Wendy ★ B.Barnes

serendipity

CHAPTER ONE | serendipity

Life is the art of pretending to be normal

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Wendy King waved quickly, her fingers fluttering in the direction of her friend. A squeal escaped from her wide grin as she hugged the other woman tightly, ignoring the swarthy business men sipping their bitter coffee in the street side cafe. "Val, I cannot believe this, this is just..." Wendy trailed off, lost for words. "This is the best thing ever! You are going to be the most beautiful bride."

"It honestly doesn't feel real," Valery replied, breaking the hug to jump up and down.

"Oh, let me see!" Wendy snagged her friend's hand, gushing over the sparkling stone set in the silver band around Valery's finger. "Todd is a very lucky man."

"If he can still hold me down," Valery said, winking. She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and readjusted her handbag. "Now, I really would love to stay but my mum is having a total freak out and if I leave her for too long I'll have half of India in my apartment, but....a quick coffee would be brilliant."

"My shout," Wendy grinned, fishing for her wallet. "Go grab a table." She ordered two long blacks as well as an apple strudel to share. They sat in the ally which had been converted into a minimalist court yard. The buildings towered above them, but they were hidden in the little coffee oasis.

"Now, I know you're not going to like this..." Valery started as soon as Wendy sat down. Wendy raised an eyebrow, her body ready to run. She tried to calm her heart by focusing on the other sunny cafe across the street, watching a man drawing on his napkin. "But, I can get you a blind date!"

Valery grinned and clapped her hands together while Wendy's jaw hit the ground. "NO!" she retorted, so loud that the man's hand jerked across his drawing. She locked eyes with him for a split second before turning back to her friend. "Valery, you know I can't be in a relationship right now," she uttered, voice low and desperate.

Valery just rolled her dark eyes. "C'mon Winnie, you shouldn't let the traveling get in way of your life. Isn't it time to get out there and find true love?"

"Shush!" Wendy hushed, as the waitress brought their coffee.

"You need a date for my wedding," Valery continued. "And Marcus is super nice!"

"I don't need a date," Wendy muttered, swirling her coffee with a spoon.

Valery grabbed her take away cup and jabbed a finger at Wendy. "Yes, you do or I won't let you be my maid of honor." Wendy gaped, she struggled to keep the smile off of her face. Valery waggled her finger. "Nope, don't say anything - get a date by next week or you will be going to your favorite restaurant with the very handsome, and very rich, Marcus Cain."

Valery left and Wendy watched her sashay around the corner before prodding the strudel with a fork. She paused, a tingling sensation glossing up from her toes, to her knees. She felt her fingers lose all feeling and suddenly, the fork clattered to the ground because her hand had disappeared. "Sh-shit," Wendy muttered, grabbing her stuff with her other hand and started to sprint. She made it out of the cafe and into a scroungy ally before she simply disappeared, her clothes wafting to the ground.

Wendy immediately clamped her hands around her ears as gun shots exploded around her. She smashed her eyes shut, pulling her bare knees to her naked chest and gritting her teeth. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run. But she couldn't. Wendy was wedged between three wooden crates and a taught beige canvas wall. The gunshots ceased and someone was shouting - a woman. Wendy breathed deeply, her shoulders shaking from fear. She stayed crouched, peeping out of a hole in the canvas. There was a line of men standing to attention while a woman with curled brown hair and red lipstick rolled her eyes, her heels kicking up the dust. This was a war camp.