Today I asked Emma why she goes to the coffeehouse every Saturday. She smiled again with her light pink lipsticked lips and told me she goes to the coffeehouse every day except Sunday before her shift at the local library.

Before I had time to reply, a customer walked in through the door, and I had to go serve him. As I was walking away, Emma called out to me. "You go to my school, right?" she asked. I nodded.

After I helped the customer, I went back to Emma's table. She sat with her book closed and perfectly parallel to her coffee mug. "What lunch period do you have?" she asked. I told her the early lunch. I didn't mention that I spend that period completely alone. "That's unfortunate," she said, her eyes downcast. "I have the late lunch." She looked up and smiled. "Maybe we have lunch together next semester?"

Before I left for the night, I asked my manager if I could work on weeknights as well.