Halcyon

Part 2

My night was not supposed to go this way. I was supposed to clean up then close the shop like I do every other night, there is no way did I plan on dragging a bleeding man in the shop.

I pick the cup up drinking. The mans beaten face is still ingrained deep into my memory. His swollen eyes and the way blood kept flowing from his mouth, don't think about it! I shut my eyes like the image will disappear. It doesn't.

"You're awfully calm." I look over at the man in a suit, he has been here for over an hour and I don't think he's leaving anytime soon. I give him a weak smile. I've never done anything like this. Close, yes, but now like this.

Before I can even answer my iPhone ring tone sings in the air silencing us, I stand ready to go get it but feel a heavy hand pull me back down into my seat. "Sit." He orders and moves past me going behind his back to pull out a pistol.

My whole nerve system shuts down. I'm trembling as he comes back with my phone. "Answer it." He hands it to me and I take it. "On speaker." I force my fingers to react fast and answer the call before putting it on speaker.

"Halcyon Chong! You traitor!" My bestfriend screams through the phone. "You promise me tonight!" She whines. "You said that you'll finish up early so we can have a girls night out! I hate you so much right now!"

"I'm sorry." I pick up the phone bringing it closer to me. "I totally forgot." I should have thought this through.

"You so didn't." The front door of the coffee shops jerks forward but doesn't budge. "So now I'm locked out- Halcyon I will rock your world!" She pauses "And not in the good way!" We can hear her from here.

I look up at the towering man "Can you please put that away?" I look down at the gun, he's slow to but he does it and I rush to the door opening it. There she is, all 5'6 of her. I hug her. "Woah, okay!" She chuckles stepping in when I pull away. "When you said you were locking up I didn't think you-" she stops.

I follow her gaze to see she's noticed the guy in the suit. He eyes go to me and then back at him. "So that's what you're doing?" She whispers then grins, "More like who you're doing."

I hit her. "Stop it." In the most elegant way she moves past me and approaches then suited man as I lock up after us. This isn't going too good. She giggles and I'm turning around to see them rather close. "You don't know him," I'm moving to them.

"Yeah because you didn't introduce me." She smiles at my costumer and I'm moving her away. He has a gun.

"Stop it."

"What is wrong with you? First you stand me up and now you won't let me talk to your cute customer?" Ugh sometimes I hate this girl! "Can you make me a coffee?"

"No." My words are too hard and I change my tone. "You said it yourself, we had plans tonight." I turn to the suited man. "I'm sorry sir but I'm going to have to close up, maybe you should come back at an earlier hour." I'm cleaning up the surface where we ate.

I go behind the counter grabbing the bag where I put all the bloody towels and the mop head soaked red. I take off my apron and stuff it in there. "Here." I hand him the bag. "Let's go." I'm rushing us all out and grab my phone.

He doesn't contradict me but moves at my gentle pushes. I close the shop up making sure to lock it from the outside. "Come on." I tell my gawking friend. "Kate!" I snap her out of it.

"Okay okay," she still looks back. "Bye stranger!" She calls after him and I turn her around. "Gosh," she sighs picking up her pace to stay with me. "What's up your ass tonight."

"Nothing." I shake my head.

"Fine. Don't tell me." She drops the convocation as we continue to walk. "So I spent yesterday fishing for movies we've yet to watch and couldn't find one so guess what we're watching?"

"What?" I can't help but smile at her excitement.

"Grey's Anatomy!"

"That's like 15 seasons!"

"17 actually, but what better things do you have to do? I'm your only friend and every time I invite you out to party you're working. You have no man," she looks over at me, "that I know of."

"I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean!" She laughs at my comment and I chuckle along with her. We make it back to my apartment and I open the door for us. "I'll get the snacks."

"I'll get Netflix on!" She's already walking across the room to the small living area. At first I wanted to get something bigger then this and then I thought, why? I was living alone for the most part when Kate wast drunk and passed out on my sofa. This works for me.

I keep my home simple, everything is either white, black or red. My three favourite colours. I admit I did go through a gold stage once in my life because you know, my name; Halcyon, is a synonym for gold but then I was like...nah.

"Haly!"

"Coming!" I grab some bagged popcorn and a bowl of chips, some drinks and move to her. "Here," I set things out on the floor before we skin into comfortable cocoons. The intro starts and I sit and listen to Kate's mumbles and gasps.

I on the other hand, shut my eyes tightly at every sight of blood, I can't bring myself to look at the after tonight. Kate understands when I ask her to turn it off so I can go get some sleep before my open shift.

She actually stays the night sleeping next to me and I don't mind one bit.