Jezzabel

Chapter 4 - 1 Mocha and a Latte

Date: 24th January

Place: Canterbury, UK

Weather: Sunny, Cold

“Bingo.” I whispered.

Amy-Lee was ordering at the counter, flirting with the guy serving her. Rayner and I stood behind her smiling apologetically at him, Amy-Lee did this at every shop ever since she flirted with the McDonalds cashier and he gave her the whole order for free. The Starbucks guy who’s name tag told us, was called Derek, handed Amy-Lee her cup of Fondue Hot Chocolate and my cup of Frozen Latte and held his hand out impatiently for the money. She huffed, pulled out her purse and handed him the money moodily. Rayner and I snickered quietly.

Amy-Lee turned around and thrust my drink into my hands,

“Back of the shop, woman, two guys in suits, peach smoothie in the table.”  I whispered to her. We both glanced up at the woman; the two men that had been sat with her had stood up and were leaving the store, weaving in and out of the array of chairs and tables that were crammed dismally into the shop. They both brushed past us putting on sunglasses for the sun outside. Both were expressionless and looked like they had been ironed as well as their black suits. We watched them through the window until they got into a car identical to the car the woman had got out of and sped off.

Rayner came up behind me from ordering his Spiced Hot Chocolate, and nudged me with his hip,

“People are looking at you, lets go sit somewhere.” He said quietly still nudging me. I nodded, and headed toward Felicity. Both Rayner and Amy-Lee exchanged confused looks but followed me all the same.

We crowded round her table; she was staring intently at her iPhone, her brow furrowing. I cleared my throat pointedly, before sitting in one of the chairs the men had left pushed out, Rayner and Amy-Lee pulled up chairs too. Felicity looked up startled, her carefully composed face she wore at the Home and while the men talked to her, had slipped and her face showed her emotions, she was worried, and hadn’t had much sleep recently, through her layer of foundation you could see the tired colour her skin had turned and her eyes darted this way and that anxiously. She zeroed in on my face recognising me from this morning.

“Ermmm... Poppy? Isn’t it?”She asked, her features changing back into the composed face she’d once worn. I nodded, smiling thinly. “What do you want?” she asked sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

“What did you want this morning?” I asked her clasping my hands on the table and pulling my chair closer to the table. She did the same before answering me,

“Who are they? And why are you so interested, kid?” she nodded toward Rayner and Amy-Lee, her voice soft, but had a cold harden to it. I looked behind me at my two friends, and smiled

“These are my two closest friends, Rayner and Amy-Lee.” I said indicating to each in turn before turning back to face her, “And before I tell you why I'm interested, tell me who you are.” I said, trying to be careful with who I spoke to. She snickered and lent back in her chair clapping slowly,

“Oh you’re trying to act grown up and tough, good.” She said smiling sarcastically. Then quickly she leaned in and spoke quietly looking into my eyes, “Now you listen here kid, you come and talk to me, so I ask the questions. You don’t bargain with me, what I say goes or we don’t talk. Got it.” I smiled and shook my head sympathetically,

“What you trying to do?” I asked laughing softly, “Intimidate me?” I asked. I leaning on the table and making myself level with Felicity, “I grew up in a care home. The kids there could change over night; I had to deal with it. There were a couple of bitches there-” She laughed quietly,