cloudy.

I'm at a small town in Oklahoma

waking up to a cloudy sky out my window

with a soft breeze brushing the curtains

and the scent of rain in my nose

feeling awakened, I quickly change

before checking how much money I have

and seeing that I have enough

I head out the door of my friend's house

there's a coffee shop

I go in and order and sit

and I think for a while

about what I'll do next

I've been here for about a month

I'm thinking of heading south

since the summer is coming to an end

and somewhere by the beach will be best for the winter

it's that time again

that time to keep moving

that time to go forward

even though I don't know what's coming next

my drink arrives, warm and sweet

I open my laptop to see what my options are for the next step

and then I stop when a soft hand

lands on the table in front of me

I look up and meet eyes with a girl

she gives me a huge smile

and sits across from me

"and just where have you been for the last week?"

I smile back and fold my arms

sitting back to a relaxed position

"just staying with my friend,

things are getting crazy"

she's holding a mug of coffee

she looks out the window and sips it

"things are always crazy around here"

and she frowns

"what's up?"

I reach over and place a hand on her arm

she looks at it for a moment

sighs

"you're leaving, aren't you"

"maybe... I'm thinking about it"

"why? are you on the run from the cops or something?"

I laugh and say "no! nothing like that."

she's not laughing

"why are you always so secretive?"

I shrug and say "it's not secrets. it's nothing."

"that can't be true, no one's life is nothing"

"my life isn't nothing. my story is."

and finally, I see a tear

"I just don't want you to leave"

her hand turns up and grasps mine

and I just can't say anything

we sit there together in silence for a bit

almost like we're mourning

but it's calmer than that

just a shared silence as conversations buzz around us

she gets up to leave eventually

going to join her friends on the patio outside

they're laughing and talking and smoking

creating their own insouciant atmosphere

I eventually leave too

going to work at the shop for some extra cash

having found a small place in Florida

and after work I get a text

can you come over tonight?