STOLEN

I think i must have looked away for a moment to watch the planes taking off behinf the glass. There was a jumbo jet teetering on its back wheels, black fumes hanging in the air behind. There was another lining up to go. Your hands must have been quick tipping in it. Di d you use any kind of distraction technique, I wonder or was nobody looking anyway? It was some kind of power i suppose, though not much of it. Perhaps it looked like sugar. It didnt taste any different.
I turned to see you walking back, smoothly avoiding all the coffee-carrying passengers who stepped out in front of you. Yo didnt look any of them. Only me. Perhaps thats why nobody else seemed notice. You moved too much like a hunter, padding silently next to the row of plastic pot plants as you made your line towards me.
You put two coffees on the table nd pushed one in my direction, ignoringthe oter. You picked up a teaspoon and twirled it idly around your fingers spinning it around your thumb then catching it again. I looked at your face. You were beautiful in a rough sort of way, but you were older than i'd realised. Too old for me to be sitting there with you really. Early to mid-twenties probably, maybe more. From a distance, when i'd seen you at the check-in line, your body had looked thin and small, like the eighteen years old at my school but up close really looking, I could see that your arms were hard and tanned and the skin on your face was weathered.
"I'm gerard" you said. I didnt eve asked your name. your eyes darted away then back again before you reached out your hand towards me. Your finger were warm and rough on the back of my hand as you took it and held onto it but didnt really shake it. You raised an eyebrow and i realised what you wanted.
"Frank," i said before i meant to. You nodded as though you already knew. But of course i suppose you already did. "Where are you parents?" "They've already already gone to the gate, they're waiting for me there". I felt nervous then so i added, "I said i wouldnt be long-just getting a coffee"One corner of your mouth turned up again and you laughed a little. "When dos the flight leeave?" "bout an hour" "And where's it going?" "Malaysia". You looked impressed. I smiled at you, for the first time i think. "My mum goes all the time" I thought that i talked too much to you so i took a sip of coffee to shut me up. As i drank i watched a small trickle of sweat travel down your hairline. You couldnt have been hot though, the air conditioner was beating directly onto us. Your eyes were flicking nervously all over the place not always able to meet my gaze. The edginess made you seem shy, made me like you even more. But there was still something about you, hovering in my memory.

Notes