Pieces of Me

Chapter Two

Ally

Today is the kind of summer day that makes you want a cocktail. Or 12.
Madalynn, Karlie and I are sitting at table made from a wooden crate. This seems to be the latest trend in Brisbane cafés. Honestly I don't get it. The chair I'm sitting on looks like something we would have made in year 12 Manual Arts class - and it's just as comfortable.

"This place sucks Maddie," Karlie hisses, pouting, before grabbing the menu from the middle of the table.
I accidently jab her with my elbow as I wiggle around, trying to get comfortable in my seat. She shoots me a scowl in return.
"It's fine you guys! This place has great reviews, honestly," Madalynn says enthusiastically, her mousy brown curls bouncing with her declaration.

Karlie huffs, "when is Bridget going to be here? She's always late," her fierce red hair only exaggerates her bad mood. Karlie's not one to wait around.

"Clearly someone's hangry," Maddie teases, her beautiful large lips curl into a pretty, but mocking smile.

Ignoring her, Karlie looks to me. "No offence babe, but you look tired..."

"You look like shit!" Maddie pipes up.

Only a best friend could get away with saying that.

"Jeez thanks guys," I reply, irritated yanking the menu from Karlie's hand. I know I shouldn't be annoyed because they're not wrong, but I hate when I'm not able to hide things as well as I think I can. I take a deep breath and remind myself that they care - and that's a good thing.

Maddie squeezes my arm under the table. The girl knows me too well. It's then we hear an unmistakable voice enter the cafe.

"She's heeeere," Maddie whispers, rolling her eyes as she spots Bridget entering from across the room. Today however, she's not alone. Behind her, Bridget drags a guy by the hand towards our group. We never bring guys to our coffee dates. If they have been in your vagina, or have come out of your vagina (so many people we went to school with have had babies) – then they are not invited to our girl coffee (which is often codeword for cocktail) catchups. Ironically it was Bridget who made up this silly rule. I haven't had the need to break it yet, but it seems she has beat us to it.

The guy runs his hand through his sandy blonde hair and I notice his red and black flannel shirt isn't buttoned up correctly, leaving a little tail poking out at the bottom. I smirk.

"Hey lovelies," Bridget announces herself loudly. She takes a seat, dragging the new guy down with her.
He winces as he sits. "Damn hipster shit," I hear him mumble.
I note that his long legs hardly fit under the table.

"Hey Breezy," Madalynn replies, giving me a side secret wink.

Bridget never fails to make us laugh. At a restaurant she once ordered a "caz-ee-r" salad, and it took us, and the waiter, a minute to realise she meant a 'caesar'. That was last year. I don't know how she's made it to 23 - but we love her all the same.

"This is Logan," Bridget announces. Her megawatt smile is almost blinding.

All eyes turn to him. Poor guy. The excessively bright lights bounce off his eyebrow piercing, and his sharp blue eyes seem as if they are looking behind us, rather than at us.

The shape of his face looks a little familiar? Do I know this guy? Maybe he's in my uni class...

He mumbles a blanket hello, and then leans down to pull a book from his backpack, before turning away.

Karlie's eyebrows turn down, and her lips purse.

Madalynn opens her mouth, presumably to introduce herself - but Bridget cuts her off, immediately launching into a story about a client she waxed earlier today. Bridget works at a beauty salon, and the stories she shares about her clients always leave me uncomfortable. I'd hate to think that a beauty salon professional would share such intimate details about me to their friends – even if they did leave my name out.