I'm sorry this took so long to upload. I have this story all planned out but I'm writing it as I go, and well, there's school and friends and blah, blah, blah. Anyway, schools almost over so, hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently. Thank you so much for the reviews I got. I know it's not a whole lot but it really encouraged me, so thank you. Enjoy :)
Naomi
"Shit!" I curse as I slam my fists against the wall.
I'm so bloody stupid! Two years! Two years I've had this job. Two years of being put in spontaneous, high pressure situations without making a mistake. Oh, except, of course, forgetting to take off my father's necklace before work. I've never forgotten to take it off before putting on my uniform, it's a part of my routine; take off dads necklace beforechanging into anything else. However, despite my disbelief, I know I forgot to take it off last night. It must have unclipped at some point while I was chasing those girls.
"What is it?" Effy asks from where she's perched on the end of my bed. Her typical flat tone gives the usual impression that she's bored because she already knows the answer to the question she's just asked.
"I've lost Dad's necklace," I admit dejectedly before walking across my room and sitting beside her.
She sits still, one leg crossed elegantly over the other, as the edges of her mouth start to quirk up slightly. This hint of a smirk can only mean one thing; whatever argument-like conversation we're about to have, she's going to win.
"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with where you were last night, would it?"
I sigh, "Effy, I was working last night."
I trust Effy with my life, but regardless of that trust there are still things I keep to myself, out of habit I suppose, and she knows when I'm doing it. Keeping anything to yourself isn't easy when Elizabeth Stonem is your best friend. This girl can read and understand any human being she wants because she's that observant. Living a life of silence might be considered horribly lonely to some, but being lonely is nothing new to Effy. Besides, Effy could piece you together and steal your deepest secrets, or break you down using your biggest fears against you, just by watching. That's what she does, she watches.
I'm resentful about telling her what happened with the redhead last night, which is pointless because she'll get it out of me anyway. If anything interesting happens at work I always tell Effy about it. She's the only one I have to tell, no one else in my life knows who I really am or what I really do. Not my mum, not… Well that's the only other person really. Eff's not the only one used to being alone.
What I do is dangerous; it pays extremely well, hence the flat I share with my best friend, but there's a reason Effy is the only one who knows the details of my life. Basically, the less you know the safer you are with me. If someone can identify me and they aren't family, a friend, or a coworker, I'm in trouble. The more you know the more danger you're in. Effy's safe as long as I'm around, I'll never let anything happen to her, and if I'm not around, she's still safe because that'll be the only reason what I do will put her in danger; people will use her to get to me. That's why I can't have everyone knowing who I am or let anyone get close, why I can't tell my own mother that I work for the FBI. It's a very secretive and reserved life style; Effy's an exception.
"Spill, Campbell." She's not even looking at me when she says it.
See? There's no point, she's fucking psychic.
I bring her up to speed on what happened last night. She nods occasionally as I rant on about how I've never seen a gang in pink leather jackets before and how I know taking off my mask last night was a rookie mistake. Obviously I can't get around totally undetected by all of Bristol but I stay under the radar. No partying, unless it's just Eff and I, never stopping at the same shops or restaurants more than a few times. Anywhere where people might start noticing me regularly is avoided until my presence is forgotten. Otherwise, to everyone else, I'm just a stranger. Last night, however, I was thinking that the girl I helped was probably intoxicated, so she wouldn't remember our encounter, and even if she wasn't, it was too dark. She wouldn't have been able to see me well enough to recognize me if she ever saw me again. I was exhausted- Kieran usually makes me work late so I don't get a whole lot of sleep -and careless because of it. I'm still beating myself up, but I'm probably overreacting. I'll never see that girl again in my life.
I hope.
"C'mon, get your shit," Effy leaps up, distracting me from my thoughts. "We're going to go search that alley."
Despite her annoying all knowing ways, I'm lucky to have Eff. I'm not so alone with her.
"Okay."
