^{Photo by Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash}

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Oh, now what are you going to do? It's 7:00 am and your grinder is broken; that's what you get for buying cheap stuff at a garage sale. Think you'll get to work early this time? You've got two close calls, one more for being late and you'll be fired. The clock is ticking, Jasper.

"Shut up and let me think! God, I should have gotten rid of you a long time ago..."

It's 7:10 am and I still can't get a solution to this problem. I go to work at 8:15 and there will be no stores or coffee shops open after 8:30. As the voice in my head said, the clock is ticking and solutions are out of reach.

If you got along with your neighbors, you could ask them for a cup of coffee. It continued to haunt me.

"I know, that was one of my options, but I dismissed it immediately."

Maybe I could help you if you'd call me.

"If I called you?" I shuddered at those words.

I've been hearing my ex-boyfriend's voice in my head for six months now. First, it emerged as a faint thought that whispered to me like a ghost, then it began to transcend as a strong idea with a will of its own that began to overshadow my other thoughts. It became unbearable, it wouldn't even let me sleep. It just kept repeating habitual and sarcastic words about my life after I separated from John, my ex; like things about my job and the details of my new apartment.

One day, I discovered that I could calm that voice with coffee. Somehow, this drink managed to keep my thoughts in order and keep John's voice in my head quiet. I didn't drink coffee before this solution, as I am more of a tea person, but now, thanks to this, I have become obsessed with coffee; so much so, that I bought a coffee grinder to have this freshly ground drink always on my table, but now, everything has become a disaster. I have lost control of my mind and John's voice keeps tormenting me.

Your boss will be furious when he doesn't see you arrive at the office on time. It's 7:20 and you haven't done a thing.

"I know, John, now please be quiet for a moment."

You should use my solution, you know I can do it, you just need to pick up the phone and call me.

The clock is ticking...

I clenched my hands. I was trying not to cross my toes. John and I didn't end badly, but seeing him again, caused a feeling in me that I didn't want to experience again.

It's 7:25, Jasper. Stop standing like a statue and get a move on.

"Ah, what a bummer!" I grabbed the phone quickly. I threw off all the chains that were holding me back. I just didn't think, I just dialed his number and called him.

Oh, this is going to be fun. It'll be like a nice ride to the past and a nice puff with some insults in between.

My heart was racing...

"Hello?" The call came in. "How are you? Sorry to bother you, but... I wanted to know if you could come over; it's about my grinder, it's not working... Yeah, okay, I'll wait for you, do you know where I live? Okay, I'll see you in fifteen minutes. Thanks."

I sighed. I felt my vision blur a little for a second.

Hey, how well everything is working out for you! Did you ever reflect on the damage your indecisiveness caused me? When we were together and you just asked me to stay away from you? That's too bad, Jasper, no one can forget something like that.

I didn't think about it, now I feel more nervous.

After fifteen minutes, I became an abstract figure of anxiety. John's voice was only getting worse, taunting me and making me think twice about the decision I made. The doorbell rang. I picked myself up off the floor and began to tidy myself up a bit. I stood in front of the door but froze.

Go ahead and do it! I want to see how my harsh words will haunt you for the rest of your life. I'm worse in real life, so be afraid of me, Jasper.

"Shut up! I'm not listening to you anymore!" I shouted and slammed the door open.

When my eyes saw him after so long, a bath of relief fell over my body. We greeted each other and I let him into the house. He had brought his tools to repair the grinder. So pleasant was his visit to me, that I forgot that his voice in my head had gone completely silent.

He checked my grinder and repaired it quickly; apparently, a part was misadjusted. I tested it by grinding some beans, which came out perfectly.

"Thank you for coming. I'm sorry to bother you so early. I guess you didn't expect that it was precisely me who was going to call you."

"I didn't..." He replied. "But I told you I'd come by if you needed help with anything."

I sighed. I felt my face heat up. He left me a smile, which I didn't want to stop staring at, and then tried to walk out the door.

"Wait!" I said. "Would you like to share a cup of coffee with me? I still have time before I go to work, so..."

Again he smiled at me, and I couldn't help but shake from my nerves.

"I'd love to." He replied.

From that day on, my nerves and anxiety subsided, and I no longer needed coffee to calm John's voice in my head.

THE END