Finding Grace

Chapter 18

     Sipping a coffee at a local coffee shop, Grace taps the table in front of her. She didn't know what to do. Well, she did, but not enough to really start investigating cases. She might as well do something with her life.
       She switches off the Google Chrome tab and starts up Microsoft Word. Let's journal this experience. She starts typing about the most recent events before typing about today. At least twice she has felt that presence near her.
        She named it Mist. Mist has been felt around her twice today and she can't help but get irritated by it. This has happened for a week now so it's gotten a bit out of hand.
       There it is again. It's a dark, fuzzy feeling. She glances away and looks where it is strongly felt. A black haired girl with a choppy pixie cut turns away, looking at the menu. The feeling dissipates. Interesting.
        She closes her computer and shoves it in her bag before walking over to the girl. An electric fuzzy feeling grows around her. Grace sits down and waves over an employee. "Yes?" He asks, getting out a pen and paper.
       "Can I just get a salad?" She slides him 10 bucks and he nods, taking the money.
       The girl avoids eye contact with Grace. The employee sets it down and Grace smiles to the man,"Thank you,"
       Nibbling on the salad, she looks around and takes in the surroundings. She can't sense anything else but the...thing beside her. Grace turns to the girl, "hey, I like your boots. Where'd you get them?"
       "Kohl's," She says with no hesitance.
       "Is there one near by?"
       "Just a few blocks down."
       "Thanks. By the way, my name is Grace, and you are?"
       The girl looks over to Grace just long enough to say, "Cin, my nickname," before turning away again.
       "Nice to meet you, Cin," she tags a mental note on her name and continues eating, letting the silence fill the tension.
       She finishes her salad and gets up to start leaving when someone grabs her wrist, sending electricity coursing through her body. Grace turns and sees Cin grabbing her while she continues to look at her phone. "Stay," Cin mutters and Grace slowly sits back down.
        "Who are you?" Grace murmurs to her.
        "I already told you, I'm Cin and you're Grace Winche-"
        "I never said my last name." Grace sits up straighter as Cin hesitates on her phone.
        "Right."
        "How do you know my last name?"
        Cin doesn't respond and continues to look at her phone. Guess she's done with questions right now.

         The time passed slowly as she waited there with Cin. People leaving and coming. Grace desperately wanted to go on her computer to pass time, but she didn't. Instead, she people watched until there was just them.
           "So, who am I?" Cin re-asks Grace's question from before.
        "Yeah, who are you?" Grace frowns in confusion at her.
       "I'm Cin. That's my nickname, but I'm also a psychic and a demon."
       Grace blinks and starts the exorcism, but Cin covers her mouth. "Shut up, okay?" Cin barks, "yes, 'ah I'm a demon. Let's exorcise her.' But, that's the thing. I want to help you."
        Grace looks baffled behind Cin's hand. A demon wants to help her. "Like you want to make a deal with me?" Grace asks through her hand.
       "No, I just simply want to help you. You seem to be having a rough start," she pulls her hand away and wipes it on her pants.
       "Uhuh, okay," Grace mutters and crosses her arms, "anything else?"
       "Nope, I'm sure of it."
       "Alright."
       Grace still doesn't trust her. She's a demon for Grandpa's sake! Maybe she'll think on it. "Give me your number." Grace holds out her phone to Cin.
        "Why?"
        "I'll think on it."
        Cin looks at her with uncertainty clouding her eyes. " Fine." She grabs Grace's phone and types in her number.
       "Thank you," Grace smiles as she takes it back.
       Cin mutters and stuffs her hands in her pockets. Grace shoves her phone away as Cin gets up and starts to leave. "I guess we'll chat at some point," Cin starts and finishes in a mumble, trailing off that sentence so Grace can't hear it.
     Grace nods, "text you later."
     Cin walks out the door and the room finally feels lighter, like the calm after a storm. Hopefully she doesn't grow used to the storm.