A Conversation

"I can't do this" She says quietly, staring down at the coffee mug in her hand. Across the table, his newspaper slightly drops revealing eyes that stare into her soul.
"Yes, you can..." The gray sheets crinkle as they are folded up and disregarded on the table.
"No, I can't." She pulls her eyes away and stares off into space. "It's too much." her voice is hardly above a whisper.
The coffee pot drips in the back ground.
"I would never ask you to do something I didn't think you could handle."
"I'm not old enough. I'm still a kid!"
"So grow up." his tone is harsher than he means it to be. She winces. He doesn't apologize. It needs to be said. A tear streams down her face. He takes a deep breath as silence permeates.
"I fucking hate you" she cries loudly. He winces, but regains his composure.
"You've said that before." He looks back at her. "And your still here."
"I mean it this time." she says, jawline hard.
"You've said that before too." Her jaw doesn't soften. His eyes do. His hand rests on her arm now.
"It's not fair..."
"It never is." he sighs sadly recalling memories from a long time ago. "Hmmm" he says a few minutes later, after becoming vaguely aware of her voice addressing him.
"I asked: why is that?" He stared hard for a minute before turning away.
"Because the world isn't right." He says it like its the most simple thing in the world.
It is.
"Why me?" her mouth is dry, so her voice is hoarse.
"Because you can handle it." The hand on her arm moves to her shoulder.
"But I can't." she protests, pushing him away. She isn't strong enough and he snatches her wrist as it flies toward him.
"Yes. You. Can." Eyes lock and he doesn't let go of her wrist. "You don't have a choice but to." A long silence.
"Let go." She commands. There are rapidly fading red marks as he slowly opens his hand. It won't bruise. She slides back into her seat as he sits down, only closer to her.
She isn't saying anything, her hands shake as she doodles on a napkin.
His elbows press into his knees and his hands press into his eyes. His breathing is heavy.
"I just don't want to be alone." He didn't expect her to speak. "I just can't do it alone." She starts crying. "I can't do this alone." she buries her face in her hands. He lowers his eyes, before looking back up at her.
"What on earth makes you think you're going to be alone?"