Innocent Blood

Innocent Blood (chapter 25)

Chapter 25

    By the time I had unpacked and explored the apartment, it was past midnight and I was exhausted. Despite my tiredness, I lay in the single bed, unable to fall asleep. I could hear the traffic in the street below, and the longer I lay there, the louder it seemed to become. When it finally became too much, I dragged myself from the bed and went to the living room. The apartment was small, so I didn't bother with the lights, I found the sofa easily, the room lit by a mix of moonlight and yellow street light. The mobile phone lay on the side table where I had left it, not bothering to turn it on. I pressed the power button and it came to life. It buzzed in my hand before the start up screen disappeared. Two new messages, it informed me. I opened the first  message:
‘Aphrodite x’ - SET UP UR FNE, NEEDS MORE CHARGE SUM NUMBERS STORED, UR WELCUM. APHRO X

Next message was listed, 'Alastor':
SORI I MISSED YA. REAL BUSY. HOPE YA GOT THER OK. B GUD.
Two simple messages, I would have though Alastor would have had more to say to me than that, it was a disappointment, but I hit the reply button:
HEY I GOT HERE SAFE. NICE PLACE BUT NOT USED TO NOISE OF TRAFFIC AT NIGHT, FEELS STRANGE! ACCALIA.
    I woke up on the couch, curled up under my jacket. Daylight filled the room and I slipped into the jacket when I noticed how cold it was. The mobile phone was on the floor beside the sofa, I fell into my sleep before getting to put it on charge, so I expected the battery to be dead. It flashed, but it wasn't yet drained and I connected it to the charger. No messages were received during the night, I couldn't help but feel hurt, Alastor was ignoring me. I put the phone to the side and tried to busy myself, but there was nothing that kept my attention. The television didn't appeal to me, daytime television never did. I rearranged the kitchen utensils, washed all the already clean cutlery and plates. The day slowly dragged by and I found myself studying the computer print out of a map.
    A building was circled, with the word 'home' written beside it, from there, a clear line ran down to a building labelled 'work'. It was two blocks down and sat on a corner. Another line continued round that corner, ending at a building circled, 'college'. Asteria managed to secure me a job without the need of an interview as well as getting me into a beginners course at college, but that didn't start another two weeks. Work started tomorrow. I went through the details of work again, starting time, shop and managers name, if funds would allow, I would go to college without having to work. There was nothing exciting about starting a job. I looked out the window, down towards where my new work place should be, I couldn't see that far, but there were a number of people heading in that direction.
Better to be sure of my route before hand, lest I get lost on my first day! The elevator ride down was so smooth, that I wasn't sure it had moved at all until the doors slid open to reveal the entry way to the building. People passed me on the street, some in suits, some dressed like me, young, old, nobody seemed to notice me hesitating in the doorway. That put me at ease a little, the whole world wasn't watching me, I hadn't realised that I had that feeling of being watched, until it was gone. I could breathe. The air wasn't as fresh here, I noticed when I inhaled deeply, but still, it was exhilarating and it gave me that final push to leave the doorway and walk down the street.
    Although I was aware I was shaking, my stride was steady. It was the first time in my life I had been on my own, really on my own, there was no one waiting for me to return home, no one looking after me and definitely no terror inflicting vampire to hide from. This was independence, as scary as it was, I'd longed for this. When I reached the corner, it was much busier with people and traffic. There were people standing down the length of the street handing out flyers and stopping people that really didn't look like they wanted to be stopped. The coffee shop sat on the corner, the first in a line of shops and bars as far as the street went. Bean's Beans, said the sign above the shop front, inside almost all the tables were taken and a queue waited at the counter. A woman, in her twenties maybe, stood behind the counter whilst a boy about ages with me took an order from a table. I didn't go inside, instead I headed down the street, checking the shop windows as I looked for the college building.
The college was easy enough to find, follow the road straight, turn left and walk up the hill. It sounds easier than it was, it was actually like a fifteen minute walk, and the long hill had my calf's burning, I hadn't realised I was so out of shape. Join a gym as soon as possible! I took some time on heading home, I walked through the shops and stepped into an almost empty cafe to eat. Cooking was a skill I would have to learn.     When I got home I went through the contact book on the mobile phone, Achlys, Alastor, Aphrodite and Asteria were listed, I edited Aphrodite to Thalia to save confusion and sent a text to each of them, excluding Asteria who's number was a landline.
Achlys - HEY LYSS, JUST LETTING U KNO THT I GOT HERE SAFE. START WORK 2MORO. HOW IS EVERY1? R U OK? ACCALIA

