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The air was cool and crisp as John made his way to his favourite cafe, the one he visited every Saturday afternoon. The wind was biting, but that was to be expected given the fact that it was mid-autumn. The leaves had changed and already began to fall, creating a crinkling carpet beneath his feet.
The bell chimed as John pushed open the door and the girl behind the counter looked up with a smile.
"Good morning, John! The usual?"
"Yes, please." The two exchanged pleasantries while John paid. Soon enough he was moving away to wait for his order, allowing the next person in line to step forward. He noticed belatedly that the cafe was rather busy this morning. Out of habit, his eyes drifted towards a certain table on the far side of the room. There, by the window, sat the same man who sat there every Saturday. His pale complexion contrasted heavily with the long black hair that fell down his back. It wasn't the strange appearance that drew John's attention, though. It was the fact that the man was always deeply entrenched in whatever book he was reading.
John's name was called out, and he was quick to retrieve his sandwich and coffee. The few tables in the shop were nearly full. Once again, his eyes landed on the table by the window, and the empty chair that sat opposite the stranger. Although they had never spoken, John felt inclined to walk towards the familiar face.
"Do you mind if I sit?"
The man looked up with his forehead creased in confusion. "Of course not, the seat is empty."
John slipped into the chair and began to eat, fully intending to allow the other to continue reading. It was surprising, then, when he slipped a bookmark into his novel and placed it aside. He appeared to be waiting for conversation, but made no move to speak. The silence stretched until John resigned himself to being the one to break it.
"I've seen you in here a lot. What's your name?"
"Howard."
"What are you reading?"
"The Call of Cthulhu."
"I can't say I've heard of it." John replied with a tilt of his head. "I noticed you like reading a lot."
"I find people to be exceedingly confusing. At some point, I figured books might provide some insight."
John was stumped at that. The honest admission was unexpected enough, but the words made him stop and think.
"Everyone spends their lives trying to understand others. It's part of being human, I think."
It was the brink of winter, and the harsh chill in the air was an ever-present reminder. All the trees were bare, and the ground was a mess of dead leaves and damp mud. John was finally forced to wear gloves and a scarf to cope with the dropping temperature. It had been a rough week, and he was looking forward to his weekly coffee break. The tension in his shoulders noticeably released when he opened the cafe door the sound of the familiar bell chiming above him.
"The same as always, I'm guessing," a voice teased from behind the cash register.
"Do you even have to ask?" John responded with a grin.
"No, probably not."
John moved forward to pay, but was stopped by the shaking of the girl's head. "Don't worry about it, this one's paid for." He followed her eyes to what was now his regular table. With a smile and a nod, he collected his food and joined what was now his regular companion.
"Thank you, but you didn't have to," John said as he sat down.
"I know, but I was under the impression that it was normal to do nice things for your friends." A few weeks ago, John would've been sure this was meant as a genuine question. Now, the ghost of a smile hiding in the soft upturn of his mouth clued him in to the fact that Howard was joking with him.
"So then we're friends?"
"John, we've been friends for a while now, or haven't you noticed?" Howard laughed. It was rare for him to find something genuinely funny enough to laugh at, and the sound of it made John smile.
He looked out the window, watching cars pass as he sipped his coffee. A van drove by with an evergreen tied to the roof, and John was reminded that December had already arrived.
"Do you have any plans for Christmas?" he asked suddenly. Images of large family dinners and fully decorated houses swam across his mind. He felt a pang in his chest despite the warmth of the memories.
"No, not really," Howard admitted. "I usually celebrate alone. What about you? You have a big family right? I guess you'd be excited to go see them."
"I would be, but I found out this week that I won't be able to go home. I'm not able to get enough time off to make the trip."
"I'm sorry," Howard answered, because there was really nothing else to say.
"Thanks. They were pretty disappointed when I told them. They had all this stuff planned…" John spoke about the various Christmas traditions they had back home, which inevitably led to some rather absurd stories. Before he knew it, he was describing the various members of his extended family and the shenanigans they were always inevitably involved in. It was a while before John realized that he'd stayed much longer than usual, and it was time for him to head back to his apartment. He thanked Howard for listening to his ramblings, but Howard just smiled and said it was no problem at all. Somehow, John felt lighter as he stood up from the table.
Before he left, John made sure to pay for Howard's next order in advance.
Winter finally made its grand appearance. Snow blanketed the sidewalk as John made his Saturday afternoon trek. Heavy snowflakes continued to fall from the sky, and he tried not to think about the mess he would have to walk home in.
"Hey, I actually know this one," John said as he slipped into his spot, gesturing to the now-closed copy of The Great Gatsby. "Had to read it in high school. How do you like it?"
"The characters are so confusing!"
"How do you mean?"
"Gatsby thinks he can solve all his problems by throwing money at it, and nobody ever says how they're actually feeling. How does anyone think that's a good idea?"
"Well, it looks like you understand people better than they do, at least," John answered. "I agree. Money is useless when it comes to relationships with others. I'd much rather people be honest with their feelings."
"Ah, I see." Howard looked at John thoughtfully, before a look of decisiveness flashed across his features. "Well then, I'd like to tell you that I enjoy spending time with you. I've been wondering if you'd want to do something together, away from the cafe."
"Yeah, I'd like that a lot," John answered. He paused, considering something, before speaking again. "Would you like to come over for Christmas? Neither of us have plans, so we might as well spend it together."
The most sincere smile John had seen spread over the other's face. "Of course, I would love to come over."