Ghost Soldiers || Bucky Barnes

Chapter 1: Betty's

Late March, 1941.

It was a cold yet sunny day in New York City; one of those days that made people long for spring to settle down. Streets were full of cars with people going home after a long day in the office, and not many people could be seen walking in the streets. However, Clementine Argent and her friend, Martha Collins, could be seen walking on the cold and icy streets of the city after a long day in nursing school.

" I cannot believe I am walking with these new expensive shoes in these dirty streets, Clementine. Why wouldn't you wait for my driver to pick us up? He would have been at school in less than 20 minutes!" Martha said, clearly annoyed with her friend's choice.

"I am sorry but he would have taken so long and I'm starving! And you know he would have been there in 45 minutes given the traffic. You know how impatient I am when I'm hungry." Clementine said, walking faster.

"Ugh, alright. How long until we get to L'aiglon.?" Martha asked, catching up with her friend.

" I don't know, probably 15 minutes? I called them and made a reservation in my name." Said Clementine, knowing her friend was going to be even angrier.

" 15 minutes?! Are you insane? I cannot walk that far like I'm a poor girl from Brooklyn!" Martha said, stopping in the middle of the road.

Clementine sighed and grabbed her friend by the arm. She was getting tired of Martha's complaints, who was, in Clementine's opinion, the most spoiled rich girl from Manhattan she had ever met, even though Clementine herself also belonged to one of the richest and powerful families of the city. Clementine's parents moved to the States from France when she was 2 years old, where they settled in New York and opened a big Company in the city, which also had offices in Paris, London and Berlin. The company was built by her grandfather, a powerful man who sent his oldest son to New York to expand the family business. Therefore, Clementine's life had always been the perfect fairytale that every girl in the States and over the world wanted to live, even though she didn't quite enjoyed it like she should have.

" It really isn't that far, Martha. You need to learn to be patient. Besides, it's a beautiful day, and I think we need fresh air after the long day we had today". Clementine said, smiling.

" I just don't understand why you want to make me walk this far when we have people who can drive use anywhere we want." Martha said, ignoring her friend.

Clementine rolled her eyes and looked around her. They were getting close to Central Park, and she could see small cafeterias on both sides of the road, and she knew that getting into one of them was the best way of shutting up her friend.

" Okay Martha, how about we get into that cafeteria over there? We can ask them to lend us a phone so you can call your driver to pick us up." Clementine said, hoping her friend would agree.

Martha looked at the cafeteria with disgust, since apparently it was a dirty place where common poor people would usually eat. She rolled her eyes and agreed to go in, since she was freezing. They crossed the road and Clementine opened  the door, and she could feel a warm breeze as she went in. The place was called " Betty's", and from what Clementine saw, it was a clean and comfortable cafeteria that smelled like coffee and warm bread.

" Just so you know, I'm not eating here". Martha told her friend, giving the place a look of disgust.

" I know you are not, just call your driver while I order something". Clementine said, sitting on one of the chairs in front of a large table that faced the kitchen.

Martha went to talk to the manager of the place to ask for a phone, while Clementine opened the menu. She ended up ordering a much needed cup of coffee, while looking around. She noticed the owner of the place seemed to be fond of jazz musicians such as Dean Martin and Sinatra, since the place was covered by records of the musicians. They were her favourite singers, so she decided it was a place worth coming by again.