"Sweet," I hear Effy say after a few minutes of silent walking. She swiftly changes her direction and walks right into a little cafe with bright red door frames. The alley is just passed the next street, but I guess Effy wants some tea. I've never been inside it but I have noticed this small shop a few times; it's cute I guess.
"Courtney's Coffee?" I say once we're both inside.
She looks at me, "Yep."
I stare at her for a few seconds and eventually shrug.
"C'mon."
I lead her to the table in the far left corner of the shop, right next to the giant windows; out of all the tables that one looks more secluded.
"Eff, the alley is just passed the next street. You couldn't have waited until after we looked for some tea?" I ask once we're seated.
"Nope," she smiles innocently.
Don't ask. When it all comes down to it there's a reason for everything Effy does. It's easier to just go with it. We sit in comfortable silence for a bit, I'm looking outside, watching as it starts to rain, while Eff is probably analyzing and deciding if she likes this place or not. It is a cute little diner, I'll admit. It's kind of tacky, the way it's set up with blue taking over one half of the room and red taking up the other, but it fits. The only weird aspect of this small café is how it's making mefeel. I'm on red alert everywhere I go, but I don't feel like I have to be on my guard in here. I'm content in this place; I'm never content.
I look away from the rain that's now starting to come down harder and see a waitress with long, slightly curly brown hair walking towards our table. Her eyes are a distinct green color that reminds me of something but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. I smile lightly at her once she's closer.
"Can I get you two anything?" She asks nicely.
"Just tea for us, thanks," says Effy.
The waitress smiles, turns, and goes back behind the counter and I go back to watching the rain.
"What'd she look like?"
I look away from the rain again and start playing mindlessly with a loose thread on the end of the navy blue table cloth.
"I guess I didn't really think about it" I start, trying to remember any details. "Her hair was red, a really vibrant, noticeable red. I guess she was pretty small but she had a build that was still intimidating enough. I don't know Eff; I couldn't see her very well, not to mention I had a mask on a majority of the time."
"Did she…" I tune her out; something in this coffee shop just shifted. Something's off.
I quickly scan the area. It's no different than it was two minutes ago, but something feels different.
I look at Effy, "Sorry, what were you saying?"
"I said," she pauses, "did she happen to look like that?" She points at the door with her thumb without having to look at where she's pointing. The little bell on the door that rings every time someone opens it jingles at the exact same time.
That's her.
Wow.
Imagine, if just for a second, that everything in existence froze and all you could see is what you were looking at just before time stopped. That one image set there, stock still and permanent, but you don't care that it's the last thing you'll ever see because what you're looking at is so breathtaking that never being able to see anything else wouldn't be so bad. And during this frozen moment in time the only thing you can feel is your heart; a slow, repetitive thumpthat flows through your entire body each time, gracing you one other thing to focus on, because if you focused all your attention towards that one image, it would drive you insane.
That's how I feel right now.
She looks different. Her black eye is gone- or covered up -and her clothes aren't ripped or dirty. I was being honest when I said I couldn't see her well last night; this is the first time I'm properly seeing her. I swear, I'm not being a sappy 'love at first sight' person like my mum, I don't even believe in that bollocks. Everything I just said, I felt.
She stops in front of the door after she enters, like Effy and I did. Her expression changes from one of relief to slight confusion, like someone just gave her some tea but it tasted like coffee. I silently watch her as she stands there, probably- judging by her expression -deep in thought; Effy's watching me from across the table.
"Yeah," I whisper at her without taking my eyes off the zoned redhead, "she looked a little like that."
Suddenly, the dazed girl standing by the door snaps her head in my direction and looks me dead in the eyes; for the first time in a long time, I'm surprised.
"Eff," I whisper, "I need to get out of here." I take my eyes off the girl for the first time to look at my best friend, "Now."
The redhead doesn't waste any time and storms towards us, her hard glare set firmly on me. Luckily, she doesn't reach us before I catch Effy nod once at me. She understands.
"You," the girls says once she's towering over me.
