whoever it was that was outside her door could hear her television, so she could not pretend to be away or to be sleeping.

She tugged down the hem of her sweatshirt and fixed her hair in the mirror that was hung on the wall by the door.

After he knocked, John stood there waiting for what seemed to be forever. He knew that she was home, he could hear the voices from the television blaring. He knew that she would be awake as it wasn’t that late at night, only about eight-thirty. He also knew that she would be awake because it was nearly impossible for her to fall asleep with the television on. Eventually, he could hear her faint footsteps come up to the door then stop. He figured that she was trying to keep her cat back.

“John? What are you--” Katie said as she opened the door.

“Can I come in?” he interrupted her. She slowly nodded and opened to door wider, moving so he could come past her.

Katie made them both a cup of tea and sat by John on the couch.

“As nice as this visit is, I have to ask, why are you here?” she said.

John as quiet, trying to gather the right words and trying to gain the confidence, silently wishing that the tea was a jack and coke instead needing the liquid courage.

“Well, I figured that if we are going to proceed with this friendship, there is one thing you need to know about me,” he paused, feeling slightly foolish for dragging this conversation for as long as he had. “I’m in a band. We’re called The Maine, and while we are not that famous, we have toured worldwide several times; and because of that, we tour for about nine months of the year.” He stopped to absorb her expression, which while her face showed some confusion, it also had shown some excitement at his words.