STARBUCKS.

I'm sitting in Starbucks. I do not know what to write since none of you probably cares. I should do my science homework but I don't have my laptop with me, so I couldn't possible do the research on the topic. I could do some studying though. And I plan on doing so. Some economics perhaps or French. My parents are in Holland, so there's no one waiting for me at home. Still I want to be home in an hour or so. My train leaves in 20 minutes and I'm still deciding whether I'll take this one or the one at a quarter past three. I would be home at four in that case. I should go and visit my grandparents as well.

You might wonder what I'm doing in Antwerp again. Especially knowing that I was here just yesterday. Well, yesterday I came here with a friend immediately when class was over. Since I needed my laptop, I had two bags with me. But wandering, shopping or even being in Antwerp with this amount of stuff is like hell. So I decided to put one of the bags (the one without the laptop) in one of those lockers at Central Station. But of course I forgot to pick the bag up when I went home. So that's why I'm in Antwerp again, to pick up my bag.

I completely look like a loner with my freshly brewed coffee, my music, my bags (both of them) and my notebook. I'm not the only one though. There's a guy sitting just a couple of meters away from me. I think he's writing an essay or a thesis or something. He looks cool but it seems that he is leaving. No he's not. Next to him there are two girls. Chatting, drinking big cups of capo' and eating muffins. It's surprisingly crowded today despite today being an official holiday and the weather being extremely bad. Actually, now that I see the girls eating the muffins I feel hungry. I haven't eaten all day long. My train is leaving in 9 minutes but I don't care. The music is good, the coffee is good and I feel a spark of joy for the first time in a very long time.

I see new faces appear every second. Worried faces, happy faces, stressed faces and emotionless faces.

Just now, a father and his daughter (I hope it's his daughter) are taking a seat next to me. The girl takes her camera and starts to take pictures of her mug. Now the father starts taking pictures of the girl. I notice that the girl has long skinny fingers. Thin & Fragile.

I don't have any money left so this will be my first and only coffee. It's 20 minutes past two and my train will be leaving by now. This guy, who works here, comes to me and asks if he can take the empty cups and other garbage with him. I gently nod and point him the cup that's mine and thereby full. Now only my venti cup of coffee and my cell are on the table. I'm going to study a bit. (I look like such a geek).

Ok, It's ten minutes to 3. I just stopped studying history. Churchill and the European Union. The people I mentioned before are all gone. The studying guy, the chatting girls and the father-daughter-quality time. Two couples arrived and two girls came sitting next to me. The only person who's still with me is Adele & her beautiful voice. My next train will be here in 20 minutes and my cup is almost empty, so I will be leaving in a couple of minutes. The last song I play is Iris by the 'Goo Goo Dolls'. My coffee is turning cold, It's almost three o'clock and I'm starting to feel emotional (probably because of the song). I turn up the volume and drink the last bit of coffee. I'm going now. I feel joy. Thank God.

To be continued