kafei

by Sophia Ai, Torrey Pines High School '22

May 13, 2020

Untitled photo by JM Crema*

We’ve never met before,

but the first time I saw you sitting

at the table next to the window with

your headphones in, dark locks of your hair

falling into your eyes with a book open in front of

you with a steaming cup of coffee by your side

I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering the streets in the rain then,

in the midst of an unforgiving storm

each raindrop washing away layers and layers of

dirt and grime and tears and

regret and shame and guilt when I

pulled open the door to that cafe,

the little bell singing

and you looked up and our eyes met for a split second.

We’ve never met before,

but the second time I saw you sitting

at the table next to the window with

your lips fixed into a pout, your hair pulled back into a

messy bun with your fingers dancing across your

phone screen with a steaming cup of coffee by your side

I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering in an endless flowerless field then,

in the midst of a raging tempest within

feeling time slip away from my fingertips by the second

with each raindrop that fell when I

stopped outside the window of the cafe and

stared at the gray sunless sky

and you looked up and our eyes met for a split second.

We’ve never met before,

but the third and last time I saw you sitting

at the table next to the window with

a man I’ve never seen before, your eyes brimming

and overflowing with tears that fell like shooting stars

as your lips mouthed ‘Don’t leave’ over and over again

and his face red and his eyes downcast as he

stood up and pushed the door open to the rain

the little bell singing

you covered your face with your hands and

even then without a steaming cup of coffee by your side

I thought you were beautiful.

I was wandering in the clouds then,

in the midst of a great whirlwind

the gale tearing away at my mind and body

and I pulled the door open to the cafe and

ordered two cups of hot coffee and

walked to where he left you with your hands over your face

with the steaming cups

while the storm and tempest and wind died down

and you looked up and our eyes met and I said:

“We’ve never met before,

but can we have a coffee or something?”