Esterville (Book 1)

Chapter 20: Cafe

As soon as Oliver and Amelia left the police station, Amelia looked ready to slaughter Officer Lawson.

"Don't turn back," he advised, "it's not worth it."

"The bloody hell it is," Amelia retorts.

"Amelia," Oliver sighs. "he could arrest us for making him look bad in front of everyone."

"So?"

"So, instead of pissing Lawson off, we should mind the fact that we have a ghost to crossover."

Amelia briefly lets go of Oliver's hand, then changed the subject.

"Did Mike talk to you?" she implied.

His green eyes stare straight ahead as three teenaged girls casually walk pass them.

"Yeah," he replies.

"Well?" her attentive eyes gaze at his face.

"What else did Mike say?"

"Only he and Mr. Kingston quarreled about Allison." Oliver shrug.

"That's all he said."

Although it's January, orange leaves skitter across the sidewalk like small pebbles.

Cold wind stripped leaves off of helpless trees, leaving them naked. 

Once again, dark gray clouds fit the sky like puzzle pieces; but didn't bother the citizens of Esterville, for they wore winter clothing, and drank coffee from various cafes.

Look at them, Oliver thought miserably.

Everyone thinks Esterville is such a lovely town, yet they ignore the fact that they are worshipping a dickwad.

Sometimes Oliver wanted to leave Esterville-take his mother, his things, and Amelia, and find someplace interesting.

He was hoping to go to New York, where his past can't follow him.

But when Oliver asked his mother why they couldn't move, she says it's too expensive. Finding someone to buy their house, and getting a moving truck will cost money.

Plus, Caitlin enjoys Chicago's bleak atmosphere.

Oliver and Amelia walked across the sidewalk when a bright, yellow taxi appeared in the mist.

Headlights blazed yellowish orange, as oil-colored wheels steered around the bend. Behind the dark tinted windows, is a brunette female, with black sunglasses, an orange sweater, light brown trenchcoat, jeans, and knee-high black boots.

"Allison," Oliver murmured.

She returned to Esterville looking like a supermodel.

"Why did she come back?" asked Amelia.

Oliver didn't answer her question-mostly because he couldn't find the answer.

Is it because she and her grandmother didn't get along too well, or is it because of Mike's presence?

"Well I'll be damned",  Mike said in amusement.

"Did you have something to do with it?" asked Oliver.

"Didn't I just say, I'll be damned?"  the ghost repeats.

"Sorry."

Amelia whips her head to find the ghost standing right beside Oliver.

"We meet again, Beautiful." 

The vampire stifled a moan.

"Go fuck yourself."