Coffee and Cigarrettes

chapter three

WOAH GUYS

WE GOT TO THIRD BASE

YOU AND I , I MEAN

NOT THIRD BASE

WHOOOPS

I MEANT THIRD CHAPTER

NOT THIRD BASE

but if you're into that kinda thing hey hmu

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chapter three

My eyes hinge open as the midday sun melts into my cheeks. My phone informs me that I've slept in until 12:14. Holy shit, it's late.

The floorboards are dusty beneath my feet, which are tingling from being asleep for so long. A cracked mirror that's mounted sloppily on the wall reflects a zombified girl with rings under her eyes and with a breakout of acne. Ooh, aren't I lovely? I groan inwardly and stumble to the bathroom with my makeup bag.

The showerhead in my upstairs bathroom pelts the sizzling water droplets at me aggressively, and I find myself with a red back as soon as I step out. I brush through my hair, which induces a smile from me, seeing as my hair has finally grown out and now touches my mid-back. I flick it off my shoulder, flaunting it and posing like a model before I realize I've wasted an incredible amount of time staring at my hair as it dries from wet black to sandy brown.

My usual outfit ensues: cut off, worn out denim shorts and a long, loose band tshirt. Today's is nirvana. I pull my hair up into a messy bun and apply enough fake beauty to my face to make me into a somewhat halfway decent person before I slip on my converse and tumble down the stairs.

Jen greets me downstairs and offers me pancakes, which I decline, not feeling particularly hungry after I gorged myself on pita chips as soon as I returned from the grocery last night. She motions for me to sit and talk at their table, which I warmly accept and she sips from her coffee mug as I tell her about myself.

"So where are you from, then?" I can tell she has a twinge of an accent, but I'm not sure what it is.

"Ah, I'm from a small town in Indiana," I tell her simply, stirring the excess cream into the mug she's given me. When I take a sip, I grimace, but quickly cover it up by subtly itching my nose. That's the weakest, crappiest brew I think I've ever tasted.

"Oh? What brings you here, of all places?" I can now say her accent is British. This surprises me a bit, but I don't mention it.

"It's a long story, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you," I admit, swirling my spoon around in my coffee a bit more.

"I see. Well, if you ever feel like talking about it, I'm all ears. I'm very nosy sometimes, I must admit." She smiles broadly.

I giggle, "Well. Now where's Tom?"

"He's got himself a day job, working out on the docks, helpin' tourists come and go and such," she raises an eyebrow mischeviously, "Have you got a boyfriend?"

I shake my head with a breathy laugh, "I haven't been in a relationship since my junior year."

She nearly spits her coffee out on me, "You're kidding!"

"Nope," I blush a little.

"A pretty girl like you, I mean, you look as the type to have the boys crawling to you and beggin' on their hands and knees." She shakes her head.

"Thank you, but I'm really not the type guys seem to go for."

We talk for a while longer before her phone vibrates on the table. I excuse myself and thank her for the coffee, although I don't think I could stand to have it again, and I dash out the screen door and wander down the lopsided road.

My feet carry me to the harbor, where I can see a speedboat pulling up. A giggling girl hops off with her buff boyfriend, and they tie it up and wander into the sushi shop. I wonder if they're locals. They seem happy together, which pains me a little. I guess I've never had that.

Something warm and fuzzy tingles on my shin and my attention breaks from the couple, fixating on my leg. There's a cat rubbing against me, one with thick black hair and bright green eyes.

"Hello," I murmur, bending down to scratch it's head. It purs happily, tickling me with it's long, wiry whiskers.

"Ah, sorry," a voice calls. I glance up and it's the sushi shop boy again.

"Oh, hi," I smile, "I sure do run into you a lot."

He flashes me a half-smile, "Yeah, you do. You don't mind him?"

I shake my head, "I love cats. I never had one that didn't bite me, though."

He laughs and kneels down to scratch its back, "This is Fidget. We picked him up from an abandoned tourist boat last year.

"We?"

"Oh... yeah, uh, me and Marjorie."

"Oh."

I guess he has a girlfriend. My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach.

"So how's the town treating you?" He stands, offering a hand to help me up.

I accept it and dust off my shirt.

"It's nice. I'm not sure what to do with myself, honestly," I sigh, placing my hands on my hips, "I really need a job."

"Ah," he glances behind him, "I would offer you a job at the shop, but I don't think they need more teenagers chopping fish for hungry tourists. They've got their hands full with me."

I smirk at him, "You're a teenager?"

"19. I know the ink and holes in my skin must throw people off a bit." He laughs. He motions to his body, which is riddled with designs and piercings.

"It's nice to see a real person for once," I say bluntly.

"Real?"

"Yeah. My old town was just full of fake, standardized kids. Adults, too. Everyone's the same."

"Oh. That's horrific. I'm surprised you hadn't escaped earlier."

"Me too."

"Well, I've got to get back to the shop. Good luck with that job, uh...?"

"Alice," I say, "It's Alice."

"Well, I'll see you around, Alice. I'm Chris."

"Bye, Chris."

He waves and jogs back to the sushi shop, hurrying behind the counter. I smile and shake my head, shooing away his cat.

Now, to find a job.

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MORE CHRIS ACTION AHHH

WELL KINDA

HAHHA WAIT FOR SOME EVEN BETTER SHIT GUYSSSSS

HAHAHAHH

IM HIGH

LOL JK

DONT DO DRUGS THEY'RE BAD

YOU SHOULD FOLLOW ME THOUGH

AND PRESS THE LITTLE STAR THING TO VOTE

IT RLY HELPS ME OUT