At long last, writing:

The coffee staining the edges of the mug in her hand is the same color as her eyes, and just as bitter.
Dark, reflective, caffeinating. She says her words with emphasis when she speaks.

"poignant." "exploitative." "sublime."

It was a peep show every time she opened her mouth, a quick little glimpse into the dark of her. There was nothing to really do except sit there across from her, and watch. Pretend earnestly to not be endlessly dull and maybe have some secrets of my own. But my sleeves hold no tricks. Nothing at all except a scratchy white washing instructions tag and my every effing emotion.

And I'm sure she's noticed, but she keeps talking.

"prerogative." "chagrin." "ruminate."

My foot taps the stool base with such ferocity that the bitter drinks on the table ripple- and my mind cuts to that scene in Jurassic Park. I saw it with my idiot cousin in middle school. Right when the bad guy gets eaten as gruesomely as PG13 movie standards would allow, he had the sudden inclination to wretch on my new white Chucks. I still remember that sharp rotten popcorn stick.

I notice now that she's stopped talking and I try to snap my face back into a normal expression. I glance up and catalog everything about her I can before she is done taking that sip. Her bleeding fingernails. Tiny wrists. Rosey red arm bumps.

And suddently, I want to scream.
"Run!", I want to say.

"Run. This life is not the one you want. The raptors are coming.
The effing t-rex and stegosauruses are on their way and they will devour you. And there will be nothing PG13 about it."

But I don't say that, or anything. I sit and I listen to her finish the story she's telling. Something about her mom collecting anthropomorphic vegetable figurines. I try to time my laugh with hers, but I can tell it was a little off. I watch as her eye corners crinkle up, and for just a moment, I think I see the surface of those dark roasted eyes ripple.

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Coffee and dinos, what more could you want :)

Hope you've all been well readers, and had a lovely day of lovin'.

Ours was interrupted slightly by college classes and work, but we'll be sure to have a V-Day repeat this weekend. Speaking of school, it's been occupying a whole lot of my face, so I'm sorry about that. Blogging might be slightly more sparse for a little bit. Hope you guys can be patient with me. 

All the best!

Grace Elizabeth.