“Coffee?” I ask, gesturing to the pot.
She stops and looks at me, surprise crossing her features. “Oh. Um. No, thank you. I only drink herbal tea.”
Herbal tea. Who chooses to drink herbal tea when there’s perfectly good coffee available?
I keep that thought to myself and nod. “Okay. Herbal tea, huh?”
No answer.
An awkward silence fills the room. She’s still standing there, and I’m still standing here, and I need to say something else. Something normal. Something that doesn’t make me sound like a complete idiot.
“Are you hungry by any chance?” The words come out before I can think them through. “I have a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my car. You can have one if you want.” I point with my thumb toward the general area.
Why did I do that? I can eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches any time of the day, but it’s really a lunch item.
Her eyebrows lift. “Oh. That’s…nice of you to offer. But no, thank you. I don’t eat peanut butter.”
I’m not sure we can be friends.
I turn back to the counter. I have to do something…anything. I open the cupboard and take out my box of Lucky Charms. Perfect. Everyone likes Lucky Charms, right? They’re my favorite.
I grab the box and shake it, the sugary cereal rattling inside. “What about some cereal? You look hungry.”
Autumn is looking at me with that expression. The one I’m starting to recognize. The one I’m starting to fucking hate.
It’s the look that says, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“No, I’m good.” She takes a step backward. “Thanks, though. I already had my green smoothie. It was packed with micros you won’t believe.”
Micros? What the hell are those?
“You sure? This is really good. Have you tried it?” I shake the box again.
“I’m very sure.” She’s edging toward the door now. “I try to avoid sugar. Spikes your insulin.”
I think I look at her in much the same way she looked at me not so long ago. Nope, I don’t think Autumn and I can be friends.
What I want to do and what I have to do are two separate things. At least she’s being nice to me. She hasn’t run away yet, which is saying something. I have to try harder. There has to be some common ground.
What do people talk about? Sally said people talk about the weather. I’ll try that.
“So…” I set the cereal box down. “It’s hot today.”
“It’s always hot here,” Autumn says.
“Right. Yeah. Mmmmmmm.” I nod like this is some profound observation.
The silence stretches out again, somehow even more uncomfortable than before.
Autumn starts backing toward the door. “I should probably—”
“Do you need something?” I interrupt because I’m an idiot. “From the break-room, I mean. Surely, you came in here for something.”
She stops, her hand on the door handle. “I’ll just…I’ll come back later.”
Then she’s gone, and I’m alone with my coffee and my complete inability to function like a normal person.
I groan and thunk my forehead against the cabinet door.
