*** in Autumn
Jasmine's Coffee House
By the time the last bell went for school it was raining, not hard but just enough that people sacrificed their binders and textbooks to shield their hair from the rain. Lisa dug around in her school bag for her umbrella and put it up above her. The road down the road was bleak and cold and Lisa shivered pulling her jacket around her shoulder.
''Lisa!'' she heard her name being called from behind her and turned to see a breathless Rory behind. ''Finally, could you not hear me or were you ignoring me?'' he asked and Lisa stopped and turned to face him, a smile playing on her lips. He stopped with his hand on his knees, desperately trying to get his breath back.
''Of course, I wasn't ignoring you'' she said shoving him jokingly. ''God, you're so unfit'' she said laughing.
Rory straightened up and ran his fingers through his hair. ''Its nice to see you laughing again'' he said.
Lisa looked at him, a smile forming on her lips. ''God, did you get that line straight out of a tragic romance novel? It was so cheesy'' she said nudging him again. ''Come on, I need a doughnut. We're going to Jasmine's'' she said linking her arm through his as they walked down the street.
*
Jasmine's coffee house was a small shop in a line of shops. It was a popular haunt for the pupils of St Michael's. It had a nice atmosphere, there always seemed to be a bubble of chatter masking the gentle music over the radio. It smelt of coffee and baking. The room was filled with round tables and arms chairs you could sink into. As Lisa pushed the door open the bell above the door tinkled. As they walked in they realized that Jenn's friends were sat around a table at the back. Lisa made eye contact with Lydia Renner as they walked in and quickly bowed her head. They walked over to the counter where Jasmine stood.
Jasmine was a young woman, no older than twenty five. She had dark hair, always with a colourful bandanna in it and eyes that seemed deep and slumberous. ''Hey, guys'' she said as they entered. ''Its eerie how much you look like her'' she said. ''I thought a ghost had walked in'' she continued. Lisa's face burned. She could feel all eyes on her. Jasmine seemed to suddenly realize what she'd said and clamped a many ringed hand across her mouth. ''I'm so sorry. That was completely inappropriate'' she said apologetically.
Lisa swallowed. ''Its okay, its more refreshing than hearing that you're sorry for my loss'' said Lisa nervously. ''Can I have a mocha and a doughnut please?'' she asked ordering her usual.
After getting her food she slid into a seat and bit into her doughnut. She felt so drained from her day at school that she wanted to lay down and go to sleep but she needed to show people that she could do it. She could get through the week as normal, as if Jenn was sat at that table with her friends. Lisa couldn't help but glance over at them. They didn't seem themselves. They all sat in silence. Most of them staring at their phones to avoid making eye contact with each other. Lisa wondered why they were event here. If they didn't want to talk to each other then why no go home? Maybe they too wanted to make everything seem normal as if she was still there.
''Lisa, you okay?'' said a gentle voice from next to her. She turned around to see a concerned looking Rory looking at her through green eyes. He was licking sugar off his fingers as he said it, he had already finished his food while Lisa had barely finished hers. Since Jenn had been killed she hadn't had must of an apetite.
''Yeah, I'm fine. Do you want my doughnut?'' she asked pushing her plate towards him.
Rory's eyebrows knitted together in concern. ''You need to eat Lise'' he said with concern. Lisa sighed, putting her chin in her hands. Lisa had never been much of a big eater and Rory always finished the food she didn't want. Now he was worried about her. Her sisters death meant that people had to watch over her like she was about to become anorexic or become depressed or something and she was sick of it. She didn't want to argue with her best friend though so she picked up the doughnut and took another bite. Rory grinned, obviously pleased that he had managed to get her to eat and to look after herself.
*
After they had finished eating and left Jasmine's they walked down the street, parting at Hunter Avenue to go to their respective houses. Lisa walked the rest of the way home to her house. She opened the already unlocked door and walked down the hall. She stopped to look at a picture of her and Jenn at the beach. Jenn sat on a rock wearing a red bikini, her messy brown curls fell around her face and she pulled a stupid face at the camera, her eyes and mouth wide and thumbs up either side of her head. Behind her stood Lisa, caught unawares by the camera. She had her mouth open dozily and was looking towards something on the beach rather than the lense. Behind them the sea shone, a glittering ocean of sequins. That had been a good day, they had been thirteen and Jenn had pushed Lisa over as a joke but a big wave had come at that moment, knocking her under. Jenn had worried, grabbing her sisters arm and making sure she was okay.
''Thank god, there you are'' said her mother hurrying out of the room, her curls in a messy ponytail. She pulled Lisa into a hug.