"Me," I reply, staring up at her.
"Right," she places her hands on the table so she's towering over me more, "who the fuck are you and why do you keep randomly appearing in my life?" She doesn't sound as intimidating or mad as I thought she would. She sounds stressed and impatient.
I know what I'm going to say next is a bad idea, it will only piss her off, but I can't help myself.
"Good question," I make a small 'not bad' face, "who am I?"
Effy chuckles once and I'm standing up before the redhead can reply. She steps in front of me, she's about half a head shorter than me but I admire her determination.
"Interesting," Effy says from where she's sitting; neither of us acknowledges it.
"I don't think so," the fiery redhead says as she stands her ground.
I just smile a small, mischievous smile in response. Here we go.
I wait half a second and in the time it takes her to blink I'm around her and out the door, the faint chime of the little bell rings behind me. I know she's chasing me, I expected her too, but I do this almost every day, she won't catch me.
I bolt passed the next street and turn down the alley that happens to be where I keep ending up. I know it's a dead end but I turned down it for a reason. On the side of the motel I didn't jump from last night there's a fire escape. The bottom stair is quite high up, but that's another thing I'm trained in; jumping. Also, it's sure fire way out because I'll be able to reach it and the persistent redhead behind me won't.
I make sure I have enough momentum before reaching the end of the alley and putting my master plan into action. The dumpster I dented last night is still there. Perfect. I jump atop it while going full speed and use the rest of my momentum to half climb, half jump up the wall it's pushed up against, ultimately allowing me to grab onto the last stair of the fire escape I knew was there and pull myself up. I'm half way to the roof by the time the redhead gets to the dumpster.
"Shit!" I hear her yell, followed by a loud thump. I think she just punched the dumpster.
I slow my pace, it's not like she'll catch me now anyway. It only takes me a few seconds to get to the top, and when I do, I let out the breath I should have lost during that run. I give myself a few minutes to rest before leaving. I can still feel some adrenaline pumping through my veins. It's only eleven o'clock, not even noon yet, and look at the shit I get into.
It takes me fifteen minutes to get to my complex. I took a bit of a longer way back, just in case. I make my way through the front doors and up the stairs- I never use the elevator -to mine and Effy's flat on the fifth and highest floor.
I open our door to Effy perched on our couch with a mug of tea- Effy loves tea –and watching some comedian on the telly. She looks at me when I come in and smiles a tiny, amused smile before averting her attention back to the Television.
"Shut up."
"Nice run?" She asks, still watching the comedian.
I don't answer as I go and hang up my jacket. Effy and I keep our flat relatively clean, at least that's somethingorganized in my life. I enter the kitchen and pour myself a mug of tea from the pot Effy's already made. We did, after all, have to leave before getting served at Courtney's Coffee. I take my tea and go back to the living room to join Eff on the couch.
"What the fuck are you watching?" I say when the man starts literally rolling around on the stage.
"Good question, what am I watching?" Her body shakes with laughter as she mocks me.
Ha-fucking-ha.
"Oh you can just fuck right off," I say but there's no real venom in my words.
"Oh yeah, by the way," her laughter dies down, "I found your necklace."
I almost spill my tea in my lap. That's twice I've been surprised today.
"What the fucking-" I place my mug on the small glass table in front of the couch, "where!?"
"She had it," she says calmly.
"What? Who!? Effy, what the fuck?" She doesn't mean the redhead, does she? No, she can't, there's no way.
"The feisty redhead, she was wearing it," she says, still watching the ridiculous comedian. Cool as always. I'm freaking out and just about spilled my tea everywhere and it doesn't even faze her.
"You're lying." I won't believe it. I mean, it is possible; she could have found it last night and picked it up. But why would she be wearing it? Fuck, who knows. That's not important now anyways. If this is true, then that means…
"Guess you're going to have to find her again."
Fuck.
I hope this chapter meets satisfactory. Once again, all opinions are welcomed. Thanks for reading!
~Shae.