The Alchemy Project

6

He peeks one eye open to look at me questioningly.

I thrust my arm out to him, displaying the patch of angry red skin.

"Oh shit! Why didn't you tell me?" He shoots forward in his seat.

"You weren't exactly letting me speak, and we didn't have time for that either." I point out.

"Fucking hell, she's really irritating me now." Noah groans.

I switch on the engine for the car and slowly back out of the parking lot. Luckily, we both have a free period just before lunch today, so we can use both hours to get some work done as we eat before returning for the rest of our classes.

"Anytime I speak to you, or any other friend for that matter she just flips out on me! It's not like I'm doing anything wrong here, right? What the hell is her problem?"

I sigh, "you're asking the wrong person, Noah. Bethany is your girlfriend, you have to communicate with her to resolve this issue."

Noah snorts a laugh, "like that has ever helped before."

"Well have you tried asking her why she responds in the way she does?"

"She never gives a reason!" Noah grunts.

The cafe we were headed to was barely even a five minute drive away, so before I know it, Noah and I are leaving the car and walking through the entrance.

"Maybe you're not asking in the right way?"

"What reason could possibly be good enough for being controlling, obsessive and borderline manipulative?" Noah asks.

I ignore him for a moment as I smile over at Linda, the manager of my favourite cafe.

"Oh vela! I haven't seen you for weeks!" She fusses.

"Hey Linda, how have you been?" I ask.

Linda is a woman in her fifties now, she's cute and has warm, friendly brown eyes, a smile brighter than the sun, and the bubbliest persona.

"Very well, sweetheart. What can I get for you today?" She glances over at Noah and regards him with a smile.

She looks back at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes and, if it was possible, her dimples carve even deeper into her round cheeks.

"Can we get two iced coffees and two..." I pause to read the food menu, "spicy beef burritos please."

She rings it up on the till and I hand her the notes before guiding Noah over to sit at my favourite seat.

"Why did you pay?" He huffs.

"You brought snacks the other day, right? So it was technically my turn." I smile.

I look around with a content sigh, it's a fairly large cafe, but still has a home-y, cosy feel to it. Fairy lights adorn the top of all four walls, each is decorated slightly differently with different vintage posters, funky painting and a few clocks. The window has a chalkboard pressed against it displaying the opening times. A similar chalkboard is behind the counter displaying the specials and there's a glass display by the till filled with all sorts of pastries, cakes and other sweet, yummy goodies. Seating is scattered across the entire shop floor, but on the far end is a window seat with cushions and a table in front, which is my favourite place to sit.