Forever Luna

Treachery

noun ~ betrayal of trust; deceptive action or nature

POLLUX

I muttered another apology, blinking at the barista. "Yes, I'd, uh, like a drink."

Eyebrows furrowed, the person with Clover's eyes stared at me. Was it perhaps Clover's sister? Did Clover have a sister so similar looking?

"Okay. Let me guess... Lemonade or... a coke?" They grinned.

The voice was higher, more feminine than Clover's. And yet...

Fuck, I needed to get myself together. Slowly, piece by piece, I pulled on my mask and shook off the nerves. Clover's clone didn't recognise me; it may not even be them.

"Five o'clock, right?" I mused.

The woman laughed softly, and my eyes dropped to the name tag. Lilith.

This wasn't Clover.

"Cappuccino with a shot of caramel, please." I insisted. "And one of the blueberry muffins."

Lilith blinked, but nodded. "So that's a..."

Her voice trailed, her fingers hovering over the till. She seemed to stare at it before shaking her head and tapping at the screen. Even that was digital now, and she placed a card machine before me to tap my card onto. Wincing through a smile, Lilith passed me my receipt. I stepped to the side, but she was quick to interrupt.

"I will bring it over to you."

I thanked her, turning to eye the room. Securing my hat on my head, I avoided the odd few looks. I knew it wasn't exactly polite to wear a hat and sunglasses inside, but in my defence, the sun was still bright outside and echoed around the room.

Various chair legs and even some damn fairy lights covered the large window, blocking the amazing view of the lake. I still chose a round table nearby, staring through the huddles of people as they cooled down from the summer sun.

Kicking out my feet, I stretched my legs beneath me as the coffee machine whirred in the background. My stomach still clenched uncomfortably, but the café was so different. It was almost like I was in an entirely different place.

That wasn't Clover. I was fine, this was fine. Everything was fine.

My ears caught the sound of shoes scraping across the floor, and I shuffled back upright in my chair. Lilith came around me just as I was uncrossing my feet, and I caught sight of her clothes. She wore an apron, of course, but beneath that was a solid black blouse and tight blue jeans. I tried to hide the distaste as I clocked onto the ballet flats on her feet.

How women could wear those was beyond me. They had no sole, no comfort, just squashed toes and blisters.

"Here you go, sir," Lilith murmured, placing the saucer down before me. "Pretty view, isn't it?"

"It is." I agreed. "It's a shame the window is blocked."

"It never used to be," she chimed, her voice holding a familiar sadness. "After the revamp, it was changed to fit more tables in."

Revamp? She didn't say change of ownership. So did that mean Clover still owned it?

I shifted as Lilith grew too close, but the movement caused her hair to flutter. Being in such a dangerous place full of unforgettable memories, I reigned in my sense to not look so out of place. My gift was permanently on lockdown around humans, but that simple movement had my body fall into shock.

Lilith pulled away from me with a smile, only for her face to crumple as I stared up at her. "Are you sure you are okay?"

It couldn't be. But it could be. It was a scent I would never forget; one of coffee, evergreens, and joy. Yet, it intermingled with something else, someone else.