Living in the Shadows

10) And Your Bird Can Sing

You tell me that you've got everything you want

And your bird can sing

But you don't get me,

you don't get me

So this is what normal feels like Liza thought to herself later that afternoon. She woke up late and sprinted around the manor, getting lost more than once. Not only did she wake Becca, she woke up Raven. That led to a map being drawn as she hurried out the door to her car. Only then did she realize that her jeans had dirt stains on them and her shirt was inside out. Yet after everything that happened, she still arrived at the cafe 30 minutes early. She quickly fixed her shirt, and for the first time in a long time, Liza had walked into the cafe smiling.

"Hey sleepyhead, you got table." Liza's attention snapped to the old blond woman behind the counter, smiling at her. Kayla Richards was an excellent boss, who didn't reprimand Liza when she faded in and out of the real world. Kayla nodded over to the table by the window, where the usual character sat. No one in here knew his name. He was just always here. Nosed stuffed into a textbook and headphones always in. Liza rolled her eyes at Kayla. They both knew what would happen. Liza would stand over him with a pencil in hand until her noticed her. Then he would ask for some tea, it was different every day, and a vanilla scone. Kayla just shrugged her shoulders and Liza walked towards his table.

"You know, I would ask you what you wanted, but it's not like you're paying attention anyway. So I'll just stand here until you notice me and put you down for a vanilla scone."

Liza prepared herself to look busy in the practicality empty cafe. The place was packed in the mornings when all the students wanted their coffee, and on the weekends for studying. But other than that, the cafe was pretty bare, with most people running in and out. She looked back to the man. Today he had lost the textbook. Instead he buried his face into a silver laptop, typing away at a paper.

"I can hear you know."

Liza immediately turned tomato. Kayla started laughing behind the counter, causing the other baristas to look at her. "The mute doth speaketh," she commented, gaining a few glares from  the customers. Liza turned back to the man, just a Becca came in.

"I'll have black tea, no sugar," he said shortly. Liza moved behind the counter and started working on his drink. He wore a gray hoodie today and dark jeans. He looked plain. Yet "plain" people didn't spend every afternoon and every evening in the same cafe, sitting down at the same table. He shut his laptop and pulled out a piece of paper, looking up for once. And if that didn't surprise everyone, the fact that Rebecca Rene South, the cover girl of an outgoing personality, sat down with him.

Kayla turned at stared at Liza and all Liza could do was shrug.

"Hey South, you want the usual?" Kayla called.

"No, I'm not staying long," she replied, staring at the man. Liza coughed as set down his tea and scone, eying the both of them.

"Is there something I should know about..." she asked Becca quietly, signaling to the two of them.

"Oh god no," Becca replied, officially breaking eye contact with the man. He just turned around a stood up, offering Liza his hand.

"Lucas Beaumont. I'm a...friend of Rebecca's."

"Sure you are... You sure you don't want anything to go Becca? We have rehearsal after your next class. Sure you gonna be awake for it?"