Outcry - Completed

Chapter 2

"You're joking right?" Layla asked, her eyes wide in astonishment as they traipsed toward their favorite seats outside of Spresso's Coffee Shop. "The cops really came to your apartment?"

Rayne nodded.

They barely had managed to make it from the parking lot to the front door of the cafe before Layla began hounding her about the morning's events. She knew her friend could only take being left in the dark for a short period of time before having a meltdown, and was surprised that she had held out this long.

"I'll allow that as an acceptable excuse for hanging up on me this morning," she said with a stern glare. "But that's your only freebie!"

Rayne shook her head and took a seat at the table nearest the fence. It had become the preferred location for their favorite game of people watching, with the best vantage point from which to see the locals meandering up and down the main street of Ridgeton. The wide variety of shops and businesses gave them quite the mixture of characters for the object of their sport, and today was no different. The steadily warming weather and pleasant midmorning sun had coaxed more people from their homes than usual. It was busy with people walking and talking, cars passing, and even the occasional cyclist whizzing by, but there were more important matters to tend to.

Rayne crossed her legs and sipped her coffee, attempting to tame a stray curl caught between her lips. "I didn't hang up on you," she stated, rolling her eyes and setting the paper cup down on the wobbly table. "I said I'd call you back."

Layla's dark brown eyes widened. "And that was it!" She flung her arms about wildly as she spoke, causing her short black ringlets to bounce sporadically around her full face. "You can't just tell someone, namely me, your best friend, that you'll call back, and hang up! That's bad friend etiquette!"

"Really? Friend etiquette? You just made that up," Rayne replied as she reached into her purse, pulling out a pair of shades and slipping them on. The sun felt great on her skin in the still slightly chilly air, but her bright green eyes were not as appreciative.

She was, however, glad that she decided to go back for her brown leather jacket before leaving her apartment. It would have bordered on being too cold otherwise, not to mention it looked great with her cream-colored peasant top, jeans, and nearly knee-high leather boots.

Layla nearly slammed her coffee onto the table. "You're damn right I just made that up!" she said angrily. "But that's not the point!"

Rayne smiled in amusement at her friend's antics and leaned back in her chair to wait patiently for the tantrum to end. Layla had been known to be overly dramatic, even about the smallest things. Luckily, Rayne had mastered the art of dealing with her friend a long time ago, and knew that it was usually best to wait it out. It was more entertaining that way.

"Finished?" she asked. The strain of producing a calm composure was evident on Layla's face. Rayne stared at her through the dark lenses of her glasses, wondering just how long her friend could keep it together. For the fifteen years they had known each other, Layla had been among the worst of the gossips and stuck her nose into everything she could. The fact that something big enough to make the local news involved someone she knew personally had to be driving her crazy.

Her foot began to tap anxiously.

"It's killing you isn't it?" Rayne asked, smiling.

Layla threw her hands into the air. "Yes! It is!" she nearly yelled.

Rayne laughed. Even with all the stress, spending some quality time with her best friend really helped to ease her mind and let her relax a little. She needed it, especially with the developments the police had brought her this morning. The outside may have seemed in order, tranquil even, but that was nothing like the storm of emotions that raged within her just beneath the surface.