Coffee and Cigarettes and Everything in Between

Winter

"I hate you." I said to a sleeping Giselle on the couch as soon as I shut the door close. I walked closer to her and grabbed one of the pillows that have fallen on the floor and I continuously hit her while muttering "I hate you" over and over until she was forced to open her eyes.

"What the?" She mumbled with her eyes still hazy from her sleep.

"I hate you." I said for the last time as I hit her once again. She unknowingly rolled over which made her fell off the couch and land on her taking the sheets with her.

"Damn it, Winter! What the hell?" She says now clearly awake from her fall. One by one she collected the pillows that were scattered on the floor while I threw my body on the couch where a few moments ago a very much sleepy Giselle reside.

"What the hell is your problem? I was up all night reading for a new case and you dare to disturb my nap? You better have a good reason or else I'll put you in jail, Winter." If this was just another day, I would have easily come up with a witty remark to her words but today my energy was all sapped out by the thoughts of Karina.

"Hey you dumb dumb person answer me!"

"Yah Winter Kim! If you do—"

"I was too late." I finally answered her as I lie there on our couch, my arm covering my eyes from the afternoon light coming in from the window.

"Late? For what? A meeting?" She asked consecutively but I wasn't in the mood to answer anymore nor explain further. So instead I shifted my body so that my back was facing her.

"Winter, for the love of God will you please answer me. I'm dying to know come on!" And now it was her turn to assault me with the pillows that just a while ago was my tool to wake her up.

"Karina. She already has someone." That made her stop from hitting me. I felt her kneel down beside me before muttering, "For real?"

"Yeah the information you gave me was wrong and I hate you for it and I hate myself for still hoping that she was waiting for me." My tears fell down uncontrollably as I finally acknowledge the fact that I've been denying ever since I saw her earlier.

I can't be wrong. The way she automatically smiled as she read the letter that was included in the bouquet broke my heart. That smile was supposed to be mine. I should be the only reason why those lips are curving up. But she belongs to someone else now. Gone are the daisies that she used to hold, they are now replaced by red burning roses. Three years was a long time.

"I'm so sorry. I just have never seen her with somebody while you were gone." Giselle said as she soothe my back trying to help my feelings ease up. Karina was never the type to show off. She tends to keep things private most of the time so Giselle's reason wasn't new to me. In fact it made my heart hurt more knowing that only a few people know of her current relationship because that was how it was when we were still together so that means she's really serious with this one. I couldn't find the words to reply to Giselle anymore so I just lay there with my tears continuously flowing.

"Winter where's our coffee?" Giselle asked as we sat facing each other on the dinner table later that night. She offered to cook insisting that I needed to rest from all the commotions earlier.

"We don't have one?" I answered confused as I put a spoonful of chicken in my mouth.

"Why are you asking me?"

"No, why are you asking me? I haven't done grocery. I only just came back a week ago remember?" I replied after gulping down the food on my mouth.

"You idiot! You went to the café earlier to buy our coffee but you came home with nothing."

"Oh...."

"Yeah ohhhh. You forgot didn't you?" 

"Well I already ordered and paid for it but I guess I forgot to get it on the counter after my talk with Karina." After my conversation with her earlier, coffee was the last thing on my mind. I'm even surprised that I was still able to drive back here in our apartment considering that my knees were wobbling from the shock that I went through inside her office.

"Wow three years later and you still got it bad for her. You deserve to be applauded my friend." Giselle said as she made an act of clapping her hands in slow motion.

"Shut up. How are things with you and James?" I asked her to steer away the topic from my failed attempt to get K