the london non judging breakfast club.

6th chapter

"Oh my god you were AMAZING!" Grace yelled with a little bit too much excitement and hugged me and squized me tightly. I laughed. This girl was like pure sunshine. "Miss Johnson" Mr Lancaster said and I turned around "It not just surprised me that you won against William I am also congratulating you to this flawless fight and fencing technique. I will of course take a note of your achievement in my grading book straight away." he recognized appreciatively. I nodded and smiled. "If it doesen't matter I would like to talk with you about your fencing knowledge in the next lesson. But now you are all free to go, I wish you a nice afternoon!" he stated. After PE all the students were either introducing themselves to me or doing some smalltalk to get to know me. Me and Grace were heading to the girls lockers but when we walked pass Will and Jacks I said to Will: "Looks like Mr Lancaster has a new favourite student. But don't worry. It doesn't matter if you are the second best, right? Not that I know how people like that feel." I winked and he just starred at me like I was a ghost and Jacks and Grace giggled.

Grace and I strolled out of the girls' lockers and talked about the previous lesson. "Oh my God Will's facial expression was just priceless. I don't think he's ever looked so surprised." I laughed, "Oh no? He probably no longer has the crown as king of the best fencer in the school" "That must be a real shock for him. But now you always have to expect him to either challenge you again or ask you about your training tactics!" she giggled. "I think I can bare it! Then he'ss at least not talking with me about the weather like you brits love to!" I stated but secretly I was just glad that nobody had found out about my mom's death yet and told me how sorry they feel for me, which is most of the time not true because everyone is just happy that they are not in a situation like me. "Don't be like that Meghan! We also like to talk about tea and hat fashion!"  she ironically  said and laughed loudly about her own joke. I couldn't help it but also laugh. "Ladies what are you laughing about?" a voice behind us asked. "Just about your coutry, Will" I replied. "My country? I am actually "just" a son of a lord but maybe someday I will be king of England. But thanks for the credit, Manhattan" he said challenging. "A chic little English hat which people wear to weddings would definetly suit you, Will. Grace what do you think?"  I questioned and imagined Will with a rosé hat on his head and laughed. "I am sure it would look fantastic. Will, you should wear it to your cornoration!" Grace answered and smiled. "Picking sides with the new girl? Grace you are hurting my feelings. Really my heart bleeds! But of course I would look stunning with a chic hat maybe even with some flowers on it" Will said dramatically and put his hand on his chest where his heart was. "I am so not picking sides! I am a diplomat!" she defended herself. "By the way are we grabbing some coffee at The Corner now school's over?" Grace asked. "Sure, why not. I can definetly use some coffee after some girl snatched mine. I am gonna text Jacks that we are doing so!" he said with a meaningfull look at me. "It was not a coffe it was carmel flavoured milk!" now it was my time to defend myself. "That's why you should come with us! That would be so much fun!" Grace looked with a puppy's look like a dog who wants to have some bacon which would even convince my dad to change his mind. "I am in! I could use an espresso!" I laughed and we walked out of the school building.

