All For Not

Page 33

I begrudgingly slid the coffee cup over the counter as the redheaded teacher smiled at me, "Thank you Morella," a grunt left my throat and she winked, walking away as I stayed staring forward, I would rather be bathed in hot espresso right now, much rather...

My eyes shot to the right from my position behind the counter to see the mayor, our principal and Miss Thornehill all talking in a triangle. I followed their lips and every movement until they each left, right through the same ringing doors.

It wasn't long until I was handing off another cup, the doors rang and shoes snapped across the floor towards the counter, "I thought you were supposed to be at Pilgrim World." My eyes darted over, "I deserted it while my sanity was still intact."

"Oh yeah? You want a coffee? It's one of the many perks of this wonderful assignment." His hand motioned towards me as his head swiveled to give the counter a once over before returning to smile at my uninterested sister, "I'm actually here for Tyler." His head dropped as did his expression before his eyes connected with hers, "I told you he was bad news." Her head tilted in a matter of fact positioning, "twice. But who I speak to is my business." I watched from the corner of my eye as her hand lifted to smack the bell hopper bell ringing it for service, Tyler appearing after the sound traveled through the air, "you rang? Want the usual?" I looked away as Xavier scoffed and turned to walk off, "and some help."

I turned taking a dirty machine part to the sink to wash as Xavier walked back behind the counter to lean against the wooden top and scowl at the pair, "you're scowling, it only promotes adrenaline you know..." His eyes peered down at me, my hand lifting his apron ties from the sink as they began to soak in the splashed water, "adrenaline?" I huffed my agreement, "flight or flight isn't adrenaline's only effects, disgust and anger," I peered up meeting his gaze, "are quite the perfect product of adrenaline after all." His brows furrowed as he watched me turn back to the sink, "you're really smart you know that?" I paused a frown marring my face, "of course, one would have to be when in certain situations like my own."

"Right... and just so you know, I wasn't scowling, I'm not angry." Smiling softly I wanted to scoff at him, "of course. But you were..." He chuckled, shaking his head, "only a little. Hey, where's your sister going?" I turned away, watching as she left through the double doors at the front of the shop, the bell chiming and the sound carrying through the air with a jingle.

"I don't know..."