Ten
The screaming won't stop! I'm in a hall of mirrors, and a choice is needed to be made- which way do I take? I can't concentrate with all of the screaming going on, and for some reason I feel like whichever way I take will kill me in the end. My death is inevitable. "You must choose," a strange female voice booms. I look left, and the screaming that's coming from all around me intensifies. I look the other way, and it gets even louder. "There is only one way," the voice purrs. "Death is inevitable." The mirror closest to me starts to shake, the glass looking as if it were made of water, and then a dark form steps from it- a man. He seems to be completely made of shadow, and he is absolutely terrifying. I seem to be stuck in place, unable to move as he takes hold of my arm and his somewhat familiar voice drifts to my ears, a terrifying whisper of pure evil, "Your time is up..."
I wake up feeling like I've been doused with a big bucket of cold water. My heart is beating erratically in my chest, and my eyes can't help but dart around the room, looking for the dark things that have plagued me in my dreams. Actually, I feel around and notice that in fact I do happen to be wet- slick with a cold sweat that must've occurred during the bizarre nightmare I've just awakened from.
Sighing, I reach over to my bedside table to turn on my lamp and gasp at the time; it's three in the morning. I turn the light on, and make my way to my door and stop dead in my tracks when I hear a noise coming from the direction of my window. Turning around slowly, I scrunch my eyes shut and resolve not to freak out when I open them. It's probably a tree branch I think to myself. When I open my eyes, my heart stops at the sight before me; Damien is staring at me very intently through my window. I feel his stare like it's a cold, ugly hand, tracing its way all over my body- defiling me. He smiles, and in the blink of an eye, disappears from sight. That's when everything goes black and I feel myself crumpling to the cold, hard floor.
~*~
When I wake up, the only thing that runs through my mind is, my head hurts a lot. Holy crap my head hurts. Why does my head hurt?
"How did you get on the floor?" Asks Cara, who's standing in the doorway to my room eating an apple and staring at me in confusion.
I yawn tiredly and shake my head. "I don't know. More importantly," I groan as I sit up, rubbing my head, "who let you in and what are you doing up at this ungodly hour?"
Cara snorts indignantly. "We have this thing to go to, you know, school." Oops...
"Right," I mutter. I stand up, stretching my arms out and cracking all the good spots in my shoulders and back, and yawn again. "Thanks." She smiles, and taps her wrist, "We don't want to be late. Hop in the shower, I'll make breakfast. Both your parents left for work, but your dad said that he wasn't working late tonight, so he'll be home when you get back from your first day on the job to grill you for details."
~*~
Try not to make eye contact, try not to make eye contact- "Welcome to the Sweet Treats Café, what would you like today?" So far, my first day on the job has been pretty slow, and of course Cara and Tristan are standing right at the counter, looking at me like proud parents. Would that make Tristan my step dad? I chuckle at the thought.
"Can I get a butt-latté?" asks Cara, with the most serious look on her face I have ever seen. Our eyes meet and she bursts out laughing, while Tristan says "God damn it, Cara! I told you not to do that to the poor girl, it's her first day." I just smile, trying to hold in my laughter.
"Sorry," she says, her face turning red from laughter, "I couldn't resist," and I roll my eyes because her mascara is running down her cheeks her eyes are watering so much.
"Tristan, believe me, it's okay. I'll just spit in her drink," I say, and Cara instantly sobers as I say, "Now, what'll you be having, so I can hawk a giant one right in it."
"You wouldn't," she says, grabbing a napkin from the counter to wipe her eyes, just as Cael walks up to the counter with a fresh strawberry cheesecake, for me to put on display. He smiles at Cara and asks; "She wouldn't what?" then turns and winks at me, like he knows what we were talking about.
"Nothing!" Both Cara and I say, at the same time as Tristan says, "Spit in her coffee." Cara smacks her boyfriend on the shoulder, and I glare at him. Cael just laughs, hands me the cake, and says, "Well, don't provoke her then." I place the cake inside the cake rack under the counter, and sigh. When I come up, Cael's smirking at Cara.
