Life had always been a strange thing for Alex.
He didn’t say it in the philosophical or dramatic way some might imagine. It was just a fact.
Some people grew up expecting to have all the time in the world—not him.
Some made long-term plans—he learned to live in the short term.
Some took life for granted—he knew that for some people, it was a loan.
And honestly? He didn’t think it was that bad. Not when he got used to it. Not when he accepted it.
Alex had never been one to wallow in sadness. He preferred to laugh, he preferred to joke, he preferred to find some kind of beauty in the midst of chaos. Not because it was easy, but because it was necessary.
Because worrying about the time he had wouldn’t change anything—so why not just use it? And that’s what he did.
The first thing Alex noticed when he walked into the waiting room was the silence.
Not the quiet kind he sometimes found when he woke up too early in the hospital, but a heavier silence, thick with tension.
The room was mostly empty, except for a boy sitting in the chair in the corner, his arms crossed as if to create a barrier between himself and the rest of the world.
Alex was used to seeing people like that. The hospital wasn’t exactly a place full of happy people, but something about the way the boy was sitting caught his attention. He didn’t just look lost or bored—he looked furious, like he was fighting something invisible.
The sound of his own footsteps echoed as Alex walked over to the coffee machine on the other side of the room. He grabbed a plastic cup, filled it with lukewarm coffee, and stood there for a moment, thinking.
The idea of starting a conversation came almost automatically. He didn’t know why he felt this need to talk to people, especially those who seemed so determined not to be disturbed.
Maybe it was just boredom of being there, or maybe something about the boy intrigued him.
Without thinking much, Alex approached, smelling the bittersweet aroma of coffee in his hand. He stopped two steps away from the other boy and took a small sip before saying,
"I think you're new around here."
The boy slowly looked up, revealing a pair of eyes that seemed too heavy for his age. There was a moment of silence. Alex took this as an invitation to continue.
He pulled out a chair and sat down next to him, completely ignoring the incredulous look he received in return.
"I'm Alex, by the way. And you are?"