Save Me

Chapter One

I waited impatiently for the coffee I had ordered 10 minutes ago along with the other customers. Curiously, I looked over them and created stories in my head, what careers they had, what type of house they owned or rented, what car they drove. It was keeping my mind entertained since I couldn't see the scenery while the rare rain drizzled down outside.

One man held me captivated with his yellow aviators, despite the dreary day, and the two extremely neat braid that ran down over his shoulders. Tattoos peeked out the cuff of his black leather jacket and I wondered if it was real leather or that PU artificial type. I physically had to resist the urge to reach out to touch it to find out.

His story was interesting. He probably hung out at skateparks as a teenager, smoking weed and drinking cheap whiskey from a paper bag until a long lost uncle died and left everything to him. Now he owned an organic whole foods shop that has zero waste which was why he was at this coffee shop. The cups and lids were completely compostable and the coffee grinds were used by the locals in their vegetable patches.

"Nessa." I heard the barista call out. "Nessa."

I was pulled from my daydream and walked to the bench to grab my coffee and the braided man picked up the one placed next to mine. I must have missed the barista calling out his name as I imagined his story and I felt a pang of disappointment as I realised I couldn't put a name to his face. My hand brushed his as I wrapped my hand around the paper cup, feeling the heat radiate through the thin layers. A shy smile found its way to my face at the touch and his eyes locked on mine, the dark eyes wiping clear the backstory I had created.

"Excuse me." I said softly, stepping back and raising the cup to my lips.

The moment the rim touched my lips I knew something was off. The scent should have been a warning to me but it didn't register until the beverage had filled my mouth and I had swallowed on reflex. The taste of hazelnut and caramel was sweet before I felt the familiar itch of the reaction begin in my throat. I looked at the cup seeing Nestor scribbled on the side before it dropped from my hand, coffee exploding everywhere as it crumpled on the vinyl flooring.

"I think I got your order." Nestor said as he flicked splatters of coffee from his jacket, his voice coarser that you had imagined it to be.

He turned his cup around and I saw Nessa written across it but I couldn't answer as my throat constricted. I scratched at my throat as the reaction spread, airways narrowing at the hazelnut syrup I ingested.

"Are you alright?" Nestor asked concerned as he watched me, not knowing what the hell was going, along with the rest of the shop.

"Bag. Epi." I rasped with the little air I had left. "Pen."

I was beginning to feel light headed as I tipped my handbag upside down, spilling the contents to the floor while my blood pressure continued to drop. My knees took a hit as I fell to the floor on them and pilfered through the many pieces of junk I had accumulated in my bag. Desperation hit as I couldn't see the blue and orange epipen I needed to save my life and black spots danced across my vision. I briefly heard the man talking to me before I felt the sting of the epipen stab into my thigh and lost consciousness.

"Vanessa!" I woke to hear my brother's loud mouth yelling incessantly.

Confusion hit me as I looked around before the scenery out the window showed me I was in hospital. I saw the IV bag was empty and began to remove the line before swinging my legs off the bed. My legs took a moment to become stable and I felt the lingering affects of the adrenal in my system as my hands trembled.

"I ain't afraid of this fucking French-braided little bitch." Angel's voice carried through the door before I heard a scathing response from Nestor.