Another journal

You can find all the sections here.

Like most of the businesses on the three-block main street of the town, the coffee shop was new to Emily. When she’d left it had been a dusty junk shop. Bright paint, high-backed booths and large framed prints from some local artist transformed the space and were the backdrop to the chatter of teens and the whine of an espresso machine.

Julian guided Emily to a booth near the back, where some of the other kids from the court were already seated. He nodded at her reassuringly and went to the counter to order. She tried to guess who each kid was. The girl who slid out so Emily could sit next to the wall had to be Abigail, her red hair was a give away. She was taller than Emily, but she’d always been all legs and arms at seven. Emily sat nervously, unsure what to do with her hands. She’d never been social within her age group and her awkwardness was compounded by facing people she’d known as babies.

One of the boys peered at her through a thick tangle of hair. “It’s you alright, Julian wasn’t being crazy.”

“How did you know already?”

“Ian texted us on your way here, duh.” The other boy rolled his eyes. Emily remembered that Julian—Ian, now—had fiddled with his phone as they walked, Emily trying to look casual while gawking at the town’s changes.

She tilted her head. “Texting. It’s not—it’s new to me, y’know? I’ve been gone awhile.”

Mirrored from Journal of a Something or Other.