"The corner" turned out to be a beautiful café. The interior looked like a bar/café from the golden 1920s. A decade I absolutely loved. Large windows provided plenty of light in the café and the rooftops of London could be seen from the windows as the café was on the top floor of the building. The wall behind the coffee bar with pastries and huge coffee machines, featured stunning gold patterned wallpaper and was hung with many paintings. The paintings showed either dancing, drinking or laughing people. All from the 1920s. A few black and white photographs also graced the walls. The furnishings were made of dark wood and the armchairs and sofas were upholstered in red velvet. I hadn't noticed my chaw drop until Will whispered to me, "I felt the same way when I first walked into the cafe. This cafe is like a time machine to another time." I couldn't help but just nod and let the café work its magic on me. Will really nailed it with his words, I had to admit. A waiter in a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie greeted us happily because he obviously knew the others for a long time. It was an older man in his 60s. His eyebrows were bushy, laugh lines adorned his face and his eyes were literally beaming. "Hello mates! Are you finally checking out my humble café again? How was the first day of school? And who is this pretty young lady you brought with you?" the old waiter said. "This is Meghan Johnson she is new to our school and is from New York. Meghan this is Willy Langford the owner of the cafe" Jacks introduced me. "Nice to meet you Mr. Langford. Your cafe is amazing." I said eagerly, shaking the proprietor's hand. "Oh it's nothing! And please call me Willy, everyone here does that!" I had to smile when he said this as it was very grandfatherly and reminiscent of my grandfather whom I loved dearly. "I've already saved your regular place for you!" said Willy and led us to a sofa corner with a coffee table in the corner of the café surrounded by panoramic windows. Undoubtedly the loveliest spot in the café. We ordered a cake stand of scones for the whole table and then a coffee each. Grace ordered a soy latte, Jacks ordered a cappucino, I ordered an espresso and of course Will ordered his caramel milk ahemmm...coffee (as he called that broth). "I have to say I envy your great regular place!" I admitted. "Oh nonsense you're part of the clique now after you defeated Will in fencing!" Grace announced, taking a big bite of her scone. "That's far from the truth. Where did you meet up with your Upper East Side friends?" Will asked curiously, taking a sip of his drink. "Mostly in a fancy bar drowning ourselves in martinis in frustration to endure other 'friends'," I admitted. "Hence the good choice of drinks in the bar the other day. I already admire you, Meghan Johnson!" Jacks smiled and winked at me. I rolled my eyes. Will, who had been typing on his cell phone in the meantime, asked: "Ok, I really want to know one thing about you now. Is this online article about you true: The billionaire heiress, Meghan Johnson, is appearing with her mother Alexandra Johnson-Rockefeller at this year's Met Gala in Aged 8, making her the youngest-ever Met Gala attendee, the two ladies are both dressed in a dress by designer Oscar de la Renta and accessorised with jewelry by Harry Winston, their outfits are expected to command a fortune estimated at $1.5 million, that wasn't the surprise of the evening, because when a paparazzi yelled "Ehhh" at the eight-year-old to get the girl's attention so he could take a picture of her, little Meghan yelled back "Macarena" and danced the famous Macarena dance. Everyone cheered and even the other celebrities laughed including her mum who clapped proudly. Meghan bowed and enjoyed everyone's attention, just as it should be for a billionaire heiress." After Will had finished reading, everyone looked at me questioningly. "Oh come on, wouldn't you have done the same? That called for a little dance routine! And the Macarena dance is a real masterpiece!" I defended myself. Everyone looked at me wide-eyed and then laughed out loud. I had to laugh too. Now the other people in the cafe were looking at us as if we were crazy. "You didn't!" Jack gasped when he could barely breathe from laughing so much. "I totally did!" I laughed. To be honest I almost forgot about this story, because I've done a lot of things like that in my life and that's why I'm pretty well known in the US and especially in New York. After a few minutes we had fully recovered of laughing that much and Will searched the internet for the next story from my past. He read outloud: "Party girl Meghan Johnson, heiress of the mega-bank Johnson & Co., appeared at a party hosted by jeweler Harry Winston yesterday with her boyfriend Nathaniel Archibald, better known as Nate Archibald. At that party, the two teenagers made an obvious show of themselves very much in love and danced tightly on the dance floor, which many of the party guests could confirm. But that wasn't the highlight of the night. When the two said goodbye to the party, they got into a red Ferrari, which according to confidential sources belonged to the grandfather of Nate belonged to William Vanderbuilt. The new driver Meghan mistook the accelerator and brake and crashed into the wall of a skyscraper, Manhattan. Luckily nobody was harmed. Apart from the luxury car. Let's hope Mr. William isn'ttoo angry at the teenagers for this accident" "Okay, but I really do feel guilty for this one. But believe me the world is better off when Nate's grandfather stopped driving his Ferrari!" I said. "I'll never let you near my car, that's for sure now!" Jacks announced, shaking his head. "Jacks, don't we know this Nate from somewhere?" asked Will suddenly. "Oh yeah! Isn't that the guy promoting that overpriced shampoo? You know, the one with the silly but beautiful smile?" Jacks answered and Will nodded. "No, he has never advertised shampoo. But I can assure you his hair is a dream. 10 out of 10. Perfect." I remarked. "So this pretty boy is still your boyfriend?" Grace asked me. "No, when I moved to London the relationship broke up quickly and ugly," I answered curtly and had to hold back the tears. I missed Nate so much it made my heart ache. During this difficult time, I wish I could just cry on his shoulder and listen to his words of reassurance. Grace noted my change in mood and just nodded sympathetically. Jacks, who also knew I didn't want to pursue the subject further, changed the subject and asked, "Guys, have you already gotten tickets to next week's ball?" "Yes, I got my tickets for Charlotte and I last week!" said Will smiling. That was clear. Will was clearly a control freak. "What ball are you talking about anyway?" I asked. "Our school hosts a ball every year at the beginning of the year and always makes a big deal out of it. Photos are taken, sometimes even famous politicians and singers attend the ball." Grace replied euphorically. "If Will goes with Mrs. I-Hate-New-York. Who are you going to the ball with, Grace?" I asked her smiling. "I already have someone on my mind!" she answered and gave me a conspiratorial wink. I giggled. "Why? Are you jealous that I'm going to a dance with my girlfriend, Manhattan?" smirked Will. "Never. You're a perfect match. But don't forget your sleepyhead! You'll need it because you fell asleep halfway through the ball!" I laughed. "I take it you don't have a date for the ball yet? Would you do me the honor of accompanying me? I'm not a bad pick!" Jacks asked putting an arm around me. "Yes, of course! But only as friends and if I can drive to the ball with your car," I laughed. "We'll see. Next year we'll probably be celebrated as the school's dearest couple. I know you won'tresist," Jacks smirked and Will rolled his eyes. "Unlikely. But keep dreaming Jacks!" I replied with a grin. Grace and I laughed as I took Jack's arm off my shoulders.