When the Day met the Night

TW for suicide mention When Amy and Katie cross paths by chance, they don't know just how important this meeting might be. Based on the song 'when the day met the night' by Panic at the Disco

“Do you mind if I sit down here?”  The question sent a small wave of shock through Katie’s system, as she hadn’t realized until then how immersed she had become in her book.  She was sitting in the back garden of her favourite café just as she always did after work, and normally she would people watch as business men, teenagers and all other manner of people who populated the downtown core walked by the café fence, usually with their heads down or their ears glued to a cellphone.  All of them rushing around trying to make it to whatever tasks their day had laid out before them.  But on this day Katie had decided to take her book with her so she would have something else to do if watching people became dull.  After all, there had been a heatwave going on for the past two weeks and todays mix of sun and breeze offered a pleasant reprieve so Katie had planned to stay outside as long as possible.  “I’m sorry what did you say?” Katie put the place holder in her book and looked up for the first time at the stranger who had called her back into the world. The stranger looked haggard, like she had not slept in days and her clothes looked like they needed a good wash.  The stranger’s hair was also messy and unkempt, falling in a flat, frizzy blonde sheet down to her shoulders.  But more than just this physical appearance, there was something else that drew Katie’s attention and made her insides roil with unease.  Although the strangers overall look was enough to make anyone take pity, it was her eyes that really told the tale.  Ever since she was little Katie had always been exceptionally good at reading people’s emotions, and when she looked up into this stranger’s dark brown eyes Katie could see the pain that was waiting just below the surface. 

