It's Only a Matter of Time

Chapter 3

"Ah yes, what a coincidence." Jesper grinned. "But that doesn't matter now! All that does is that my evil plan worked!

"Now all we need to do is get you fired!"

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After uttering that cheerful sentence, Jesper looked around at the small group around him, smiling widely."Fired? I'm usually one to trust my ears, but it seems they failed me a few moments ago. Did you say we need to get Inej FIRED?" Nina sputtered indignantly.

Jesper nodded, still grinning. "Yep! It's all part of the plan."

Inej glanced at Kaz, hoping that since he had come to the cafe with Jesper, he'd know more about this 'plan', but the black-clad boy only shrugged. Seemed Jesper had thought up the plan on his own. Nina didn't seem happy about it, and expressed her thoughts to Jesper, who shot back that his on-the-spot plan was foolproof.

Inej counted Jesper as a friend, despite not knowing him for long. He had a sort of air about him that made him seem trustworthy, so before her friends' fight could escalate from verbal to physical - Nina wasn't above breaking a few noses to prove a point - she interrupted. "And how would you go about getting me fired? I mean, it will be quite easy, knowing Tante Heleen, but how would you do it? And why? I could just say I'm resigning. It's not like working here is my dream job." Inej channeled her inner Nina as she said this, hoping her words would turn out as confident as her friend's usually were.

It seemed this worked, since Inej's best friend shot her a surprised glance, then chimed in. "I'm curious, enlighten me as well."

Kaz cocked his head to the side, showing he was listening.

Jesper opened his mouth, about to explain, but more words leapt out of Inej's mouth, cutting him off.

"And also why should I trust you? I've worked here for months, and I only met you a few minutes ago. And now you're offering me a job in a place I do not know, with people I don't know. How can I know you won't trick me and do something else." Inej's eyes turned fierce. "I know very well what happens to young girls that belive the tales they're told." Maybe it was too much, but once Inej started, she hadn't been able to stop. It was like one of the plays she used to act out with her friends, back when she was small and lived on the coast. She hadn't meant to say so much, but instead of her playing the role, it had played her.

Just like when she was little, Inej had gotten carried away. She'd finish her lines of the script and continue on, off the page, inventing new lines as she went on. She had a way of twisting normal lines into fantastical stories, or ongoing rants on topics she was passionate about. Most people didn't like it. Three people had. They said it showed Inej had spirit. That she was willing to risk things to prove a point.

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But right now was not the time for reminiscing. Inej tore herself out of the past, away from flat rocks that served as makeshift stages, away from the kind eyes of her parents. Back to the present. To eyes, but not soft and kind, full of love. To ones wide open in shock. And ones narrowed, in something that looked both like and not like worry.

"I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to say this much. But you get my point." Inej's voice wilted at the beginning, shame beginning to seep through. But then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Nina's small nod of respect. And that helped her raise her head and steel her voice. The last sentence rang out clear and strong.

"The Crow Club is a safe space. We don't do anything like...that." Kaz's rough voice sounded, barely a whisper. "And we aren't blind to what happens in this city. Nobody really is, except the tourists." 

"I-I'm sorry?" Inej asked right as Jesper gasped.

"Kaz Brekker! Was that a joke?!"

Kaz's last name rang a bell in Inej's mind. She'd heard it before...somewhere. But no, probably in school or something. She had to admit, that Kaz was kind of handsome. The girls at Inej's school had probably gossiped or something when Inej was around. That's how she would have heard his name.

She shrugged it off and turned back to the conversation, which currently consisted of Jesper acting all dramatic about Kaz making a joke. Kaz was trying to brush it off, but the corners of his lips tilted upward occasionally before he suppressed it and put on a neutral mask once again.

Nina rolled her eyes at Inej from the opposite side of where the boys stood, and Inej laughed softly. Yes, working with these boys sounded like quite an adventure. But it would be more fun than working here and dealing with Tante Heleen.

"Fine. You've convinced me. I'll come work with you. But please just let me fire myself on my own. You don't want to deal with Tante Heleen."

Jesper turned to Inej and grinned, which he seemed to do a lot. "Welcome to the Crow Club!"

Author's notes: This is my first time writing fanfiction so I will appreciate any comments on how I'm doing so far :D