“Sir.” Apollo felt a nudge on his shoulder. “Excuse me, sir, you have to get up.”

Apollo shuffled in his seat, moving his lips absentmindedly. His alarm clock hadn’t even gone off yet; he could afford a couple more minutes of shut-eye.

“I’m sorry, sir, but you have to get up. It’s almost lunchtime.”

Apollo lifted his head, eyes burning from the sunlight shining through the windows. He could barely make out the figure who had woken him up. Apollo grabbed his spectacles and glanced around at the unfamiliarity of his surroundings until it suddenly dawned on him. I’m not at home.

“I’m sorry, sir, but you have to leave the store now. It’s almost lunchtime.”

Apollo looked at his watch: 11:52 a.m.

“Are you feeling okay?” the worker asked with concern in his voice. He had colorful features like he used cosmetic substances to make his face unnaturally smooth and vibrant.

Apollo looked at him. “Where am I?”

“Tim Hortons,” the worker said. “You’ve been out of it for quite some time, not to mention you were mumbling in your sleep.”

“I was?” Apollo seemed surprised. “What was I saying?”

The worker raised his eyebrows as if he was hesitant to repeat what he’d heard. “I couldn’t make it out entirely, but you kept repeating the words ‘die, die, die’. I became worried at that point.”

Bizarre. Apollo scratched his head. “Probably just a bad dream,” he said, a pinch of embarrassment in his voice. “Sorry for the disturbance.”

The worker shook his head. “Oh, it wasn’t a disturbance at all. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

At least someone around here is looking out for me. “Appreciate your concern,” Apollo said. “Mind if I use your restroom?”

“Sure, it’s straight ahead.” The worker pointed in the direction.

“Thank you,” Apollo said, grabbing his belongings.

After freshening up, Apollo asked the employer about the closest mall in the area since their breakfast and lunch selections featured on the digital displays didn’t look very appetizing.

The employer wrote down directions and indicated the Toronno Shopping Center was only a few minutes away from where they were located. Apollo thanked him once again and made his way outside.

The Toronno Shopping Center was so large you couldn’t see the other end of the mall. Finding the nearest food court was the first order of business, and Apollo could tell the task would prove quite difficult with how big the mall was. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear he was touring through a new city. Why did they have to make these malls so big these days? It was crowded, noisy, and with the number of people strolling about the place, disaster could’ve struck at any given time. Apollo kept his eyes peeled for any suspicious behavior.

Seeing everyone in their selected cliques, smiling, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company, it must’ve felt nice knowing there were people in the world who cared about you. It was depressing being unable to experience that kind of affection. These people didn’t appear to be any different from him, so why did he repel people in the manner he did? You’re ostracized and ridiculed ’cause you’re a fucking psychopath. Odion’s words sprang into his mind causing Apollo’s nose to sting.

Reading through various books and articles across the web, it was said that loneliness could actually deteriorate a person’s health if they couldn’t express their feelings with another human being. The effect of a simple smile or the form of laughter could add years to a person’s life. The importance of bonding and relationships was a fascinating phenomenon. It was only a pity he couldn’t share that bond with the only blood relative he had.

Apollo glanced up at the sign on the ceiling directing shoppers toward the food court on Level 1. Gliding down the escalator, various food selections were wrapped around the entire stretch of tables located in the center food court area, all with different menus, setups, and decor.

Two burger joints appeared almost directly across from one another at opposite ends of the food court, both of them having the largest lineups. Next to the burger joint in front was a pastry shop, a salad bar, a colorful smoothie joint that had a fluorescent sign flash in the form of a cup, a pizzeria with baking ovens clearly visible at the back, and a submarine shop with a selection of vegetables and assorted meats stored in plain sight for customers to see.

Aside from the number of food options at his disposal, the next challenge that came to mind was to decide which shop appeared to be the cleanest and how they prepared their food before serving. Did they wash their hands? Were they wearing gloves? If they had long hair, was it covered with a hairnet? All of those components were crucial before making a purchasing decision. Ever since he had that bout of food poisoning a few years ago, Apollo was very particular about what went inside his body. Eating out was never something he was fond of but starving yourself over it was never an option.

Is that who I think it is! Apollo’s heart wanted to jump out of his chest, looking at a familiar individual who had been waiting in line at the salad bar. The saliva in his mouth quickly dried as his hands became moist with perspiration. Her long dark chocolate hair stretched all the way down to her waist, swinging as she turned and took a casual glance in his direction.

It’s Joy! She looked away, stepping up to take her order. Apollo fidgeted with the handles of his backpack, scanning the food court for an excuse to approach her.

“Napkins!” he said, looking at the napkin dispenser on the wall beside the submarine shop. Apollo grabbed a few and stored them in his pocket. What if she thinks I’m stalking her? Apollo shook his head. This is purely a coincidence.

Apollo calmed his nerves and quickly rehearsed how he wanted to open the conversation before approaching her. “You might be needing these,” he said, placing some napkins onto her tray.

Her eyes flickered. “Oh my goodness!” she said, smiling. “How are you? Apollo, is it?” A hint of uncertainty itched in her voice.

She remembered my name! Apollo nodded as they searched for an empty table. “I’m fine,” he said, pointing to a table near the center of the food court. The delightful scent of her sweet and creamy perfume tickled his nose. Man, she smells good.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, setting her tray down.

“Actually,” he paused, fiddling with his dreads, “I couldn’t decide on what to eat, then I saw you and told myself I had to come over and say hi. I wasn’t even sure if it was you until you turned around.” I really hope she doesn’t think I’m stalking her.

