Invisible string | Harlan Briggs

Chapter 011

Aurora walked back toward the group, her hands gripping the Uber Eats bag with the kind of determination only a true lover of food could muster. She flashed the delivery guy a grateful smile before making her way to the others, the warmth of the fries and the scent of the food filling the air. Without any hesitation, she sat down and tore open the bag, popping a hot chip into her mouth as if she didn't have a care in the world.

The rest of the group, however, sat in stunned silence, exchanging glances of disbelief. It was as if none of them could quite comprehend the audacity—or the sheer skill it took—to pull something like that off in a cop station. Finally, Blake couldn't contain her confusion any longer and voiced it aloud.

"Did she just order Uber Eats right now?" Blake asked, her voice thick with incredulity, her eyes not leaving Aurora as she casually ate her fries like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Harlan, clearly trying to suppress a grin, let out a soft laugh under his breath before answering. "... Yup."

Blake's eyebrows shot up. "How? We're at a cop station!" she asked, her tone a mix of frustration and disbelief.

Aurora didn't even flinch as she munched on another fry. She knew exactly what was going through Blake's mind but was too busy enjoying her meal to offer an explanation. Instead, Harlan added his own commentary, shaking his head and grinning.

"I honestly wouldn't be asking how, but I would be asking if I can have some," Harlan said, his voice playful. Then, turning to Aurora, he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Hey Rory, can I—"

"Fuck off, Harls," Aurora snapped, not even sparing him a glance as she dug deeper into the bag, her tone cold and determined. "Anyone tries to take my food, they lose a finger. Got it?"

The group quickly nodded in agreement, clearly not wanting to test Aurora's resolve when it came to her food.

Just as the tension from the food debacle started to settle, Blake suddenly got up, drawing everyone's attention to her. She stood with purpose, her gaze fixed on someone in the distance. Aurora immediately sensed the shift in the air—something was about to happen. She looked up, narrowing her eyes, and muttered under her breath, "Oh, this is gonna be good."

Blake was heading toward someone, and from the look on her face, it wasn't going to be a casual conversation. Aurora followed Blake's movements, seeing who she was walking toward, and she couldn't help but smirk. She had a feeling this encounter was going to be anything but boring.

Blake, with a furrowed brow, approached Phoebe, her tone light but laced with a hint of concern. "Phoebe, hey, Phoebe—what did they ask you?" she inquired, trying to gauge the situation.

Phoebe glanced around briefly, her eyes narrowing before she spoke, her voice low and guarded. "About the fire," she began, a slight sneer creeping onto her face. "You know, they think it was one of us."

Aurora's eyebrow arched at the mention of the fire, her instincts immediately clicking into place. She could tell this conversation wasn't going to be as innocent as it sounded. She watched closely, waiting for the inevitable.

Blake, clearly still caught in the haze of confusion, asked, "What did you tell them?"

Phoebe didn't even hesitate. Her response was sharp and direct, almost too quick. "That I think it was you."

Aurora's eyes narrowed instantly, and she couldn't suppress the low growl that bubbled in her chest. Oh absolutely not, she whispered to herself, her body tensing with the urge to march right up to Phoebe and knock some sense into her. The nerve of this girl to throw someone under the bus so casually—it was almost too much to handle.