Read Miscellaneous Stories :: Night Owl

Ben sat down at the cafe table with Maria, waiting for his sister. She’d order eventually. After arguing with the cashier about how she wanted her tea for a few minutes. He didn’t know how Maria did it some days. He looked over and saw her already asleep on the table. He wasn’t sure how someone could be such an owl either.

He took out his sketchbook and started drawing something for fun. Just a quick little sketch to pass the time. He glanced back and forth between his page and Maria, and after a few minutes he had roughly drawn out a woman in Maria’s likeness with an owl mask and feathers on her arm. He smiled and wrote Night Owl under it. He glanced around. Sophie still wasn’t back. So he went to a new page and drew some more.

This time there were two figures. Lady Rebel hanging from Night Owl’s hands with a smile as they flew through the sky together. Ben quite liked that one. Right as he put finishing touches on it, he heard a voice behind him.

“Lookin’ good, bro!”

He jumped, and Sophie laughed while putting a cinnamon roll and a cup of tea down in front of him. She had gotten herself and Maria muffins. Sophie gulped her tea with glee while Maria drowsily sipped her coffee.

“I think Lady Rebel always looks nice,” his sister praised.

“Oh… thanks,” Ben said meekly.

“I’m telling you, you’ve got a gift there.”

“Oh, there’s plenty of people who can do this,” he said, rolling his eyes and biting his breakfast.

“Not like you. You’ve been doing it since you were like 2!”

“Since I was twelve,” he corrected.

“I think you should make one of those sketches and give it to a girl you like,” Sophie encouraged, leaning on the table. “She’d think it’s cute.”

“She’d think it’s dumb,” smirked Ben.

“C’mon, it’s something to think about Benny!”

“Just Ben,” he said, sipping his tea.

“You’ll warm up to nicknames…” she shrugged. “One of these days. Just hope whoever you find doesn’t try to make a pet name for you.”

"I hope not," he shuddered.