British Bird - Complete

British Bird - Chapter Ten

By the time I've finished talking, I'm standing at the end of the table. On the left starting from who is right in front of me is; Gabriel, Victor, Luke and Silas, the seat next to Silas is empty. On my right is Mr Blackbourne, Kota, Nathan, Sean and North. They look at me with wide eyes and I blurt out the only thing I can manage, "What?"

"I just think that's the most we've heard from you since we saw you yesterday," Sean says and I hate that the spark I got so used to seeing in his eyes isn't there right now.

"Well," I mutter, "You are at my place of work." My eyes flash around the table. "And I assume that you're staying here also." It's not a question but it really sounds like it is.

"We are," Mr Blackbourne says and that's all he says; which annoys me. No, actually it pisses me off and I'm not sure why.

I clench my jaw. Moving on, "Is there anything I can get you while you look over the menus?"

"Just drinks please, Sang," Kota says. I take their orders, writing on my note pad furiously.

When I'm done I tell them that I'll be right back. Behind the bar, I start making their drinks and putting them on a tray. It's pretty simple what they want; coffee.

"Who are they?" Adam asks, standing at my side. I could feel him watching before approaching but I'm in one of those moods where I'm just going to ignore everything.

"What's it to you?" I snap.

Adam's eyes narrow, "I'm concerned."

Picking up the tray I shake my head, "Don't be." I walk away before he can say anything else. It has nothing to do with him. It's my business and my business only. They're my secret, the time we spent together in the States are my memories, mine to hold onto. I don't want anyone else knowing them but maybe right now is the time to trust someone, to tell them the things I've always kept so close.

And there is only one person I feel I can speak to, tell all to, to trust enough to never spill a thing to anyone.

Evie.

xXx

After breakfast is over, the boys still hang about. I keep a distance, only going to collect plates and cups. I also steer clear of Adam. I'm not sure what his problem is, but I have too much going on to worry about him now.

Not long after breakfast, I watch from the corner of my eye as Gabriel, Luke, Victor, Silas, and Sean get up from their seats, pulling on their coats. I wonder where they're going and find myself not having to wonder long when Silas comes over, zipping up his blue coat.

"Hey Aggele," he says softly and my eyes leave the receipts from breakfast I was sorting and look up, meeting his eyes. He called me angel. This is something I learned when he first started calling me it when I was thirteen years old. It makes my heart flip, just like it did back then.

"Everything okay?" I ask softly.

"Will be when you stop ignoring us and let us speak with you." His voice is just as soft but his English comes out smooth, his accent wrapping around the words as he spoke.

"I'm not ignoring you. If I was I wouldn't be talking to you right now." I point out.

He leans on the bar, elbow firmly in place, his face coming closer to mine now that he's more at my height. "You're being professional, Aggele." Okay, so I am but I'm not going to agree. His lips quirk up into a smile. "Why can't you say a joke while standing on ice?" He asks.

He wants to tell me a joke? When I just stare at him and find him waiting expectantly for me to answer. I force my eyes to roll but truth is, I love Silas' jokes and always found them amusing. "Fine, I'll bite. I don't know, why?"

"Because it might crack up." He lets out a laugh and not matter how hard I tried to stop it, the smile  breaks free. It's not just a lip tilt or a tight lipped smile. It's a full on, happy, glow of a smile, teeth and all. Silas beams at my response, "It's not a laugh, but the smile I'll take. I've missed both."

My smile immediately falls. I've missed doing both, but I won't tell him that. I don't want him or the others to know how unhappy I've been. "Yeah, well...," I mutter, shifting on his feet.

He stands to his full height and I find myself having to tilt my head back to look at him. "Hopefully we'll see you later."

"Where are you going?" I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me. I thought that what he came over to tell me, but obviously not. I have to ask.

His lips tilt into a soft, genuine smile. "You may act like you don't care, Aggele, but you do. That question tells me that." He pauses before saying, "Gabriel wants to check out the stores around here."

"Shops. Corner shops. Clothes shops.  Fish and chip shop. They're shops," I correct, shaking my head.

Silas grins, his eyes sparkle, "Gabriel wants to check out the shops. Said that this beautiful girl we know needs a coat. So, we're going to get her one." He pats his hands on the bar before pushing himself away. "Cya later, Aggele Mou."

I watch his back as he walks towards the door where Luke, Gabriel, Victor, and Sean stand, already huddled into their winter coats. It's then I remember what he said. They're going shopping for a coat. For a beautiful girl that they know. I don't need to doubt or hope that it's for me, I already know.

I sigh, shaking my head. There is no point trying to argue it. Gabriel will just do it anyway and Victor will hand over that shiny black credit card, the one I remember Nathan saying he's had since starting school, without a blink of his eye at the price on the display of the till.

I  just won't wear it. Even if the thought of having a nice, warm coat to wear sounds like heaven. Stubborn, I know. My own stubbornness is even frustrating me, but I've learned over the last few years that it's me and only me.

Until they barged back into my life only yesterday and turned it upside down. The thing is though, I know that if I just listened to what they have to say, then my world will be altered once more and I won't be so alone. The thought terrifies me, yet something warm settles in my heart. I haven't let anyone in for a long time and although they know a lot, they have no idea what's happened in my life since the moment I was escorted kicking and screaming out of Cara and Johnny's house.

I just don't know what to do. My head is telling me one thing and my heart is telling me another. Now the question is, should I listen to my head or my heart?