Alastor - HEY, HOW R U? WENT 2 EXPLORE THE HIGH ST 2DAY WORK LOOKS NICE. WOT HAV U BEEN UP 2? ACCALIA

Thalia - HEY THANX 4 SETTING UP PHONE. IM USELESS WITH THIS STUFF.

    No one replied right away. I wondered what went on when I wasn't there, it was hard to think of how life went on before and I after I was there. What did Asteria, Aristaios and Thalia do during the day whilst everyone else slept? The rest of the day I spent, trying to tune into the television and found a station that was showing Scrubs re-runs. At ten o'clock I slinked into bed, taking the phone with me, I fought the urge to text until finally giving in and selecting Alastor.
WHY ARN'T YOU TALKING TO ME? I'M ALONE HERE AND NO ONE IS REPLYING TO ME! WHAT DID I DO??

    As I hit the send button, I felt a tear roll down my cheek, I didn't realise how alone I would feel and with no one sending even a text message back, I wondered if they had cared at all or were they just obliged to be nice whilst I was their guest? The phone buzzed. I eagerly opened the message.
Alastor - GUESS U CNT SLEEP? CALM DOWN BBE, NOT IGNORIN Um BEEN BUSY, U DOIN GD? XX
I sighed in relief, that one text having such a positive effect on me. I didn't hesitate to reply.
OK COOL, JUST HADN'T HEARD FROM ANY1 THOT I DONE SOMETHING WRONG. IM GOOD JUST NERVOUS BOUT STARTING WORK. HOW IS EVERY1? XX
    He didn't reply after that and I told myself that he would get round to it when he was done with whatever he was occupied with. When the alarm went off at eight the next morning, the first thing I done was check my phone. Nothing. My first shift started at ten, so there was plenty time for a shower and making myself presentable. I spent the longest time on my hair, then grabbed my bag and headed out. The shop was quieter today, the same two staff serving the customers, the woman smiled at me when I reached the counter. "What can I get you, love?"
"Uh, I'm supposed to start work here today? I'm... Claire", I choked on the name, almost saying 'Accalia', even though I went through it over and over in my head the whole walk down, "Claire Smith, Claire Smith, Claire Smith." In my opinion it was so common a name that it would be suspicious, 'a common name will help you blend into the crowd. Its inconspicuous', Asteria argued.
"Hi Claire, I'm Stacey." Stacey shook my hand and lifted a part of the counter top to allow me to pass. "Just go through there", she said, showing me to a door. "Dad, Claire's here" she called through. I found a middle aged man sitting at a desk, he stood as I entered and shook my hand. "Pleasure to meet you Claire, I'm Simon Bean." Bean? I laughed and thankfully, he laughed too. "I know, I know, it's quite fitting for a coffee shop. Anyway, here is a shirt for you, Stacey will train you up." Simon wasn't really how I imagined a boss would be, from the way people talk and the way they are portrayed on television, I expected some unapproachable, tyrant. Simon didn't fit that profile, so far he seemed nice even.
    "Mark", Stacey called to her colleague, "this is Claire, show her how to do the tables." Mark was friendly enough, he told me how to take orders and wait tables, which took no longer than fifteen minutes. He asked where I was from, if I were at school, what I was in to, I forged my way through his questions and found him to be more into talking about himself than finding out about me. Despite his extremely youthful looks, he claimed to be nineteen, almost twenty and this was just a temporary position for him until his band made it big. He went on to explain that Stacey, Simon the boss' daughter, was older than him by only a few weeks, yet acted double his age. "In here she thinks she's my boss, outside, she thinks she's my big sister, always trying to give me advice. She actually tries to give me dating advice!" He laughed, "she tells me to be wary of girls, like I'm some innocent kid being pursued by wicked women, its the woman that should be wary of me!" I laughed with him but thought maybe Stacey had a point, he did seem to be younger than his age, maybe certain people would want to use that to their advantage.
