After - The Society Fanfic.

37.

Gwen had only meant to stop at Becca's for a few minutes to drop off some things. However, waiting for Grizz and Sam to finish their...session, had taken longer than anticipated. This meant when she finally arrived at the café for her meeting with Kelly, Bean and Mickey, she was greeted with tense and irritated faces.

In the days following Grizz's coup, though he did not like it when Gwen called it this, people were compliant. Every "job sector" had chosen a representative and although Grizz had insisted that people wait until council meetings to discuss issues if anyone saw him in the street, he was pretty much bombarded. Gwen felt more like a glorified security guard rather than his second in command. The last two days had taken a particular strain on him which had worried Gwen. In their fast friendship, she'd grown to deeply care for him. She's thought about it before, but this is the first friendship she's had that isn't based upon vanity and popularity. It's weird caring for someone so much. She wants to fix his problems all the time but this issue, the world on his shoulder's thing, can only be fixed when he's ready. It's killing her, and the others, watching him tire each day. However, considering the way Sam and Grizz were going at it this morning, it would suggest he's started to breathe a bit.

Kelly seems the most irritated when Gwen enters the café. Her lips purse as soon as she eyes Gwen, the arms folded. Bean also holds a stony expression on her face as she turns in her seat to face her. Mickey on the other hand just seems a bit tired. Gwen had delegated construction and resource to him, it is turning into a bigger project than they'd anticipated. Since Grizz plans to modify a couple of houses into bases for certain jobs, it's added to the demand. However, with the demand increasing, the team had also. The metal shop and woodwork students were now officially working with them half the week or full time. It depended on the demand for other jobs. Being an adult is hard. Gwen honestly doesn't know how her parents do it. No one her mum spent all those money on Botox. Gwen could have sworn she saw a wrinkle this morning.

"Nice of you to join us, Gwen." Kelly's dry tone cuts through Gwen like sandpaper. They both really needed to start getting along. Especially considering how much they all work together. However, when people talk to Gwen with such disdain, instead of taking the high road so joyfully takes the low road. The devil is her best friend when there are those trying to harm her and her friends. It is with this attitude that causes her to freeze for a moment. Instead of hurrying over to their table, she relaxes her shoulders, shrugging off the jacket. Her walk changes from an I-need-to-hurry-I'm-late to a fuck-you-Kelly. Kelly's glare deepens.

"I believe I am only," Gwen checks her phone, "10 minutes late." She flashes a grin towards Kelly who humphs in her chair.

Eventually, Gwen reaches the table, dropping her notes onto it. The tea shakes slightly. Bean sighs, muttering something under her breath. Gwen is sorry she's being caught in the crossfire here, but Kelly just had to get on her nerves. She slowly pulls the chair out and gracefully sits in it. She straightens herself and smiles a little too widely towards everyone. "We hadn't started yet, we thought it was best to wait for you." Mickey's voice is quiet and his eyes dart between Gwen and Kelly. Unlike Bean who just seems over the two's squabbles, Mickey is determined not to get in the middle. Instead, he opts to try and made himself as small as possible without actually falling off his seat.

"Thank you. Well, I call this meeting to order then." Gwen grins at everyone. Bean and Mickey smile back, the tension with them and Gwen melting. Bean, annoyed at Gwen's flakiness, can't be bothered to hold onto any actual irritation. Kelly still seems riled.

Gwen starts flicking through her notepad, scanning through highlighted points, determining what actually needs to be dealt with today. Kelly starts tapping her pencil off the side of her notepad, staring out the window. Gwen presses her tongue to the back of her teeth, practically biting it to stop herself from snipping at her. She can't pick a fight with her for this whole meeting. No matter how much she wanted to. "Okay, so Bean, I know you and Gordie have your hands full with the going home committee so I've assigned Jay to help cover the days you're busy. His Dad owned a landscaping business so he should know what he's doing." Bean smiles and starts jotting things down. Gwen turns her attention to Mickey, "Now since we found some actual gardening equipment throughout the town, I'm keen to get the majority of the team to create a direct path from town to the new land. We're still unsure of the nature of this world we're in and I'm scared some voodoo shit is going to happen and it'll-" Kelly snorts at the mention of voodoo shit, causing Gwen's eyes to shift to her before she continues addressing Mickey, "it'll disappear. Ideally, we'd have some sort of rope to help mark the path." Mickey is jotting everything down at a speed Gwen has never noticed before. Either he's had one too many coffees to keep himself awake or he's desperate for this meeting to be over. "And finally, Kelly. Hi. How are you doing? Are you holding on? Think you'll be able to make it through this whole meeting?" Gwen cocks her head, the psychotic smile she wore to annoy people plastered across her face. She can really look insane when she wanted too. Mickey's stomach tightened as he watched the two stare at each other. He didn't have a good feeling about this.