Balconies

by Tribi Ponyfeathers

He lives on the fifty eighth floor, and infatuated with a person he's never spoken to at a coffee-shop. She's a barista at the same coffee shop, in love with the boy living just one floor above her. Of course, the two have never met face to face, because separate-floor contact is outlawed. But he still finds time for the girl on the fifty-seventh floor balcony.

1. Chapter 1

He went out onto the balcony of the fifty eighth floor, staring out into the cold night. He cleared his throat, and began to sing.

"White lips, pale face. Breathing in snowflakes. Burned lungs, sour taste. Lights gone, days end. Struggling to pay rent. Long nights, strange men. And they say,"

His voice was soon joined by another, and together they sang; "She's in the class A Team, stuck in her daydreams, been this way since eighteen. But lately, her face seems, slowly sinking; wasting, crumbling like pastries. And they scream 'The worst things in life come free to us!'. And she's just under the upper hand, could go mad for a couple grams. She don't wanna go outside tonight. And in a pipe she flies to the motherland, or sells love to another man. It's too cold outside for angels to fly." And there they stopped, like he had the day they met.

She sighed, settling down in the lawn chair on the fifty seventh floor balcony attached to her apartment.

"So, what was your day like?"

"Nothing special." he replied, settling into his own chair.

"Did you see that cute girl you liked at that coffeeshop across the street?"

"Yeah, sorta. And besides, I have no idea if my mystery person is even a girl, you know. Never-mind cute."

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, what'd you order today?"

"Trying to figure me out, m'lady? I'm flattered."

"Hey, just because I'm a barista there doesn't mean I remember every order. Nyeh."

"Black, with a heavy amount of Irish creamer. You?"

"Hot cocoa. Always and forever."

"Hey, sending a book your way."

"Cool!"

He pulled up a large red bucket with black spots, and placed a book in it, dropping it back down to his companion.

"The Black Cat's Solace? You're really laying it thick, you know that?"(couldn't help the little shoutout)

"But it's a good book!"

"Ok, ok I'll read it. Jeez!"

She sat up, paging through the little book. She paused when she came across a little illustration of a girl and boy holding hands on either side of a tree.

"Did you draw that little thing?" she asked, quietly.

But he had already gone back inside.