It's Just Life

How Is This Happening Again

"Sidney, we finally officially meet! As you may know I'm Linda Adams. I think we're going to be great friends." Her smile had turned into a full blown grin, her hand still extended towards me. Her bright red fingernails looked like knife sharp claws, making me want to go back in time and never even step into the cafe. I hesitaded for a while before taking her hand and quickly shaking. Her skin was ice cold, like the weather outside was 20 degrees lower than it really was. She was still smiling at me, eyes glued to my frame. I fiddled with my fingers feeling the tension grow every passing minute. Something wasn't right. Something about her wasn't right. I could feel it. She was...off. I felt my hands grow sewaty as I let her motion me to the table she was sitting in a moment ago and varily sat down under her intense gaze. There was a short silence.

"Do you want something? I've heard they have a good children's menu in here. That's why I chose this spot." She pushed a small paper, seemingly the cafe's menu towards me. I lifted my eyebrows at her in momentarily shock. Children's menu? She has to know I'm almost 18, why is she suggesting a children's menu for me? I decided to ignore the thought and let her order me a coke as I openly stared at her coolly drinking her cappuchino. The business woman mode had appeared again, her one leg on top of the other and the pinkie of her right hand standing high in the air while she lifted the coffee cup up. She looked like ready for business, no scary grins, no hallucinating talking. I anxiously fiddled in my seat as my head whipped around trying to get a good look of the cafe. Thank god she had chosen a busy one. There were lots of people around, nothing could happen to me. She wouldn't be able to do nothing to me. I breathed in, trying to calm myself down. Sidney, relax. She's a professional, she knows what's she's doing. Trust her. She's not going to jump you with an axe and chop your head off. Just...relax. Even after reassuring myself I still couldn't shake the feeling of awereness and paranoia inside me. I didn't let myself get comfortable on the seat.

"So....is the coke good?" I turned my head from the opening of the cafe to her.

"Yeah." An awkward silence filled the air. I wasn't going to break it, she would have to work. I was here, that was all she had the right to expect from me. I was going to be that lonely, deeply harrased child who was angry at the world. She wouldn't get anything from me.

"Have you enjoyed Sydney? You've been here for almost 6 months, isn't that right?" I shortly nodded and pretended to be interested about the coke's manufactoring label. I didn't want to look at her.

"Have you been alone all that time? That must have been horrible."

"No, it was nice. It IS nice." I heard her sigh. I didn't lift my gaze.

"Sidney, you don't have to pretend anymore. I know it must have been horrible, to not to have any authority in your life, and for that long! As young as you are, I dont think I would've survived at your age." I snapped my head up to look at her, the manufactoring label of the coke long forgotten. Was she serious?

"You do know I'm almost 18 right?" She smiled warmly at me and sipped the last bits of her cappuchino. The mug hit the tables surface with a quiet clang, making the impact ring in my ears.

"Sweety, I do know that. I know everything about you. You're my friend now, and I'm going to help you." I didn't let the chills run down my spine at the word "friend".

"You don't know anything about me." She sighed again and fiddled a spoon which came with the coffee between her hands.

"Dad, Kevin August Kentwood, born 3th of April in 1961. Currently in police custody and in threat of getting jail time up to 1 year. Mom, Emily Sarah Kentwood, born in 5th of April in 1964. Died from breast cancer in 2009. And finally you, Sidney Veronica Kentwood, born in 21 of July, 1996. In threath of legally being an orphan." She spun the small coffee spoon in her mouth like nothing just happened, the metal clinking against her teeth. I had a hard time to understand what I was hearing. How did she have all that information? She shouldn't know all that. She should know my birth date, not dad's or mom's. And...dad?