String of Many Colors

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Reece laughed to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't take you to a breakfast place that didn't have pancakes," he answered, happy to take the lead. Reece liked to feel in control, liked to be in his element teaching someone else how to live it. Since his back hurt, he made sure to be careful, but didn't show signs of pain so as to not look weak, something that he hated to be seen as. The walk was farther than to the coffee shop, but it was well worth it. Unfortunately, it was more popular and so there were more people to sift through around them. It being morning he figured it would be busy, and opening the bright orange door he was correct. There weren't as many as he expected and they found a seat all right, but there were more people than he liked in one room unless he was drunk or high.
 
Else smiled and laughed softly with him for a moment before just following him. She knew he had to be on pain, since she had been beaten by them before. It took a long time for everything to heal, but she didn't feel as bad since he was hiding the pain. "This place is interesting...." She said, being pulled back to the place Marid had brought her to. It wasnt really similar, but both were so different from what she was used to.
"How did you find this place?" She asked once they were seated.
 
"I saw the building, so bright on a dull street and thought to myself, man I have to go see that place up close. So I did, and found out they made good food as well," he answered. The building had an orange door and orange window frames, while the building itself was pink and white, the colors in swirls with black outlines. "You should see the one room, they let people paint on the walls whatever they want, it's pretty cool," he added, figuring that she'd like it. Reece looked over the menu, but he knew what he wanted, just scanned to see if they had anything new and to see what the specials were.
 
"Have you painted anything there?" She asked since she didn't know much about him. Else used to paint and draw, but since the accident she hadnt done much with it. As she looked through the menu she bit her lip and tried to decide between all the choices. "They won't hurt you anymore." Else whispered, wanting him to know in case he was in pain. "I'm helping them now."
 
Reece shook his head at her question, he didn't paint, he was terrible at anything art-related, and wouldn't damage anyone's eyes with attempting to grace the wall without artistic ability. When she whispered to him he was surprised. For one, he didn't realize why she was whispering, but then assumed it was in case someone was listening to them, not like he thought they'd listen, but then again Reece didn't know the situation and couldn't imagine what the bid commotion was for. He whispered back, just to appease her mind, he didn't want her getting upset at him. "I thought you didn't want to help them." Reece didn't look at her seriously, instead looked at his menu as if he were explaining one of the items that he liked.
 
"They explained some things, but I can't talk to you about it." Else whispered back to him before putting down her menu. "You should paint something on there, I could help you with it. What are their best pancakes?" She asked since there were so many different kinds.
 
Reece ignored her painting comment, he was terrible, but maybe her "help" could be painting something for him. "I get the ones with raspberries and almonds in it, but you can get whatever kind you want." Reece said, as the waitress came and asked about drinks. "I'll have chocolate milk, thank you," he said politely, looking up at her, Megan.
 
Else nodded and thought about getting the ones with chocolate and strawberries, she did like her chocolate. "I'll have a coffee please, black is fine." She told the waitress, not bothering with a fake smile that she normally wore. It was just too much to fake today, her smiles would only be the genuine ones.
 
"What can we do to perk you up today, Else?" Reece asked cheerfully, wanting her to smile, and wondering how he was going to do it. He was more used to making little kids happy by acting goofy or playing silly games, so he didn't have as much experience making people his age happy, especially a girl.
 
She shrugged. "I don't need to be happy Reece, it doesn't really matter." Else said with a sigh, playing with the ring on her finger. Times like these were when she missed him, he could always make her smile and knew what to do to make her laugh even when she was mad.
 
"Says who? I think you definitely deserve to be happy." Reece couldn't believe she'd say such a thing. The waitress came back with the coffee and chocolate milk. "Don't you think she deserves to be happy?" he asked her, a little loudly. The waitress just looked at Reece, wondering what was wrong with him that he'd ask her opinion and forced a smile and said yes, which wasn't really the response he was hoping for. Although at the table next to theirs, a girl with pink hair who looked like she aspired to dress as her favorite anime character this morning, stood up and entered the conversation. "Hell yeah she deserves to be happy. It's your life baby you got to live it up!" And since she was even louder than Reece had been, her declaration got quite a few cheers and claps.
 
Else looked around and blushed. "Reece..." She said softly, not wanting the attention. Else just looked down before muttering her order of pancakes to the waitress. She hoped everyone would forget about the outburst.
 
Reece broke out into a smile at the anime girl, glad that she helped his point. He told the waitress his order and then went back to his conversation with Else. "You should do something fun today. Something that you used to like doing but don't anymore," he suggested, being serious.
 
She shrugged. "Then I'll help you paint." Else said softly. "I haven't painted in a year or so. I sometimes miss it." Else sipped her coffee before looking at Reece. "Do you always speak loudly?"
 
Reece shook his head and made his voice a more appropriate volume. "It's a habit sometimes, but I can fix it. Why'd you stop painting?" he asked, changing the subject.
 
"My husband died. It didn't seem like something I needed to do anymore." Else said simply, looking down at her hands. "A lot of things didn't seem needed anymore and still don't. Frankly I don't even think I should be in college right now, my grades will be crap and it will mess with my future record. My parents don't understand though so here I am."
 
Wait, what? How old was this girl and when did she get a husband? Reece's eyes widened and he couldn't help the face of complete judgement in response. "You...you have a husband, well had, I mean, um, what'd he die from?" he asked stupidly, not being able to help his stumbling. He couldn't for one thing process that she had a husband and this also meant that she was completely unavailable and for some reason he wanted to, well he kinda liked her. She was different, obviously very different.
 
Else sighed. "Yes I had a husband, it's why I have a ring on my finger. We were planning on getting married after college, but he got into a bad car crash. We barely had time to say the vows." She paused and her lip trembled. "I... He was coming to take me out on a date but the roads were bad, a guy just smashed into him."
 
"I'm sorry Else," Reece said, lowering his head in shame. He hadn't wanted to make her cry! And Reece wasn't very good with serious situations, especially the kind involving death. "I get that it's sad and all, but don't you think he'd want you to be happy and doing things like going to college instead of being all sad about it?" he dared to say, not knowing how she'd take it, especially since he didn't know this guy or anything. For goodness sake they were barely even friends.
 
She just shrugged and blinked back tears. "Probably, but I can't get over it. It was all so sudden and my parents won't talk about it, his parents hate me, and it just doesn't work out. That's why I'm glad I'm here and can work through it on my own." Else sipped her coffee and glanced at him. "I should try to be happy, but it's like I don't know how anymore."
 
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