'Another day, another dollar, another lonely evening.' Layla sighed to herself as she sipped her chai, wondering where she had gone wrong in her life. It wasn't enough that she had a decent paying job and that she was working on her degree. She felt empty inside and the empty chair across from her wasn't helping. At times she could see Raynar there, but that was a simple trick of the brain. There was no one there. It hurt. Deeply.

She turned her head toward the stage and watched as the young man sang a blues song. It only made her feel all the more lonesome. Well, it was to be expected, wasn't it? 'Why don't I just go talk to other people instead of just sitting here like a rejected dog? Damn these emotions to hell and back.'

It wasn't that she was shy. No, she was pretty open and straight forward, but every now and then, she felt.. not herself. It wasn't depression either. She was just.. lonely. Well, maybe she could just finish this chai and go around the Melody Café in the hopes of making someone's acquaintance. Or maybe she could offer some other lonely individual a place at her table.

Her eyes roamed the café. There were many couples here, all engaged with each other. Lucky them. At least they were enjoying themselves. Not to say she wasn't, because she found this place very relaxing, but it wasn't much fun to do it by yourself. She turned around in her seat and noticed a young woman all by herself at another table further back. She was engrossed in reading. Layla tried to read the title of the book, but couldn't make it out.

'Screw it, why not? I'm done sitting here complaining to myself.' She stood up, took her cup of chai with her and made her way over the young woman and cleared her throat to get her attention. "Hello," she said with a smile. "I couldn't help but notice your book and I wanted to ask you about it, if that was all right?"

Layla hadn't expected the young woman to be so young. She looked like she could have been 15 or younger. She almost considered walking away, but decided that maybe she was just making a judgment about her age before even really knowing. Besides, a lot of people looked younger than they actually were, right?

She rested her hands on the back of the empty chair and looked toward the math book. Well, she was in school, so she definitely had to be younger than twenty. "No, I'm not a teacher. Actually I'm a nurse practitioner studying to become a doctor someday. I'm surprised to see a student like yourself here of all places." She nodded toward the stage where someone was performing a comedic act. "I would find it difficult to concentrate here."

She had to admire the girl for seeming not to feel bothered by the distractions around her. God knows she wished she could be that way. Even the slightest sound could break hers in half and by the time she got back to studying, she had forgotten what she had already learned. Thankfully, Layla had been voice recording her lessons, which had been quite helpful. "My name is Layla Hamilton by the way." She gave an awkward bow. So many years in Japan, and she still wasn't used to this formality.

"Hiroka, Hiroka," Layla repeated, murmuring their name. It sounded a little familiar, and she was sure she had heard of a doctor by that name before. She couldn't say she worked in the same office with him, but she wondered if the other doctors and nurses she had heard speaking of him had been talking about him? It was hard to say.

She sat down in the opposite chair and folded her hands under her chin. "I've heard the name before by others, but I don't think I've ever actually met him. I work at St. Luke's International Hospital in Chuo City. The comedic act. Heh, just a couple of people trying to make the world laugh by doing dumb things." She gave a small smile. "Can't hurt to have more laughter in the world, right?"

Layla nodded towards the stage. "It's still impressive though that you're able to study and not feel distracted. I couldn't do that. I need absolute quiet." A new show was starting now, a different comedic act with ventriloquism. She turned her head back. "So, this doctor Hiroka, are you interested in him?" Her smile widened. "I saw the way your eyes lit up when you mentioned him."

Layla blinked, then gave an embarrassed smile with a chuckle. She tried to cover it, pressing her fingers to her mouth. "Oh my. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you, Adira. I suppose I have a bad habit of putting my nose into others' personal business. I think it's great you work for the same department, but I'm being biased." She gave a bright smile. "I'd like to meet this Hiroka sometime. Perhaps, he can teach me some things too?"

The comedic act wasn't that good, but people seemed to be enjoying it, and there was some laughter from the diners, which encouraged the kid on stage to keep going. Everyone needed to start a hobby somewhere, and there were some who had break down mental walls to be open about it. Sometimes hobbies became careers. She looked back toward Adira's math book. "Are you having trouble with the subject?" she asked, taking a drink from her glass.

Math had never been a strong subject for her, but she did okay with it, averaging out to a B. What she really wanted was A's, but that had never happened, and there were some things about it she didn't understand. When she had been younger, she used to joke with her classmates that math had been invented by some old guy who just loved numbers so much, he had to pair them together and see what offspring they produced. It had been a stupid joke, but someone had taken her words literally, and had called her an idiot. That someone had been her 6th grade teacher. Screw him though.

"If you're having trouble, I might be able to help you." At least she hoped she could. That was if Adira was having trouble.

Layla might have gushed just a little. Trying to hide her pleasure at the thought of speaking with another doctor, she cupped her hands around her cheeks. "Thank you. I'd be grateful if we could meet and discuss some things."

Lord knew she had so much she needed to learn and sometimes just taking to online classes wasn't always enough. Oh, sure, working at a medical facility definitely helped, but she wanted to learn more. Now if she could only stop being so Damn lazy when it came to her own housework and cooking... Goals... nothing but goals... Or so she tried telling herself.

When Adira mentioned she was just tired, she frowned. The girl did look like it, and the math probably wasn't making things any easier. She frowned, wondering what could help to get her feeling a bit more awake, wanting to help.

"Say, I wondered what kind of career you were interested in? You don't seem to be the type to be some kind of office management, if you don't mind my saying?" Layla hoped she didn't offend her.

Layla sipped her drink. "Well, you're young and there's still plenty of time to figure things out." By now she had stopped watching the acts on stage, preferring instead to talk to Adira. So many young people rushed into their careers, or rather, their parents rushed them into choosing something that it sometimes led to dissatisfaction.

Oh sure, there were some who seemed to be born to know just exactly what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. Others, not so much. Well, maybe she could help Adira figure things out? "At first I didn't know, but when I began helping some people I came across, tending to their wounds and illnesses, that's when I knew. I was very good at it. Say, is there anything you favor doing more than anything else in the world?"