    Three days dragged by, a routine developed, wake up, go to work, come home, eat, watch the clock then go to bed. I could stare at my phone for hours, willing it to ring, it never did. No one text me back, no one called, no one cared. When I felt like that, there was one place I wanted to go. Home. To visit the place where I had last felt normal, safe, loved. I wasn't close to my old family home, well I wasn't in the same city at least. I didn't actually know how far it was, but it was still far enough for the people here to have a slightly different accent from mine. Even if I were close enough, I'd have no idea how to get there.
    A hand waving in front of my face, snapped me out of my day dreaming, I wasn't even aware o was doing it until I saw Stacey's face. "Did you get that?" We were behind the counter, not many customers in the store, I didn't know what I had missed getting. She sighed and turned back to the cash register, "it's touch screen, so when the customer..." I zoned out again, I didn't see the point in being till trained, not when Stacey was apparently the only one trusted enough with cash handling. Laughing brought me back in the room, Stacey had her arms folded across her chest, a smile playing on her lips, Mark was leaning across the counter top. "Oh she's back!" He announced, clearly aiming it at me.
"She's been out of it all day", Stacey commented, "you can go for a tea break", she told me. Still a bit bewildered with what was going on around me, I took off my apron and went through to the small staff room in the back. Mark followed me in, flicking the switch on the kettle before taking a seat beside me. "What's going on with you?"
"Nothing much." My smile so false it hurt my cheeks.
"Just one of those days, huh?"
"One of those weeks", I sighed.
"It gets better after the first week by the way. Working and living on your own, well according to my brother anyway. Not that I would know." I smiled at him and got up to pour the tea. "You doing anything tonight?" I considered the question, wondering where it would lead. "Oh, I'm not asking you out or anything", he laughed, my band is playing tonight, my girlfriend will be there so you could come. Cheer yourself up a bit."
"I'm not eighteen yet", I admitted after pouring the tea.
"It's cool, I have connections" he said in a conspirators tone.
"What?" I laughed. "Are you some mafia guy's son or something?"
"Don't worry about it, I'll get you in."
"Get her in where?" Said Stacey from the doorway. "I need you on the floor Mark, its getting busy." They walked out together, their conversation mixing with the chatter of the customers in the shop.
    Mark passed back my phone after storing his number into it. "Just give me a text if you're coming."  
"I'll let you know if I'm up for it after I get a sleep." I replied, pulling on my jacket. Stacey had invited herself along, and went on about it almost for the whole day. I wasn't in any mood to party, although there was no doubt I needed the company. And with a little more effort on my part probably, we could be friends, Mark anyway, I couldn't tell if Stacey actually liked me or if she simply put up with me. All that said, I still didn't fancy going out. The door to the shop closed behind me, I zipped my jacket up against the cold and turned for home. It was just after two o'clock, the street was relatively busy and I felt the eyes of someone on me. I took a look around me, everyone was going about their business, except the one man across the road. He was looking at me, at least, I thought he was, it was hard to tell in the gloom of the falling rain. I turned away and continued down the street. I made only a few paced before I had to turn and check behind me again. The man was gone, I scanned the street to make sure, but there was no sign of him and I got on my way. The creeping feeling of being watched followed me all the way home.