It Started With a Pen

Chapter 1: Java Shot

"Anyone seen Jonah?" Monica asked, biting her lip.

"He came in earlier. Said he had a job interview."

"Another one?" Lucia laughed. "Didn't he just get a job at the museum two days ago?"

"He got fired," Monica nodded.

"Already?" Lucia frowned. "What'd he do this time?"

"It had to be dumb. He didn't want to say."

"Well, we can ask him now. Here he comes. Hi, Jonah!"

Jonah smiled a little and sat next to Lucia.

"So," Monica smiled, "you mind telling us why you were fired from your new job?"

"Um...it's embarrassing."

"Now, now," Lucia chuckled, "you were there when Denny tried to swim with the mermaid tail he sewed from my raincoat. Nothing could be more embarrassing than that."

Jonah, Monica and Lucia laughed heartily.

"Yeah, yeah. That needs to die," Denny huffed.

"Are you kidding? That's a story that we'll be telling your grandchildren," Monica laughed heartily.

Denny moaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Oh my goodness," Lucia chuckled, "remember the day Jonah and I met, and I didn't have my umbrella because Denny stole it for that stupid experiment?"

—————

Three years ago.

"Alright, boss, I'm heading out!" Lucia called before looking out the window. "Great. It's raining again."

A young man, who was sitting at a nearby table, brought out a blue umbrella. "Here."

"Oh, that's okay," Lucia said softly. "Really, sir, I don't live too far. But thank you."

"No, please. No need to get wet."

"Alright," Lucia smiled, taking the umbrella. "Thank you."

—————

"Yeah, I remember," Monica nodded. "Denny, why did you have her umbrella?"

Denny sighed and closed his book in a professional manner, slowly closing the cover. "I was doing an experiment."

"Right," Lucia said slowly. "But why did you need my umbrella?"

"I was trying to prove Ben Franklin's theory on electricity. I wasn't going to ruin one of my umbrellas. Duh." He rolled his eyes as though it were obvious.

"Denny, you do realize that Ben Franklin has alright been proven right, right?" Monica frowned.

Denny blinked. "Yes, but I wanted to do my own experiments."

Lucia and Monica both face palmed.

"You're certainly an interesting guy, Denny," Jonah chuckled.

Denny sipped his coffee. "Well, at least I don't follow science blindly."

"Excuse me," Lucia scoffed, "but what's scientific about stealing my raincoat, sewing it into a mermaid tail, hopping around with it on, and then trying to cannon ball into the pool?"

"Okay, that was purely for fun. But I'm usually trying to make a scientific break through."

"You ended up falling into my rose bush," Lucia frowned. "Not one of your best ideas."

"Whatever. It's in the past."

"Nope. It lives on in my camera roll," Monica grinned. "I still have the video."