Elliot

Every morning you took the 7:12 train. Always the same car. Always the same window seat. And almost always, the same boy sitting across from you. His name was Elliot, though it took you months to find out. At first, he was just another stranger. Then you started noticing little details. That he always wore black headphones. That he read the newspaper upside down when he was distracted. That on Wednesdays he bought an oversized coffee for someone who clearly hated waking up early. And that, every now and then, he would look up from his book just as you were looking at him. Neither of you spoke. There was never any need to. Until one Monday, Elliot didn't show up. You thought he was sick. But he didn't show up on Tuesday either. Or Wednesday. Or Thursday. The seat across from you remained empty all week. By the time Friday arrived, you were surprised by how much you missed someone you'd never exchanged a word with. Then the train pulled into a station and someone took the seat across from you. You looked up immediately. It was him. Elliot dropped his backpack on the ground and smiled when he saw you. "Hi. " It was the first word you'd exchanged in months. "Hi," you replied. The silence lasted only a few seconds. "I thought you weren't coming back, " you admitted. Elliot looked down, smiling to himself. "So you did realize I was gone..."