Ensnare

8 - You Spilled My Fries

CONNIE

I put a french fry into my mouth and wiped my lips with the back of my hand.

"So." I looked at Ali. "Everything fine and dandy?"

She raised her head from between her arms. She was surrounded by books and pages of scribbling. She'd gone insane after that phone call she'd had, and even though her studying frenzy had calmed down, she still seemed... off.

"Shut up Connie." I loved when she said my name like that. Like she couldn't stand me. She slumped her shoulders back down and pressed her forehead into the clean, white table. Everything in this flat was clean and tidy and minimalist. What a luxury.

"I mean," I said between chews, "not as though anything could go wrong for this friend of yours right."

"She's partly paranoid because of," she lifted a hand without moving her head, and pointed a single finger at me, "you."

"Well that's hardly my fault." I pushed my chair back and slammed my feet onto the table, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms.

"It is your fault!" She dropped her hand in a fist and let it hit on the table.

I grinned. "Okay, maybe it is, mostly."

"Why do you sound happy about that?"

I looked up at the ceiling, pretending to think. "Uh, because it's funny."

"You can't really think that?"

"Do you laugh when you see someone fall over?" I asked her. She looked up and shrugged. "Well take that same theory and make the boundaries of what's funny... bigger." I gestured with my hands to show her.

"Still don't get it." She sniffed and sat up, grabbing one of my fries.

"Course you don't." I shrugged. "It doesn't matter." I pulled my fries out of reach. "Do you want me to make you laugh?"

"You're not very funny." She stood up and leant across the table, pulling the fries back to the centre of the table.

"Oh but I could make you laugh." I bit my lip. "Or maybe scream."

Ali raised a defined eyebrow. "In pleasure or in pain."

"Oh." I grabbed a handful of fries. "In both. Most likely."

Someone's disgusting and beefy hand slammed down onto the table.

"Nobody will be making anybody scream." Steve's annoying habit of walking in just when things started to get good was getting on my nerves.

"You spilled my fries." I said in a quiet voice, looking at the long yellow sticks spread out across the table. "I went all the way to Wendy's to get them."

"Wendy's isn't even that good." Steve grunted.

"Say that again." I replied in a low growl, finally giving him my whole attention.

"What, I mean, it's not all that-"

I had him pinned to the wall in moments, one hand on his throat, the other twirling a knife next to his eyeball. I blew a strand of hair from my vision.

"Want to insult Wendy's again?" I dared him, inching my blade closer.

He was gasping for breath now, his hands grabbing the one I had around his neck. And then he tried to punch me in the face. I dodged. There was some screaming going on, but I didn't notice it. I dodged another punch.

And then strong hands were on me, throwing me to the ground, my knife scattering away from me.

"WHAT THE HELL CONNIE!" Ali's foot was prodding my side. Or maybe she was kicking me. I couldn't tell. I was too busy laughing, a deep raspy laugh.