Cara gets a wicked glint in her eye, "Ooh! He's a keeper, Ki-Ki. Boy's got a sense of humour. We could definitely use him in our little group." Cael laughs and says, "That's good to know."
I look over at him, "Are you sure you can handle her? She's pretty wild." Cara frowns and sticks her tongue out at me and says, "Get me my latte, woman. I'm thirsty. You know how I like 'em."
I nod my head and roll my eyes at her and turn to Tristan, "And what would you like today?"
"Just a regular coffee would be great, thanks," he says, smiling, "I don't want to make your life any more complicated than it is."
"I should charge you fifty dollars, but that'll be eight dollars and fifty cents instead, please," I say, holding out my hand. Tristan hands me ten dollars and says, "Keep the change, because you deserve the good tip for exemplary service." I roll my eyes.
I charge everybody for their drinks and make Cara's- because only staff is allowed to use the latté machine lest anybody get burned messing up, and they stay a while to chat, marvelling at how awesome the café is, how cool it is that they can add whatever they want to their drinks and not get charged. Business begins to pick up not long after they leave half an hour later, albeit grudgingly since Cael ended up giving them free cake.
Close to closing, Cael's watching the front counter while I'm clearing off the tables when I pick up Vicky's familiar voice. I look in the direction of her voice and am shocked that she's standing at the counter, smiling away like her and Cael are privy to a joke that nobody else is.
"Hey there Cael," She says, sounding rather amused at something.
"Victoria," he replies, using the same tone of voice. "What can I get for you today?"
"I need something strong. You know, like a double espresso or something." She replies, smiling at him as if they were old friends. I guess it's very possible, if he and Damien used to be friends; I mean, I'm sure they know each other by the way they sound so familiar with one another. I can't help but wonder who would want to be friends with a snotty bit-I mean girl like her.
"Ah," replies Cael, smiling at her with warmth that shocks me, "that I can definitely do." He moves to ring up her order, but unfortunately (for me) catches my eye doing so and Vicky follows his gaze, frowning when she sees me.
"Oh," she says in my direction, "I didn't see you, Khiara"
I give the table closest to me a half-hearted wipe and mumble, "That's okay I've been pretty busy."
Her frown deepens and she walks over to me, her blue eyes looking suddenly troubled, "No, I should have noticed you sooner. Sorry about that. I was a little preoccupied myself though, I guess."
"Right," I say, not quite knowing what to say. I pull my hair up into a pony tail, and sigh, then awkwardly gesture back to the table. "Well, I have to get back to work." She nods, satisfied- though her eyes remain troubled- and walks back towards Cael.
"Well," she says to him, her tone less lighthearted and jokey than before, "I guess I'd better get my ass in gear. I've got somebody waiting for me." I keep wiping the table like it's my lifeline, and look anywhere but in their direction. I'm sure she's talking about Damien. "Here's your espresso," I hear Cael say, and then he says something lower, something that I can't quite catch; it almost doesn't sound English. I begin to wonder what it is he said to her, but try to ignore the pull of curiosity.
When about ten or so minutes pass, all of a sudden I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I turn to find Cael behind me smirking rather amusedly. His blue eyes sparkle with a laughter that he's trying to rein in.
"What?"
"If you keep wiping that table," he says, "you're going to go straight through it."
I look down and mumble, "To China. That was my plan."
Cael lets his laughter out and takes the cloth from me, "How was your first day on the job? That was officially the last customer of opening day! "
"It was great," I say, "I absolutely love working here. And it helps that my boss isn't a total asshole."
"That does help," he chuckles, but then stops and runs his fingers through his hair. "Total asshole? So does that mean I'm just a regular one then?"
"Let me take my foot out of my mouth and get back to you on that." I don't think it's possible for my face to get any redder.
Cael chuckles, reaches out and strokes my cheek, sending a trail of goose bumps where his hand gently touches my skin. "It's cute when you blush."
"Is it?" I whisper.
He blushes himself, "Yeah, it is."
"You know," I say, "I feel like I've known you forever. Talking to you is so easy."
Cael's smile fades for just a second as his eyes roam my face, "Forever," he says. He leans in real close and taps my nose. "You're right."