“I asked if I could sit down.”  The strangers voice was low and hoarse like someone who had just rolled out of bed or someone who was in the late stages of a very bad sore throat.  “Yeah sure” “thanks.  I’m sorry to do this, I know it’s creepy to just come up and ask someone you don’t know if you can sit with them.”  The whole time she was speaking the stranger’s eyes remained glued to her shoes and Katie could see how uncomfortable the stranger was.  Katie herself had never been good at small talk but she could tell that this stranger needed her help, so when she spoke she did her best to mask the mixture of nerves and confusion that this unexpected interruption had raised in her.  “It’s ok, don’t worry about it.  But if you are going to sit here can I at least know your name?” The stranger stayed quiet and continued to stare at her shoes, which Katie noticed were very old and dirty as though they had been trekking through mud and dirt without being washed.  “My names Katie.  I hang out here most days after work because this place is one of the few small businesses left around here.  So, how come you’re here?”  There was a long silence as the stranger continued to stare down at her feet and Katie was about to start talking again when the stranger finally spoke up to break the silence.  “Honestly I was just out walking and thinking.  I’ve had a bit of a rough day (at this the stranger gave a small chuckle under her breath as though she had made a joke that was known only to her) and so I thought a walk might calm me down.”  “Oh, well I’m really sorry to hear that.  Do you want to talk about it? I know that we don’t know each other but maybe there is something I can do to help.”  The stranger laughed harder at Katie’s last statement and for the first time since sitting down, she lifted her eyes to meet Emma’s.  “Sorry to laugh at you, I’m sure you’re a great person but trust me when I say that there is nothing you can do to help me.  Hell, I can barely help myself.  In fact, I’m sorry I sat down and bugged you.  I’ll let you get back to your book.”  As the stranger stood to leave Katie felt her body go into panic mode.  She knew this was a silly response after all she had just met this person two minuets ago and she didn’t even know her name, but the memory of the stranger’s eyes filled Katie’s mind.  Eyes that looked so desperate and pleading.  Eyes that looked like they were on the verge of tears.  Eyes that were screaming with a pain that was longing to be expressed.  Katie stood too and the stranger stopped to see what was happening.  “Wait” Katie said in a voice that came out sounding more panicked than she had meant it to “you can leave if you want but if you are worried about making me uncomfortable or whatever then please don’t.  I promise that whatever’s going on I won’t judge you or anything.  I won’t even talk if you don’t want me too.”  The stranger continued to stand still - her eyes now back on the ground �" and after a moment she walked back to the table.  “Again, I’m sorry about all this.  Like I said I’ve been having a bad day and I’m pretty much out of people to talk to” “That’s ok, you don’t need to apologize.  Like I said I don’t mind if you just want to sit and talk.  I won’t even talk back if you just need to rant.”  There was a silence again and the stranger heaved a deep sigh. “Like I said I’ve been having a bad day.  I got fired at work, perks of being the low chick on the totem pole of a company that needs to lay people off to keep its head above water, then I got home and my girlfriend told me that she was moving on and to take my stuff right away.”  “Oh, wow that is awful.  I’m so sorry to hear that.  Is there nobody you can turn to like parents or friends or anything?”  The stranger laughed again and a small part of Katie’s brain registered how much she was beginning to enjoy that sound.  It was a slightly deep almost chuckle that was half way between sarcastic and sincere.  “Well let’s see, the last time I talked to my mom and dad was when they were kicking me out of the house with just a duffle bag and my backpack because it would be a cold day in hell before they had a lesbian abomination under their roof, I’m a socially awkward f**k up that can never manage to hold on to a friend for more than a couple of months, and my only other sibling is a sister that I’m no longer allowed to speak to because my parents won’t let me corrupt her with my sin.”  This time it was Katie’s turn to laugh.  She had had her fair share of run ins intolerant people so unfortunately, she knew exactly what the stranger was talking about.  “What’s so funny?”  “Nothing really, I was just thinking that you should let your parent see me, then maybe they would have a stroke.”  “Are you gay too?” “Even worse, I’m trans.”  The stranger laughed at this and gave a small smirk that was just bordering on a full-blown smile.  “You’re right.  You get near my parents with that s**t they would beat you out the door with their bible telling you that you are ‘unclean’ and that ‘God will make you pay for your wicked ways’.”  The stranger enunciated her words and made waves with her fingers as she did, causing both of them to laugh.  “So, if you can’t go home, where are you staying? Or is the place you had with your girlfriend your place?”  “Ha, I f*****g wish it was my place but at the time my girlfriend had more money than me so she paid for first and last months on the apartment and put her name alone on the paper work.  I know, what a f*****g idiot I am right? Story of my life, stupid and naive.   But yeah, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I basically just packed all my s**t and left.  I’ll probably find a shelter or something that I can stay at till I find my own place.”  “Well if you want, I have a spare room at my place so you could come be my roommate.”  As soon as the words left her mouth Katie wished she could stuff them back in.  Who the hell invites a complete stranger to come home with them and stay.  For all Katie knew this person could be a serial killer or a thief or both.  Katie mentally smacked herself for letting her lack of a filter as well as her lack of basic self preservation lead her into what could end up being the end of her life.  “No, it’s ok, we just met and I could never ask you to do that.”  At this Katie almost allowed the stranger to go.  To just allow the stranger to walk away and find a shelter to stay at until things picked up.  But then Katie once again recalled the stranger’s eyes when they had first met, and how even in the short time they had been sitting together Katie had managed to make the stranger smile, if only a little.  “No no it’s ok.  I get a little lonely in my apartment sometimes, so it might be nice to have some company.”  “Wow that is so generous of you” this time Katie could almost hear a faint sound of happiness in the stranger’s voice and Katie smiled.  “It’s no problem.”  There were a few seconds of silence before the stranger piped up again “so you said you come here after work? What kind of job do you have?”  Katie told the stranger that she worked in the records department for a hospital and that although the pay was terrible it was at least something to keep money coming in.  This continued for what seemed to Katie to be hours, with Katie and the stranger discussing everything from sports to family to past encounters and past relationships.  Only when the manager of the café came out to tell Katie and the stranger that the place was closing for the night did Katie look down at her watch and realize that she and the stranger had been talking for close to three hours. Katie stood and stretched her muscles.  “Well I guess we should get going before they lock us in here for the night.” “Hmmm trapped in a café full of pastries and coffee. I can think of worse ways to spend a Friday night.”  Both Katie and the stranger laughed at this.  “S**t.”  Katie looked over with concern at her new friend “Is everything ok?” “Yeah everything’s cool, it’s just that I realized that I never told you my name.  If we’re going to be living together I guess that’s something you should know.”  Katie laughed “I guess so, although I could always just call you hey you” “well I’ve been called worse, but in case you want to use a name it’s Amy.”  “Well than Amy, home is this way” Katie pointed her fingers in the direction behind Amy, the same way that a flight attendance used two fingers to indicate where the exits are on a plane.  “Wait Katie, before we go can I tell you something?” “Of course.  We’re going to be living together now so there is nothing you have to keep from me.  If you want to say it just say it.” Amy’s eyes filled with tears as she quickly shot her eyes down to the ground. “Thank you so much.  Thank you for everything.”  “It’s ok Amy, I already said that I didn’t mind having you crash in my spare room for as long as you need to.  Especially now that we’ve been talking a little you seem like a really awesome...” Amy put her hand up in front of Katie’s face to stop her before she could go any further.  “No, you don’t understand.  Remember when you first asked me why I was out and I told you that I was going on a walk to clear my head?”  “Yeah of course.” Katie could see that Amy’s hands were now trembling   and when Amy spoke it was so soft that Katie had to almost strain herself to hear what was being said.  “Well that wasn’t totally true.  I went on a walk because I was going to go to the lake and kill myself.  I have a gun in my duffle bag and I was going to sit on a bench and look at the lake one time before I pulled the trigger.  But then something told me to come this way.  Even though this was the longer route from my place to the park I just had a feeling that I needed to go this way.  To soak in as much of the city as I could one last time.  Then I happened to walk by this café and I saw you lift your head out of your book.  I don’t know why you lifted your head and I don’t even think that you noticed me looking at you, but still I noticed your face, and more specifically your eyes.  I know this seems crazy and feel free to be weirded out by this but your eyes seemed so kind and gentle and they seemed so nice.  As soon as I saw you’re eyes I knew that there was at least one good person left in this world, and maybe if I could talk to you for a little then I could find some reason to at least survive until tomorrow.”  At this point both Amy and Katie’s faces were stained with tears, and Katie’s cheeks were stained with black streaks from the makeup that she had worn to work that day.  “So, thank you Katie for agreeing to sit and talk with a stranger that you had never even seen, even after I tried to walk away.” Katie sniffled and tried with little success to clear the tears that had blurred her vison.  “I don’t even know what to say except your welcome.  Everyone deserves a chance to be happy and I’m glad that I could help you see that.”  Katie went in to hug Amy but then pulled back, remembering that as much as she now felt close to her she had only met Amy a few hours ago and for all Katie knew Amy might have been one of those people that didn’t do touching or hugs.  “Sorry Amy I’m just so used to hugging all my friends.  Is it ok if I give you a hug too?”  Amy responded by grabbing Katie around the stomach and pulling her in for a crushing hug.  Katie laughed a little as she put her arms around Amy and squeezed her back. “So, I take it that’s a yes on the hugs thing.”  Amy pulled back and smiled, tears still making their way down her already glistening face.  “That is a big yes.  I’m one of those people that has always enjoyed hugs and cuddling and just being close to people.  I know that probably sounds weird, just wanting to be affectionate with friends but that’s how I’ve always been.”  Another smile found its way to Katie’s face, and she was glad to see that Amy was smiling back.  “Amy, I think you and I will get along just fine.  Now let’s get home before the manager comes back out and gets pissed that we’re still here.   As Amy walked out behind her new friend and roommate, she smiled at the city before her, and said a silent prayer of thanks that she was still here to see it. 

Author's Note

I'm a very novice writer who's looking for feedback on how to improve so if you have something to say than feel free to say it. But please try and make criticism constructive so I can make this and future stories better.

That being said, thank you for stoping by and taking a minuet to read my little brain child.