The next day I found myself back in the red booth that enabled me to watch the store. I didn't need to go there again, today, but I couldn't quite stop myself. I am a habit former, you see. But it didn't matter really anyway. No one entered the book shop that day. The sign in the window was still flipped to "open," but I couldn't see anyone in the windows. But they were slightly tinted, and the showcases and dim lights prevented me from really being able to tell.
I waited at the café, reading uninteresting Muggle news and drinking uncountable cups of coffee, for a while, mostly undisturbed. After a few hours, however, Beth seemed to think I needed some bothering.
She slid into the booth across from me and slouched down, sighing heavily. I knew from previous encounters, that it was best to deal with her up front, rather than try and ignore her. She tended only to get worse, much like a child.
I lowered my paper and raised an eyebrow at her. "May I help you?"
She smiled at me and put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "Well, Mr. Snipe, I find myself rather bored, and since you are the only customer that provides me some amusement, I thought I would try and coax you out of this little newspaper-reading-street-watching-don't-talk-to-anyone bubble you have put yourself in."
"Ah." I flipped the paper back up, hoping she would take the hint and leave. She did no such thing, however. Instead, she flicked the back of the paper, making it crinkle in a way that hindered the reader from reading.
"It gets annoying when you ignore me." She said, slightly huffy.
"It gets annoying when you pester me." I returned.
"I wouldn't pester you so much if you opened up sometimes and talked to me."
"I have talked to you. Just a few minutes ago, I ordered another cup of coffee."
She eyed me through half closed lids. "You know what I think?"
"Probably something uninteresting and dull."
She continued on as if I hadn't spoken. "I think you're an undercover cop."
I snorted. She warmed to her idea.
"Yeah, that or like some kind of FBI agent or something. You fit the profile."
I couldn't help it, I was drawn in. "What profile?"
"Day after day coming in here, ordering the same thing over and over. Never really saying anything, never really making eye contact with anyone. And you always watch that store." She pointed to the book shop. "Sounds like an agent to me. What ya investigating? Did they kill someone?"
I lifted my eyebrow again, but didn't say anything.
"Or are they like some kind of underground mob? I mean that would make sense…"She laughed. "More sense then them being a bunch of crystal worshipers." She laughed again.
"What do you mean?" I felt my neck prickle. It came with years of being a double agent to be able to sense when something might be helpful or be of use.
"Well, I don't know. That place never has anyone in it, not really. Usually it's the same people in there all the time. That blond lady, she is always there and the brothers. Well I guess they are brothers- that's what Jane said when I asked about the one with red hair. He is really good looking, not that the other one isn't- its just I prefer- oops, sorry." She chuckled but thankfully cut off when she noticed my lack of interest.
"But anyway, they like…"She paused, searching for the right word. "congregate? Like once a month they all are there. Jane usually is there, but lately I haven't seen her around much. And sometimes there are a few others, but Jane is the only one-"
"Normal?" I supplied.
"Well yeah. I mean a few weeks ago, there was this guy that really looked like a bird. Long black hair, huge nose, and like the darkest eyes I have ever seen. He looked like a really angry sort of fellow."
Obviously she was talking about me. But I was used to slights against my appearance, so I let it go. "Well what do you think goes on in there?"
She rolled her eyes. "For a secret agent, you certainly are uninformed. But I thought they were just a bunch of freaks for a while," I wondered what a girl with holes in her face was doing judging others for freaks.
"But then I asked Jane what they did in there and she said that they were a reading group. They all read the same book and then go in and discuss it. Kind of lame and anti-climatic, if you ask me. But you being here has given me hope that they really are up to no good."
"I don't know that they are doing anything that would be considered no good." I said, taking the last sip of coffee out of that cup.
"A girl can only hope, Mr. Snipe." She got up and went to fetch the coffee pot.
"Beth?" I called. She popped her head up and looked rather shocked that I had remembered her name.
"I'll take an iced tea." She looked even more shocked at my change in order. Then she smirked.
"Well would you looky there! Mr. Secret Agent stepping out and making himself less invisible and being unpredictable. I'm proud." She said with a smile.
I rolled my eyes, but glanced back out the window. Then added quickly, "To go, please."
Eeeek.I can't believe I am so far behind on writing!! Ugh. I was camping all week, and then I just got stuck. Same with "Collide" But I am (slowly) writing the next chapter for that.
Anyway, I got a kind of nasty review the other day on this story. Apparently, some people don't like being out of the loop. Idk, I offer faster updates and hidden locked chapters for my friends on my livejournal account. And it made this person mad enough to stop reading this story. And then I thought well what if others are put off by this, but just won't tell me? So just for everyone out there, let me please explain why I do that:
I think people who take the time to befriend me and get to know me other than just a pen name, deserve a little bit of a treat. If my friends that I actually hang out with ask me to write them a certain story or tell them one, I do. And so this is like the equivalent of that for my internet fanfic friends.
To get traffic at my livejournal. I love meeting new people and making friends. So I figure if people get to see the me that isn't just the penname, then they can relate to me more. Which usually means more reviews :P Which we all know that I am a review whore. :
Does that make sense? I am sorry if this aggravates anyone else.
Anyway, now that that's out of the way, on to uploading this thing! :D
This review junkie needs her fix…. :P
Eloquence