Neighbors

Neighbors XVII

Chapter 17

T H A T  H E L P S

I once read somewhere that blue eyes make someone keen and strong with eyesight. That the blue eyes are what make someone nimble and graceful. Well, not me. I'm running in the woods and trip over a big stick. I fumble toward the ground, but catch myself. I stop running and place my hands on my knees when suddenly, I hear something. I look over my shoulder as a branch snaps somewhere, my breathing hitching as I get a glimpse of blond hair.

My chest moves like a bobber, up and down, rapidly. I can't tell my eyes are dilated, I can feel it. I know that my eyes are trained on the spot behind the bush where I just saw blond hair.

I bite my lip, figuring I'm getting to freaked out over something that looked the color blond in the bushes. Shaking it off as my paranoia, I turn around and jog faster down the trail I'm on. I jog to the coffee shop on the intersection corner.

The little bell jingles, admitting my presence in the shop. I look around, spotting mostly empty tables with little spices on them. The tables are a warm wood color and a fake fire is on in the corner. An old couple drinks coffee as they mumble to themselves, glancing quickly at me. I look behind me, getting whiff of Axe spray, only to see no one there. I walk over to the counter slowly.

"Hello, welcome to the Jumbo Café, the only place that sells ginormous coffees, how can I help you?" I look at the barista as she looks forward with a bored face. I send her a smile.

"Um, can I get a tall black coffee?"

"Sure, that will be $3.45, anything else?"

"No that's all, thank you."

"Alright. Name?"

"Quinn," I send her a soft smile as she furiously scribbles my name on the cup and hands it to a boy making coffee. I walk over to the table and sit down, knowing no one will steal my coffee. My phone abruptly jingles, scaring me. I jump and fish out my phone to see I received a text.

Unknown: black coffee??

My heart drops and I stare at it. Oh my God. It was Blondie, I just know it. The bell jingles, and I can't tell if it's the real bell on the door, or if it's in my head. I lift my head up to look around, seeing nothing but the couple from the corner moving out the door and the people making coffee.

A giant sigh escapes me and I sag against the seat. I still stay half up, knowing that the blond—or someone else—is around. I walk up the counter and contemplate weather to tell the people that I have a potential stalker and he is here.

Only before I get there, the door jingles my head whips around to the point I think it will snap. And when I see who it is, I almost wilt to the ground.

Tats stands before me, grinning like a mad man.

"I knew you knew Parker. I guess stealing his phone helps get your number, pretty." I glare in disgust at Tats, but figure it would be better if I keep my mouth shut and don't say a word. So it was him who texted me that.

"Quinn," I hear the man behind me set my coffee down, and then walk over to the girl, mumbling about something. I glimpse over at them and see them watching Tats with wide eyes.

"Yeah, Quinn, your um...black coffee is done." Tats says making me glare at him.

"Where's Blondie?" I ask, grabbing the coffee, figuring I can pour it on him and run. I may escape. Or I can call the cops, saying I'm being molested and stalked. Well not molested, but still.