She smiled, opening up her salad bowl. “Yeah, I’m on my lunch break. Would you like some of my salad?”

Apollo shook his head. “I’ll be fine for now. I’ll probably find something on my way home.”

“Are you sure?” Her eyes softened, almost like she was sad he refused her offerings. “You could also take a half of my baguette if you’d like.” Apollo nodded, reassuring her he’d be all right for the time being. It didn’t seem fair that she’d spent her hard-earned money and was offering a portion of her lunch for free. “Well, you can’t say I didn’t ask.”

Apollo felt a smile creeping up on his face, admiring the way she neatly sliced her tomatoes into little pieces, then bundled them up with lettuce and cucumbers before sticking them into her mouth. Even the way she ate seemed adorable.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” Joy used her napkin to dab at the splotches of olive oil around her lips.

“No, I’m on holidays,” Apollo said. It was a rather poor excuse, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

“Holidays?” Her brows twitched a little bit. “At this time of year?”

“My school can be very funny at times.” Apollo did his best not to look away. Body language was fundamental when telling a lie, and she seemed to be the type of person to pick up on subtle things like that.

Joy took a sip of her peach drink, the glass clinking on the table as she put it down. “You sure you aren’t disguising your suspension as a holiday?” she said, dipping a piece of her baguette into her butter container.

Apollo’s eyes lit up as if he’d been caught in the middle of a criminal act. “Suspension?”

“I’m only kidding.” Joy chuckled, placing a hand on his arm.

Apollo forced himself to laugh. “Right, right, of course,” he said. “You’re quite the comedian, aren’t you?”

“I try my best,” Joy said, staring at him nearly identical to the way that elderly fellow did at Aldridge station.

Apollo twisted in his seat. “Ugh … about yesterday, I didn’t mean to sound so corny. It’s just—”

“No need to apologize.” Joy waved him off with her finger. “I thought it was cute. Forward, but cute. Your confidence is admirable.” She chewed off another piece of her baguette.

“I figured I only had one shot, so might as well make it count, right?”

Joy looked at him almost as if she were studying for a test. “You’re an interesting character.”

Apollo chuckled a bit. “Am I now?”

Joy gathered up a few more pieces of her salad. “There’s something about you that’s different, and I’m trying to figure out if that’s a good or bad thing.”

Apollo’s heart wanted to burst through his mouth. Could she read minds like Saigon? I wonder if she knows what a cosmotan is.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” he said, shuffling around in his seat again. “Sometimes different can be a good thing.” Apollo did his best not to allow his voice to wander up, so it sounded like a question.

Joy nodded her head. “I don’t disagree with you there, but you’re something special.” She pointed at him with her fork. “I get this feeling when I’m around you.”

“Maybe it’s a gift,” Apollo laughed, “my natural charm.”

“Perhaps,” she said with uncertainty, “or something else.”

There was no fooling her. She was good, almost too good for him to dance around the subject. She just might’ve been one of those cosmic beings Saigon mentioned. “You care to elaborate?” A part of him regretted asking the question.

Joy dusted off baguette crumbs from her fingers into the empty salad container and then began stirring her bowl of soup. A mixture of chicken, carrots, and fresh yams filled Apollo’s nostrils. “For as thoughtful and cheerful as you may seem, I get the impression you’re masking your happiness.”

Apollo let out a reactionary cough. I think she is a cosmotan.

“I could be wrong,” she shrugged, “but I almost get the feeling you’re suffering in silence.” She blew away some of the steam from her spoon.

“Oh no,” Apollo said, hoping to throw her off guard. “Everything’s fine. I mean, just talking to you again makes my heart sing.” Apollo laughed and then paused, his eyes growing wide. “I mean …” He watched Joy’s face flush pink. Apollo, what the hell are you doing? The thump of his heart whistled in his ears. “I better get going.” Apollo stood up and threw his backpack over his shoulders. “It was nice seeing you again, Joy. Hopefully, our paths cross again in the near future.” His voice cracked toward the end. Deep down, he knew there was a good chance he’d never see her again. Probably for the best.

“Apollo, wait,” she called, catching his attention with a soft but firm grip on his arm. “Take my number down.”

Apollo shook his head. “I don’t have a phone.”

“You don’t have a smartphone?” She sounded surprised. It was a rarity these days for individuals not to be linked to their smartphones, but Apollo was an outlier, although, at this given time, he desperately wished he had one. “Do you have a house phone at least?” Apollo reluctantly nodded his head. “Here,” she said, scribbling her number onto a piece of paper she retrieved from her purse. “Call me,” there was a slight delay before she finished, “if you want to, that is.”

There were so many things Apollo wanted to say but was unable to due to the words being lodged in the back of his throat. He bowed his head instead and walked off, biting his tongue. It was tough leaving her without a proper close. Perhaps he should’ve turned back and planted a kiss upon her lips like how they do it in the movies. No, that would’ve taken things too far, too fast. Apollo wanted to look back at her so badly but thought better of it, walking faster toward the escalator.

Gosh, why did she make him feel this way? Being around her was soothing yet agonizing at the same time. The inability to express himself without looking awkward made him want to tear out his dreads and sink into an ocean of insanity. Apollo looked at the paper she scribbled her number on before burying it inside his back pocket. Is this what love feels like?

Apollo scrambled to find the nearest exit. What if she really was a cosmotan? What if she was related to Saigon? Apollo pondered on those questions as he made a dash for the train station. So much for getting something to eat.

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