November (DRAFT)

IX

CHAPTER IX.
Cafe on the Street

Each player must accept
the cards life deals him or
her: but once they are in
hand, he or she alone must
decide how to play the cards
in order to win the game.

- Voltaire

November stood directly behind the counter, wiping the surface with wet clothes wrapped around her hand.

I leaned against the side, she glanced up and back into her work before she tensed and stared at me. Her eyes had widened.

"Apollo?" She said, and smiled broadly while pausing in her scrub. "Now you are just plain stalking me."

"November," I said, appalled. "None of my diabolical schemes have anything to do with you."

She shook her head and gently pushed me off the counter. "What brings you? I swear, I've never seen you here." She said, flicking an eyebrow and cast her gaze down my attire.

I was still in my suit.

"I was sleeping, you see," I said softly, leaning closer toward her face. I could make out freckles dotting along the bridge of her nose beneath her round glasses. "And it was like this, this angel appeared in my dream and said - " she gave a laugh and smacked my chest a little harder.

"What? I swear, it really happened. I totally didn't get myself thrown out of Daniel's next door for my lack of date."

"Yeah I believe you," she shook her head defiantly. "Are you here to order? Coffee?"

"I hate coffee." But I leaned over the counter again, cocking my head to the menu. April left before we had the chance to order. I left shortly after and I was starving.

"I'll get the teacake." She angled one of her eyebrows and pulled out a slice of teacake on display. "I didn't know you had a job."

"I do, Apollo Carson." Said November. "You see, the people who don't have money need a job. They don't swim in millions like you do."

"Interesting. Do I swim naked?" But I only got a snort in reply. "How do you know I have money?"

"Everyone at school knows you have money." November replied, sticking a fork into my teacake. "Popularity runs with attractive rich kids doesn't it?"

"You think I'm attractive?" I couldn't see her face. She turned too suddenly. "Wait, you go to my school?"

Her shoulders slumped when she had turned back. She shoved the cake in a direction at random, then she began to furiously clean the counter.

"Yes, I go to your school. In fact, I do believe we share the same Science, PE, and English together. Did you know I sit two seats behind you in Mrs. Perkins English class?"

God, I was a dick. The worst of it was, I couldn't recall her face until we met a few days ago in the library. Was she that invisible? "I'm an asshole."

"I agree." She said bluntly.

"Shit, I'm sorry." I said, ruffling my hair up still appalled.

"It's fine." November said. "You're not the only one. Besides, I got used to it pretty quickly."

It only made me feel worse and I had no clue how to fix it. So, I fished inside my pocket for money and stuck a hundred in the tip jar. She looked at the glass jar and continued to wipe the counter.

"I don't need that." She spoke quietly.

"Consider it a sorry present." I said, it was a primise. "I'll make it up to you, I was supposed to be at the movies with someone and she left... along with my car. Let me take you the theater. It is just down the street."

"How did you get here then?"

"Walked." I said with a shrug.

"Seriously? You're an idiot." She said with a snort. "Walking the street loaded with money-" she motioned towards the jar, "-and in the dark?"

"It was better then letting her walk home alone." I said lazily. "What about that movie?"

"No."

"No?"

"No." She repeated firmly. "No means-"

"I know what no means." I said sourly. "Why no though?"

"Because I'm still working." With that, she pushed the teacake towards my direction. I pushed it back.

"I'll wait then."

"It'll be boring."

"Then you can entertain me." I said, smirking. "What about that movie?"

"I don't watch movies."

"If you come with me, I'll read that stupid book." I promised.

She narrowed her eyes at this. The warm brown color held steadily and locked onto my blue ones, it made me uncomfortable. Once she confirmed I wasn't going to blow her off she said. "Deal." And the corner of her mouth twitched and that beauty queen smile.

"We'll have to use your car."

"Right, you had to be a gentleman and place the jeopardy of your car in the hands of a girl." Delanie rolled her eyes. "Let's not forget she abandoned you on your date and now your taking me instead."

"It's not like-" I paused when she cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah it's exactly like that, then how about we go somewhere else?"

"No I want to go to a movie." She said with a shrug. "But I'm not paying."

"I'm beginning to think your using me November." I said sardonically.

"Oh Apollo Carson," she cooed, "now why on earth would I -" I could hear the sound of someone's throat clear. As if we were a mirror mimicking each other's actions; we turned our heads.

An old woman in a coral pink blouse and a matching skirt smiled up at the both of us as innocent as could be.

"Excuse me, could I get through you for one of those napkins?" She asked, gesturing to the napkin bin between us.

I could sense Delanie stifling a giggle and I snatched up a fresh napkin from a clear plastic container to my right. "Here you go." I winked, hand out the paper. She took it within a her fingers and gave us both an innocent smile.

"Where were we?" I asked once the woman shuffled away.

"We're going to the movies together and your buying the tickets and popcorn." November said business-like, tossing the rag into a blue bucket. "Oh can't forget about the candy. I like those cookie dough bites."

"Deal." I said, I was grinning now. It was almost unraveling how easily I could talk to her, I've never been able to speak to anyone so easily but when it was November... I felt like in some way we connected.

Not love, not friendship. But I knew it was there, something I couldn't place a finger to.

"And Apollo?"

"What?"

She flashed me another beauty queen smile. "Call me Nova."

_

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AUTHORS NOTE.
What did you think? I had to rush the chapter because I've been busy. But I hope it's still good.