Nora Stevenson

Chapter Four

"Um, excuse me? I was in line first." Eli looks up and his widen as he loses his ability to speak. The annoyed woman who stands before him is strikingly beautiful. Her long black hair sweeps over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her sharp Indian features give her an air of command, and her shoulders are chiseled and muscular. "Hello?"
Eli's mind races as he searches for something to say. "Um, uh... Hi. Wait, what?"
She practically shouts in his ear. "You're in my place, idiot! I was here first!"
"Oh, sure. Yeah, sorry." The woman gives him a withering look and turns to face the counter to order her coffee. "What's your name?" he asks.
She turns around, slightly calmed down. "Piper Abrams. You?"
Wow. She even has a gorgeous name. "I'm Eli. Eli Stevenson."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Eli Stevenson. Even with you standing in my spot in the line." Piper Abrams smirks at him and turns back around. "Hi, Grande Americano for Piper, please." She looks back at Eli and he is rendered speechless yet again. Good gosh, Eli, he thinks. Get a grip. Say something. "You want anything?" she asks. "I'd like to apologize for getting upset."
Did she just ask me to have coffee with her? Wait, no. She asked if she could buy me coffee. 'With her' wasn't part of the deal. Well, maybe I can make it part of the deal... Eli stands like an idiot for a second, considering. "Let's make a deal," he stammers out, hoping he sounds smart and cool. "I'll buy both coffees if you agree to drink it with me, right over there." He points to a table by the window.
Piper sizes him up and takes him up on his offer. "Fine," she says.
"Hey," Eli says leaning toward the counter. "Grande Americano for Eli. Thanks." He pays the bill and they walk over to the counter to wait for their drinks.
Piper gazes at him, eyes narrowed. "Pretty smooth asking me out back there. Bold. Confident. Intriguing." Eli laughs nervously and silently wishes for the coffee to be ready. "I think this is going to be fun," Piper remarks.
"Grande Americano for Eli and Piper!" shouts the barista. Piper doesn't break her gaze on Eli.
"Wow," she says, "we even drink the same kind of coffee."
"Haha. Yeah." Eli shuffles anxiously to grab the coffees, and they make their way to the table by the window. He pulls out a chair for Piper and crosses to seat himself.
Piper smiles as she takes the lid off the cup to cool it. "So," she says. "Tell me about yourself."

"For God's sake, Silas, I am trying!" Piper slams her sweaty palms onto the wooden desk and kicks a nearby box with rage. Jaw clenched and eyes burning with fury, she screams yet again out of frustration.
Silas stays still. "That must've hurt."
"It did," she growls. Regaining her self-control, Piper crosses around from behind the desk and faces Silas. "Silas Kingsley, you listen to me." Her voice was threatening, but behind it was a shaky weakness buried deep in her chest. "Silas, just because you are blind, it does not mean that Abby and I have to do all the dirty work. Do you understand?"
"Actually, Piper," Silas begins, his sightless eyes still as day, "it does. I can't see at all. What, do you expect me to go and do the 'dirty work' as you call it, and accidentally get stabbed or shot? I am defenseless against someone like my brother! That's why I need you girls." Piper glances at Abby, standing meekly in the corner.
She turns back to Silas and lowers her voice into a whisper. "Look, Silas, you notice how Abby hasn't said a word since we started talking? She's a coward. She'll do anything to get out of conflict. We can't rely on her, and I am most certainly not going in there to do it alone!" Her voice returns to a yell. "So, you can go do it by yourself, or I will help you. Whichever you choose. But I swear to God, Silas, I am not going to murder your brother by myself."
Silas shifts uncomfortably. Ha, she thinks. I've won. Piper watches coldly as he struggles to make his decision. At last he acquiesces. "Fine," he says. "You can help me."

Piper Abrams. How awkward, I think. "Alright then. Piper Abrams. I guess we'll hit the police station. I mean, I have no idea who she is," I lie quickly. Eli, still droopy, raises his head to speak.
"Can I go with you guys? To the police station?" What? We just received evidence that your girlfriend committed identity theft and possibly murder, and you want to come to the police with us? Reigning in my spiraling thoughts, I stumble on the words I want to say.
"Uh, sure. Yeah. Let's go, then. I mean, if that's okay with Liam?"
My friend hesitates. I shouldn't've put him in this position. I scan his mind and find nothing but panic and disappointment. "Sure," he says quietly. I attempt to send a telepathic message to him, but this has never been my strong suit. Thanks. I'll fill you in later. To my surprise, Liam seems to receive the message and understand that I'm letting Eli come for a reason. He nods and repeats his statement louder. "Sure."
I smile and try to cheer Eli by osmosis. I excrete excitement and joy and hope that my brother will be happy again. I strut back to the leather couch and grab my black jacket. When I turn around, I stop, surprised. My brother is wearing a beanie. "Really, Eli? A beanie? Liam already stole that fashion."
I pass to the door, noting Liam's insulted expression. He stares disgustedly at Eli's red plaid shirt, skinny jeans, and beanie. "You have got to be kidding me," he mutters under his breath. Liam turns and follows me out the door, shooting me a murderous glance. Eli locks the door to his study and we walk toward the elevator. We ride downstairs in the elevator; the awkward music still playing. Liam and I glance at each other, trying to contain the laughter, even if it's less light-hearted than earlier today. I snort.
Eli, standing between us with his head down and a furrowed brow, doesn't notice the erupting giggles that we try to suppress. Stop it. I reprimand myself. You're being rude and inconsiderate. Stop it. Without my trying, my thought seems to communicate to Liam and he immediately stops his laughing.
Finally, the elevator dings and the doors slide open in a sluggish crawl. We pass scientists in the corridor, who immediately nod in reverence to Eli. Wow. He must be pretty respected around here. We walk, unfazed, through the revolving doors and pile into Eli's red Corvette at the prime spot in the parking lot.
"Woah," Liam remarked. "Sweet ride." I look at him, confused. Liam's never been interested in cars. I decide to search his mind. Annoyance. Memories. Police. Abigail. I understand at last. He's making small talk.
"Thanks. I've always been interested in cars." Eli's voice is monotone—just like Liam's. I decide to end my attempt at being positive and let my aching face rest into a frown. Crammed into the backseat, Liam and I sit quietly as the engine revs under Eli's control. I feel Liam's body expand and settle—the quiet remnants of a sigh.
I glance sideways at him and watch his tired expression as it shifts from misery to uncertainty and back. I put my hand out, palm up, on his faded jeans. His expression unchanging, he puts his hand in mine, and I squeeze gently. "It'll be okay," I whisper.
"No, Nora. It's not so much as Eli as something else. It's the police station. I...I used to know someone there." His voice trembles. I haven't seen Liam this way since...well, since forever.
"Who is it? We can try and avoid them if you want." Liam lets silence take over as his breathing grows shallow and fast. Skyscrapers whiz past.
Liam answers me after several minutes, his hand clammy and shaking, still clenching my own hand. "She's a detective there. Her name is Abigail Reeves."
My eyes widen. Abigail.