VENDETTA || ɴ.ᴄ.ᴍ.

9. burn, crash, romance

song; vapor by 5SOS
[ word count: 1422 ]

|| Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds ||

*

Wiping the sweat off her forehead, cierra huffed as she threw the towel on the counter from her shoulder. she closed her eyes and threw her head back. today had been stressful to say the least. and to make it better, nick had been blowing up her phone all week, making sure she was okay. she really loved how concerned he was, but she still needed time.

this was the only time the cafe had been empty all day, so she crossed her arms over the desk and let her head fall into them. she focused on the simple sounds, ticking of the clock, clicking of the kettle, the shuffles of her co-workers feet. the ding of the bell on the door.

so she looks up, and immediately ducks behind the counter. no way am i dealing with him. she thought, avoiding the tall dread-head who walked in. no, no, no.

she managed to stay away from them for two days, and she knows Zions only here to talk about nick. "can i help you?" the other waitress asks him politely.

"uh... no," he says after a few moments. tapping the counter and moving restlessly, "has cierra been in?" he asked hopefully, "will she be in?"

screwing her eyes closed, cierra silently prayed. "no," the little but younger girl told zion carefully, shooting cierra a secret smile. "she won't be in,"

"oh..." he sighed, pushing away from the counter. "okay," he nodded slowly, dreads hanging. "thank you anyway," he smiled.

the door made its familiar sounds when someone leaves, and cierra stood from her hiding place. "thank you so much, peyton," she smiled.

"it's no big deal," the smaller girl smiled back.

returning to her tiresome duties, cierra poured freshly brewed coffee into the empty cups of customers. along the way she wondered why zion was so jittery. and why he so badly needed to see her.

and she was so confused.

nick said he'd respect her need for some space. so what was he doing blowing up her phone to check on her?

she let out a heavy sigh, and just focused on pouring hot coffee.

**

"Cierra!"

she stopped mid stride. and inwardly groaned. but turned around and faced the familiar voice with simplicity. "Zion," she greeted casually.

"hey, listen i stopped by the cafe," he said, "but you weren't there, so i thought i'd catch you at your house."

"well, you caught me about to go into my house," she commented. "why?"

"um," he scratched the back of his neck, "look i'm having a party tomorrow night, would you come?"

she looked away, "i don't know," she sighed, "they're not my thing and... and who would i hang out with?"

"i'll be there," he paused, rolling on his feet before adding: "nick will be there,"

"don't," she said quietly. "if this is about me trying to talk to him, it has to wait." she rambled, "and tell him he needs to stop texting me every two minutes,"