I'll be here forever

chapter 14

Percy and I waved as well, walking back to our booth to clean up our mess. We didn't want to leave anything behind for her, to inconvenience her further. She seemed nice.

The lady that had shushed us earlier glared in our direction, before eating a biscuit over the floor, dropping crumbs everywhere. I'd seen Bia mopping earlier, after all the other customers. My face twisted in annoyance, because she would have to clean that up later. So not only did she publicly scold Bia, she was making her do extra work? No fucking way.

I almost said something snarky before I noticed something shiny sticking out of her purse; car keys. Not just any car key, either. They looked to be brand new luxury car keys.

Percy, behind me, was wiping off our table and throwing our trash away, and I grabbed a napkin from his pile. He looked from me, to the lady, to the crumbs she was dropping everywhere, and smiled slightly before going back to cleaning our own table. I think he knew what I was going to do, or at least had an idea.

I walked by the lady and pretend-tripped, falling near her with a bang. She startled, and her biscuit flew through the air, landing on the floor next to all the crumbs she'd dropped.

"How dare you!" she said angrily, standing up.

"I'm so, so sorry, ma'am! I tripped! Here, let me clean this up," I knelt and cleaned the crumbs she'd dropped, while she tapped her foot impatiently.

"You're loud, you're clumsy. I reckon you should be thrown out of this place," she huffed pretentiously, while I scooped the last of the biscuit crumbs into my hands. The floor looked clean, and I hoped Bia wouldn't have to mop after this bitch.

I walked over to where Percy was taking out the garbage, throwing the napkin and biscuit in before he closed the bag. He did, and then walked outside, probably over to the side to throw it in the dumpster we'd seen on our way in. We were doing our best to repay Bia's favor she gave us, the ambrosia, with kindness.

The woman scrolled through her phone, and peering over her shoulder, I saw she was opening a review app called Yelp!. I watched as she typed.

This place is terrible! Might as well have been in a pig sty. The coffee was terrible tasting, I'd rather die than drink it. Plus, loud customers were not kicked out. Do not recommend!!

I felt bad. We were part of the reason this lady wanted to give Bia a bad review. She proceeded to give it one star, and raised her finger to post it.

"I'm sorry to intrude, ma'am, but how many reviews can you give a shop on that app?" I asked innocently. She faltered, looking to me and sneering.

"Only one, because-"

With that, I lunged for her phone, easily wrestling it out of her hand, deleting her nasty message as she screeched and struggled for it back. I typed my own message, giving five stars, and posting it before throwing her phone on the ground and stomping on it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she screeched.

I picked her phone up gingerly, tucking it back in the her purse, subtly grabbing her keys while she turned purple.

"Do you know how much that cost?!" she shrieked, and I grabbed her arm, dragging her as she babbled on. I slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Thank you so much, Bia, for everything," I called and smiled warmly toward the front, and she returned the smile.

"Take care of yourselves," she said back, her eyes glimmering with amusement. I closed the door behind me and the struggling lady, who ripped my hand away from her mouth. I kept dragging her along, out to the parking lot.

"I'll have you arrested! I'll have her arrested! I'll-"

I unsheathed my dagger and held it to her. Her voice died in her throat. It was dark on this street, and no one would've noticed her if they were driving by. She realized it.

"If you say a single thing about us, or that nice barista, I'll find you, and I will kill you," I hissed. The lady nodded furiously.

"Realize this is not an empty threat. I will hunt you down, and then I will hunt down everyone you love. Understand?"

I knew the threat was a bit extreme, but I couldn't have her going to the police after I stole her car. That'd be just another thing to deal with along with the monsters, and we didn't need that.

"Yes. Yes, I understand," she replied, sounding terrified. I let her go.

"Good. Have fun walking home," I said, smiling smugly in the dark of the parking lot, holding her jingling car keys. Her mouth opened, and she looked like she wanted to say something, but instead she thought better of it and ran in the other direction. I snorted.

"You terrorize that old lady?" I heard Percy say, coming out of the building with our coffees.

"Yeah," I admitted, grabbing my coffee from Percy's hand and beeping the car keys. A sleek black car to our left beeped in response.

"Good. She deserved it," Percy nodded, admiring the car we'd acquired, "And I call driving this thing first."

I rolled my eyes, which he probably didn't see in the dusk, but I hopped in the passenger seat anyways. Percy slid in beside me, his hands running over the controls appreciatively.

"This is a nice car," he marveled.

"Hell yeah, it is. Now let's get the fuck out of here before some monster comes and destroys it."

Percy started the car, and it hummed to life. He grinned, that crooked grin that gave me butterflies.

He pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, weaving his way through other cars and trucks. He really was a skillful driver.

"We picked the right lady to bother," he grinned, and then it faded.

"I hope Bia's okay," he bit his lower lip worriedly.

"She'll be fine. That lady was way too scared of me to even attempt to try anything," I shook my head in the dim light of the car.

"Plus, Bia can take care of herself. She's a goddess, for heavens sake. She'll be fine," I reassured him, trying to convince myself as well.