The Night We Met

Chapter Ten: Little Talks

Tobias

Tobias walked into the little coffee shop Salem worked at. He went during school to make sure Salem wouldn't be there. Atticus was, though. He was wearing a plaid blazer and leggings. 

"Tobias," he greeted, making a coffee. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

He walked over to the counter. "Something is going on with Salem," he said. "We were doing great until yesterday. She had a black eye and she freaked out at me."

Atticus pursed his lips and looked at the floor. 

Tobias raised his eyebrows. "You know why she won't speak to me."

He shrugged and took the order of another customer. "Yeah," he said. "But I can't say anything. I promised her I wouldn't."

"Can't you say something to her?" he asked. "Tell her to talk to me? I don't know what I did."

Atticus got a really sad look in his eyes. "You didn't do anything, Tobias. It's not you." He handed a coffee to Amy to give to a customer. "I'll talk to her but if she doesn't want to talk to you..."

Tobias nodded and sat at one of the tables and put his head in his hands. After a while, Atticus brought him a coffee and sat across from him. "I texted her," he said. "She's coming by after school."

"Doesn't she always come by after school?"

Atticus laughed. "Yeah, but today it's not for work." He stood up and walked into the back room. Tobias pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. 

2:27

The school would be out soon and it's a two-minute drive from East Shore to the coffee shop. He wouldn't have to wait much longer. 

He stared around the coffee shop. The customers in the morning were usually older people. Early afternoon were parents who wanted time before their kids got out of school. Afternoon and late afternoon were the kids who got out of school. Either they went to Atticus's shop or the other one. They always went to the same one though. 

Salem walked through the door. Her hair was a side braid and she was wearing thin, black glasses with a pink hoodie and a pair of jeans. 

"Salem," Tobias said, standing up. "You came."

She shrugged. "I said I would, didn't I?" She sniffled and looked at the ground. Her eyes were red around the edges. "Let's take a walk?" she suggested. 

He nodded and held the door open for her. They walked through the streets for a long time before Salem spoke. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know where to start."

Tobias looked over at her and shoved his hand into his pocket. "How about with who gave you that black eye?"

Salem stayed quiet. 

"How about why?" he asked. 

She stopped walked and pulled Tobias to a stop too. "They don't want me being friends with you."

"Why?"

Sale scoffed. "Because they don't like me! Someone decided that since my mom was a witch and my name is Salem that means I'm a witch too and I'm going to destroy the entire world. I'm not. I'm a regular human. I don't deserve this. I never did anything. To avoid getting my ass kicked I started taking martial arts lessons but that doesn't really work when I'm caught off guard. So I do what they say, okay?" She blinked tears from her eyes and sniffled. "Look, I just... It makes everyone's life easier if we aren't friends."

"Not mine," Tobias protested. "You're the only real person I know. I don't want to lose you. If you tell me who's doing this I can help you."

Salem sighed. "I can't tell you," she enunciated each word carefully. "Just leave it alone."

He grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Look," he said. "I am not going to leave you just because some bully says that's the way it's gonna be. You are my friend," he said. "I'm here for you. I'm not leaving."

Salem forced a laugh. "You really are a persistent bastard, aren't you?"

He smiled. "You really are insufferable, aren't you?"