Eyeliner

Her eyes were fixed on her cup, searching for something. Had I ruined everything? For two minutes, I regretted saying anything. 

In time, she looked up, more determined than ever. “Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

We paid, and left our cars on the side of the street. The walk to the park was peaceful, an unbroken song of traffic and street chatter. She and I said nothing, not till we were under a gazebo, sitting at a picnic table. There, she seemed more at ease.

"It's so hard to say anything in loud places," she sighed. "Large crowds hold a knife to your throat. Do you know what I mean?"