This is delicious!". She spoke as she took a sip of the cappuccino she had just ordered.

I
remember distinctly she had an open cup, with 'ALLIE' written on its side. After taking the
sip, a cappuccino mustache formed right under her nose, just above her lips. Under the
morning sun she caught sight of me and I caught sight of her, and we both laughed it off.
With the cappuccino on her right hand, she called out to me to sit beside her, and I did as
she told me so.

"How are you, little one?" her soft voice as caring as ever.

I remember this human, Allie - one of the students of the nearby high school and a frequent
patron of the place. She always arrives at around the same times, orders the same Grande
Hot Cappuccino with stevia substituting for sugar, and sits at the same spot, beside the
glass planes, looking out of the place, every single time she comes to this coffee shop. Today
Allie is wearing her typical white schoolgirl uniform top, and a long red skirt with black
accents, complementing the logo of the school she's going to. It's a Monday after all.

"I've been seeing you here more often these days. Don't you ever go home, back to your
place?" Still wearing her cappuccino mustache, I flashed a smile.
"Oh silly, your folks might be worried about you!"
No one is worried about me, dummy dumb, I kinda live here!

Her eyes winked at me, and she noticed the wet area above her lip. "Ah! I still got this
stupid mustache!" Allie quickly took her lavender handkerchief out of her front pocket and
wiped the mustache off.

After a while, she finished her cappuccino and left. "See ya!" she said to me. I nodded in
approval.

Throughout all the years of my stay here around this location, I have encountered all sorts
of people. The cafe attracts the most diverse of ones - from children to adults, from
academics to regular people, and so on and so forth. Out of all the people I've encountered,
Allie is the one that's a bit different. She radiates a unique aura, one that captures and
enthralls you. She's a bit of an eccentric, shown in her actions of interacting and talking to
me. You see, because of my condition, I wouldn't normally be the one you'll be talking to
inside of a cafe, but Allie, she talks to me every time! Even though I cannot reply and even
though my body language and my facial expressions can only do so much, Allie still talks to
me like I'm her friend. I only listened and empathized, but she would always thank me
after her long talks. The way she talks and delivers herself just mesmerizes me. It's ironic - I
liked talking to her, even though I cannot talk.

I live alone, and living in isolation can spark so much thought about life deep in your brain.
There are so many questions to be answered. What makes life meaningful? What is love?
How is love so magical? Why are humans such awkward, fragile beings that always seem to
put up a strong front? How can humans enjoy the same thing, over and over? Within her
talks, Allie taught me answers to these questions, and a little more about life and love.
Allie also loved to talk about her hobbies and things that interest her. She talked about
virtually anything you can think of - from the complexity of love, to the stupidity of human
interactions, to stargazing, to her studies, and to all other subjects out there, ready to be
discussed. Allie's a passionate person, what she likes, she likes, and what she believes, she
believes.

Her stories made me realize certain things about life.

I've always wondered how humans can go to the same place, order the same things, sit at
the same chair, and lean at the same table, everyday, or every other day, repetitively. In the
context of this coffee shop, I've always thought maybe it's the coffee - it's aroma, and it's
taste - that people like so much they keep coming back and back and back to it. Or maybe
it's the comfort of the chairs and the tables that's so pleasant they'd want to feel it every
time of the day. But Allie helped me realize it isn't any of these things - it's something
completely different. It's something abstract, something magical. It isn't the coffee that
keeps people from walking away, nor the comfort of the chairs and tables, and not even the
aesthetic of the place. It isn't any of these things, but it is the moment. The moment, the
experience, I've discovered, is what makes people want to come back. May it be
experienced alone or shared with a friend; experiencing those moments and developing
bonds with yourself or with other people form the essence of the interactions within this
little cafe. I think humans somewhat take these interactions for granted, ignoring what
could be it's true value, as life may be formed and experienced within the smallest things.
With Allie I've found that such little interactions could very well underline the concept of
what makes life meaningful. Those small nods she gave everyday, that big smile she wore
as she looked at me, and those seemingly unmeaningful words "see ya" she always says
before leaving transformed the next days of my life into days that are worth living.

Allie taught me love. Allie taught me life. Allie taught me to laugh. Allie made me realize that
experiencing the world with someone isn't as bad as I made it out to be

Nowadays, Allie hasn't been coming to the cafe as frequently as before. It's understandable,
she's busy, but I miss her. Deeply. So much. It pains me more to know that next week will
be graduation week - meaning Allie will be moving off to college, soon. Don't get me wrong,
it's great and I'm happy for her, but I would like to say goodbye to her before she
completely moves out. I can't explain it but I love you, and I miss you Allie! We've shared
great moments and formed bonds together, it will be hard to say goodbye.

I saw a familiar face enter the door. With short, neck-length black hair, wearing a black
turtleneck under a light purple cardigan, dark denim jeans, and ankle boots matching the
color of her aesthetic, Allie ordered a hot grande cappuccino, with stevia substituting for
sugar. Sitting at the same spot, I called out to her, and she invited me over. I sat on the seat
beside her.

"Hey, long time no see! How have you been doing all this time? Life got busy, and I didn't
have the time to go here for the past few days. Today's an exception though, I'm free!
Haha!" she spoke with enthusiasm.
I can't help but smile. I'm just happy to see her back.
"Do you know? It's going to be graduation week next week. Today's probably the last time
I'll come to this cafe as a high school student."
Allie took a sip, and sighed.
"I feel like if I go here right after graduation, I'm going to cry lots. I'll miss this place, and
you! This cafe and the coffee and you all gave given me comfort during my best and worst
days. I can't help but produce a tear to the thought that I'll be leaving here for a long time."
I'll miss you too, Allie.
"I wonder if there is also something like this at the place I'm going to move into? They say
that college is a big wreck compared to high school, so I need to get ready and stuff, I need
to find a safe place where I can relax and forget about the world!"
Knowing you Allie, I think you'll be fine. You're a strong woman after all!
"Hey, you've been my go-to guy for my stories, aren't you going to miss me?"
Of course I'm going to miss you Allie.
"Aww, don't cry now! Here, let me fondle your soft hair you dork!"
I let out a big sigh of relief as Allie fondled my hair. Thank you Allie. I hope this won't be the
last time.
"Hey, I just had a crazy idea."
You always have crazy ideas you twat!
"Would you be willing to go with me to college?"

I love Allie. You taught me stuff you would never know you could teach. I am thankful for
these bonds we've shared together, these moments we've experienced, and the warmth
we've given to one other. They say that cats have nine lives. I don't know how many of my
nine lives had I lived already, but if there are lives that still remain, I would solely wish for
the chance to experience it with you, all over again.

Thank you, Allie.

Towards college, towards more adventures, together!