Forbidden Mark

Needs to Know

Quick note: I have no clue how this part is going to go, so bear with me if it's boring, and realize I'm currently mentally beating myself up. Thanks guys!

~Bree

*****

The bell had rung 20 minutes ago, and I was still here, standing just outside the front doors, leaning on the wall. I checked my phone for the billionth time, waiting for a reply from Emma. I had texted her 12 times, called 8, and left 5 voicemails. She was late for our date with Starbucks. Sadly, this was just like her. And while I don't know what she spends all those minutes doing, and I mightn't want to know, she was almost always late for our plans.

And she calls me late, I thought with a grin.

I was debating on leaving for Starbucks without her when I heard the tip-tapping of high heels on the pavement. I turned around to find Emma hurriedly walking towards me, her hair blowing back perfectly from the cold wind.

"Jesus, it's cold!" she exclaimed, pulling her jacket tighter around her slim frame.

"Try standing out here for 30 minutes!" I scolded teasingly. "What have you been doing for half an hour anyway?"

"Stuff," she said with a shrug.

"For 30 minutes?"

"Yeah?"

"Okay then," I said, resigning myself to not knowing.

Emma and I walked through the cold streets, heading towards the nearest Starbucks, a meager 3 blocks away. With each step, the wind increased and the air got more frigid, until we were leaning into each step and our hair was whipping across our faces. Snow had started to fall and both of us held our jackets tighter across our bodies, shivering in the cold.

I sighed with relief when we staggered into the bright, warm coffee shop. Emma fixed her hair, and I brushed mine away from my face with a frozen hand. Everyone in the Starbucks looked slightly worse for wear from the weather, and I saw plenty of disgruntled faces.

Emma went to find us a pair of comfy seats, and I stepped up to the counter to order our drinks. A young couple in front of me were gazing lovingly into each others eyes, while the barista waited for their order, and if her body language said anything, she was becoming impatient.

"What would you like to order?" she asked with a fake pleasant smile.

With one last look, they turned to the barista. "Two black coffees," the man said.

"Ok, your total is $8.50." As the man opened his wallet and pulled out a 10, the barista spoke again. "Newlyweds?"

"Yes," the woman said proudly, clasping the man's hand. "Jim and I got married a week ago."

I frowned when I looked at their hands. The woman wasn't wearing a ring, and there was no sign she had been earlier. Maybe hers was being resized? But checking the man's hand as well, I noticed no ring there either.

Shaking the thought off as the newlyweds walked away from the counter, I stepped forward and ordered two drinks. Glancing over at the cakes and scones, I threw in a brownie, muffin, and a small sandwich, and payed for the order. Throwing one last look at the guy making my drink, Bobby according to his nametag, I walked over to where Emma sat in a corner, her homework out in front of her and her pen steadily moving across the page. I looked down at it and groaned. My own homework would wait until tonight after dinner like usual, and even then I won't want to be doing it.

"Homework already?" I asked, plopping down on the loveseat across from her.

"Yup," she answered.