The Write Cafe: A Discord Community Novella

Vignette III: Coming Storm

Chaitra

     It was a cool and dark day, blueish grey clouds smothering the sky line. And yet I was out with a friend, hanging out all over the city. It's been pleasant being around her, but now we were walking back home, a lot of groceries in both of our hands.

     "Chai, you okay holding so much?" I simply laugh in response, an apple and a couple lunch meats peeking out of my bag. The apple is almost touching my nose! "I'm fine Ana, I could carry much more!" She shakes her head, looking over to the dressed mannequins that hide behind the window in elegant poses.

     I couldn't help but frown a little to her expression. It's a sort of tired worry for someone so far away... Lucas, who is desperate to see her face in person. "Ana, you thinking about Lucas again?" She looks back to me, nodding weakly.

     I gently punch her arm to try to revitalize her expression. "You'll see him sooner or later! He's doing his best, just give it time." She looks down to the bags at her side. "I know... I'm just worried that he'll lose so much..." This is frustrating... just be happy, you dork.

     "Like it or not, he chose to do those things. He's fighting hard just to finally have you with him. Just do your best in return, and you will both be happy." You two will be happy, but I secretly dread the day when Ana leaves to him. I want her to be happy, but I'm going to miss her a lot...

     "You're right, Chai. I should just enjoy my time here with you in the moment. Today has been quite fun, and I should appreciate that." I plaster on a smile for her, but the whole situation is a little uneasy. But Lucas is a good guy, and they are both strong enough to make their own decisions.

Lucas has been working an assembly job and selling his things to get her, and Ana has been working at the Cafe with me. Although the job hasn't been too hard because of Dragon. As weird and strange as he can be, he overpays us and gives us little workload. Makes me worry about the guy...

     "Hey, stop a sec." Ana says, grabbing my arm gently. I turn around to find her staring at... a ring. "Look, Chai! It's so pretty!" I step up closer to the glass, and what I see is indeed pretty. A silver ring with a diamond embedded in its center. It was gorgeous, but it looked quite expensive.

     "It really is pretty." I say awkwardly, trying to not think about what this could mean. I know they have been together for a long time but Ana is too young to get married...

     She takes out her phone, snapping a picture of the ring and sending it to Lucas with excitement. She doesn't seem to be aware of its significance. I would have stopped her, but she was too fast. "Chaitra, is that you?" I hear a familiar voice say from my side. I look away from the glass to find Derek waving strangely.

     "It is! And Ana too. Didn't expect you two to be out, let alone together. A storm might hit soon." He is a customer at The Write Cafe, a goofball at heart. It's weird to see him trying to be formal like this.

     "Hey, Derek. You been behaving?" I instinctually ask, placing my bag on the sidewalk for a minute. "Eh, I don't know. I haven't annoyed any of your customers lately." He shrugs, a light smirk spreading across his face.

     Ana steps in, placing her bags down and going to my side. "The owner is stressed enough, you shouldn't be annoying customers anyway. You and Micheal are terrible." He laughs cockily, his stare oddly becoming sinister.

     "I've been at that Cafe long enough to know that it's not the Cafe stressing him at all." He says, implying something that should remain hidden. "We don't speak about that in public, Derek!" Ana yells, her fists clenching.

     He shrugs again, his expression growing tired. "Fine, fine. But the point is that Mike and I are the entertainment, we keep things fun in the Cafe. Now that we've spoke of it, I think I might visit again soon." Derek's words are so taunting, it's annoying. But I guess there's not much we can do, he knows about as much as we do. Him and Micheal both.

     "Anyway, I'll stop being a bother. I'm off." He waves casually, walking through Ana and I casually. The rain begins to fall behind him, deafening the road filled with cars. "That Derek guy can be a bit menacing when it starts raining as he leaves, huh?" Ana asks, Derek still carelessly walking away.

     "He's just an idiot, let's get back to our homes." I struggle to get my bag back in my hands, but I manage. Ana follows behind as we reach a crosswalk. Thunder rolls, and we're forced to raise pace.