''I'd only gone to the coffee house with Rory'' she said wrinkling her nose in annoyance.
''Well next time call'' she said slinking back into the kitchen.
''Lisa!'' she heard her name being called from behind her and turned to see a breathless Rory behind. ''Finally, could you not hear me or were you ignoring me?'' he asked and Lisa stopped and turned to face him, a smile playing on her lips. He stopped with his hand on his knees, desperately trying to get his breath back.
''Of course, I wasn't ignoring you'' she said shoving him jokingly. ''God, you're so unfit'' she said laughing.
Rory straightened up and ran his fingers through his hair. ''Its nice to see you laughing again'' he said.
Lisa looked at him, a smile forming on her lips. ''God, did you get that line straight out of a tragic romance novel? It was so cheesy'' she said nudging him again. ''Come on, I need a doughnut. We're going to Jasmine's'' she said linking her arm through his as they walked down the street.
*
Jasmine's coffee house was a small shop in a line of shops. It was a popular haunt for the pupils of St Michael's. It had a nice atmosphere, there always seemed to be a bubble of chatter masking the gentle music over the radio. It smelt of coffee and baking. The room was filled with round tables and arms chairs you could sink into. As Lisa pushed the door open the bell above the door tinkled. As they walked in they realized that Jenn's friends were sat around a table at the back. Lisa made eye contact with Lydia Renner as they walked in and quickly bowed her head. They walked over to the counter where Jasmine stood.
Jasmine was a young woman, no older than twenty five. She had dark hair, always with a colourful bandanna in it and eyes that seemed deep and slumberous. ''Hey, guys'' she said as they entered. ''Its eerie how much you look like her'' she said. ''I thought a ghost had walked in'' she continued. Lisa's face burned. She could feel all eyes on her. Jasmine seemed to suddenly realize what she'd said and clamped a many ringed hand across her mouth. ''I'm so sorry. That was completely inappropriate'' she said apologetically.
Lisa swallowed. ''Its okay, its more refreshing than hearing that you're sorry for my loss'' said Lisa nervously. ''Can I have a mocha and a doughnut please?'' she asked ordering her usual.
After getting her food she slid into a seat and bit into her doughnut. She felt so drained from her day at school that she wanted to lay down and go to sleep but she needed to show people that she could do it. She could get through the week as normal, as if Jenn was sat at that table with her friends. Lisa couldn't help but glance over at them. They didn't seem themselves. They all sat in silence. Most of them staring at their phones to avoid making eye contact with each other. Lisa wondered why they were event here. If they didn't want to talk to each other then why no go home? Maybe they too wanted to make everything seem normal as if she was still there.
''Lisa, you okay?'' said a gentle voice from next to her. She turned around to see a concerned looking Rory looking at her through green eyes. He was licking sugar off his fingers as he said it, he had already finished his food while Lisa had barely finished hers. Since Jenn had been killed she hadn't had must of an apetite.
''Yeah, I'm fine. Do you want my doughnut?'' she asked pushing her plate towards him.
Rory's eyebrows knitted together in concern. ''You need to eat Lise'' he said with concern. Lisa sighed, putting her chin in her hands. Lisa had never been much of a big eater and Rory always finished the food she didn't want. Now he was worried about her. Her sisters death meant that people had to watch over her like she was about to become anorexic or become depressed or something and she was sick of it. She didn't want to argue with her best friend though so she picked up the doughnut and took another bite. Rory grinned, obviously pleased that he had managed to get her to eat and to look after herself.
*
After they had finished eating and left Jasmine's they walked down the street, parting at Hunter Avenue to go to their respective houses. Lisa walked the rest of the way home to her house. She opened the already unlocked door and walked down the hall. She stopped to look at a picture of her and Jenn at the beach. Jenn sat on a rock wearing a red bikini, her messy brown curls fell around her face and she pulled a stupid face at the camera, her eyes and mouth wide and thumbs up either side of her head. Behind her stood Lisa, caught unawares by the camera. She had her mouth open dozily and was looking towards something on the beach rather than the lense. Behind them the sea shone, a glittering ocean of sequins. That had been a good day, they had been thirteen and Jenn had pushed Lisa over as a joke but a big wave had come at that moment, knocking her under. Jenn had worried, grabbing her sisters arm and making sure she was okay.
''Thank god, there you are'' said her mother hurrying out of the room, her curls in a messy ponytail. She pulled Lisa into a hug.
''I'd only gone to the coffee house with Rory'' she said wrinkling her nose in annoyance.
''Well next time call'' she said slinking back into the kitchen.