HEIRS

CHAPTER TWO: A WORD OF ADVICE

"How long have you been waiting?"
And he jumped from his seat. "Jeez. Don't sneak up on people like that."
His face was scrunched. What a morning he must be having. Maybe he hadn't had his coffee, so that's why. Coffee truly is a lifesaver. But too much caffeine could be dangerous. This was how irony worked. What a thoughtful morning I am having, huh.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to."
I came around the edge of the table to face him. Wow was my first thought. Not bad. In fact, not bad at all. Gorgeous grump. That phrase clicked. He looked cute with his glasses. Most guys don't. I hadn't seen many guys here already, but that was a given. Should I even be judging, given that I'm new here myself?
"Andromache" he whispered looking at me.
"What?"
 He seemed to clear his head.
 "What, what?"
 "You said something."
 He wasn't looking me in the eyes before too, but now he was glancing sideways as if he stole something from me. "I most certainly didn't."
 "I heard you whispering."
 "Why did the coffee take so long?"
Misdirection. Oldest tricks from the book. Does work though.
 "I'm new here. Sorry for the long wait."
 "Long enough to have read all about the hologram cloak" he commented.
 "If you read a page for about a minute on average, then you've been here around twelve minutes?" I said, placing the coffee in front of him. He looked at his watch and then looked up at me.
"How come you estimated a minute for a page?"
Oh, so he fits in the curious category.
 "I'm right, aren't I."
He mumbled something while bobbing his head. I slipped the bill towards him. He paid and kind of blew me off. I would've argued about that but just then Pearl appeared at the table.
 "Pearl" he sort of exclaimed, flashing her a wide smile. This guy could smile? The coffee is magic, I simply realized.
 "How are you doing? It's been long since I saw Jan. How's she?" He stood up. Maybe to hug her? But he didn't. Why did I feel good about that?
"She's perfect kiddo, like me." I was dumbstruck. And was staring at them. How much a smile could change someone's face.
"You guys already know each other," I said, stating the obvious.
 "Of course, Ash is my favorite of all the kids in this neighborhood." Pearl threw a thousand-dollar smile towards me.
 "I thought we agreed on you not calling us kiddos since you are almost one yourself."
He nudged her slightly.
 "Ah-ha! I never agreed to that. And, I own this place. I'm more than far from being kiddo, kiddo." He seemed to be talking very easily with her. Then she went away. He looked back at me and seemed to stiffen. It was so clearly visible. Like Edward Cullen did when he saw/smelled Bella Swan. Terrific comparison. I was reading too much into the situation. Even though he wasn't even a bit welcoming, he could work his way by the looks. Realizing I was lingering, I went to the back again. Someone called Pearl and she bolted out.
After some time, "Your shift's over kid. Go home" said her angelic voice.
 "Thanks for the assist."
She snapped her fingers. "You got it."
 And I walked home back up the road. My phone was at the brink of death. But if I walked up without hitting my playlist, I was sure to die. And, I had a long first day. Cranking up my earbuds, I went into the ethereal plane of peace. I took a long way home, duh. Surely, Avy was ready with her questionnaire by the time I was back. She pranced upon me as soon as I entered through the door.
 "How was your first day? What did you do? Who taught you? Was it a good place? Did anyone bully you? What did you-"
Of course, she didn't stop for me to answer. "How much coffee did you have? And would you at least let me in?"
She looked like she had at least ten cups. I shoved her aside and went in. "None. Why do you ask?"
She looked almost innocent. "You don't remember me waking you up, do you?"
She didn't have to answer, her face said it all. "Oh. That happened again today?" "Most certainly." I smiled. "Okay smirky face, shut up. Just answer me."
"You realize I can't shut up and answer at once? I mean, I could try but you wouldn't understand anything."
Even before my sentence could complete, I saw her tapping her foot in irritation at my elaborated analysis.
"Could you just?" She rolled her eyes.
Fine, okay." It was so much fun looking at her like this. And I did, in the order, she asked me. Then Maya came rushing from the kitchen.
"Oh, my big girl, how was your first day?"
Her eyes were all wide with excitement. And a little worry too. I mean, obviously.
"It was amazing. But I met a grump. A good-looking guy though. Emphasis on good." I wasn't going to hide things from her. I gave her all the 'deets'. 
 "Ooooooh," she said, with a huge smile.
"No, no, no. Not that. I just know his name. Ash. Geek. He doesn't know my name though. Looked like around our age."
I sort of shot down her eagerness into a big pit.
 "Geek like you." She was making the smirky face again. But he wasn't like me. Not. I could tell that. Although my surety was a doubt to myself. I mean, I barely knew the guy.
 "Oh, no. you wouldn't say that after you meet him." Ha. She definitely wouldn't.
 "Uh-huh. How do you know that? You're not one for first impressions, are you?"
She was eying me like I was some archaeological finding. But the truth is, she was right. I never estimated a person, at first sight, she was right. That wasn't what happened here though. I hadn't evaluated him. I told that because it felt like I knew him. Deep down, somewhere. Somehow. Ugh, I spend way too much time in my head. Also, it was time to change the topic. "So, you like that guy you met the other day in the basketball court?"
 "The one who was bet up or Anwir?"
Her face reddened. I couldn't tell if she was angry about the first one or blushed because of the second one's mention.
 "Anwir." The red deepened and I got my answer.
 "Ah, no." She didn't want to admit her feelings. That's new.
 "What, why?" My voice went up, naturally.
 "Not my type. But he makes a very good buddy. And I don't think he has any intentions too. So, yeah."
 "Oh, let's just wait out. You're going through the phase, like always."
"You think you know me so well?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
"I know for a fact that I know you the best."
She mimicked me and went towards the sofa.
"Funny you didn't tell me the other guy's name." It was funny. She groaned at the mention of the other guy. Avy never really left any opportunity when it came to making friends. It isn't particularly hard for me either. I was just picky about making friends. I tend to make a relation with intriguing and mysterious kinds of people. Because that's what Avy calls me to be. But she wasn't like that. If she hadn't asked him his name, that meant that he was wired weird.
"That ass. He didn't tell me" she said as if she knew what I was thinking. "Said, 'it doesn't matter.' God, that guy." She seemed to hate him, although hate is known to be a very strong word.
"And therefore, he shall be referred to as "the other guy" I declared. She stuck her tongue out at me.
"What? I asked.
"He doesn't need any name. Unless you want to know?" She looked like she didn't want me to.
"Yeah, right. As if" I answered, dismissing her. But to be fair, I found him interesting. Can you blame me? I hadn't known a guy who wasn't interested in making an audience with a girl looking as pretty as Avy. And that says something about him. But again, I wasn't one for first impressions. She called his nature to be rude though.
 "Maya, something's burning" Neil screamed from the kitchen.
"What? Oh, no! Neil, you're right there. Take care of it" she screamed, already on her way down to the kitchen. She raced there.
"I didn't know what was burning. You filled the whole freakin' stove." Poor Neil.
 "Well, making ratatouille isn't easy."
And just then I was pretty sure I'd become crazy. Because there was no possibility she'd known about a dish from an animated movie. Maya loathed movies. Some bad memory associated with films which she would never mention. I and Avy crept into the kitchen and gasped at the sight and the aroma. She was actually making it. Both of us looked at each other and ran up to Maya and Neil to hug them fiercely.
 "Are you guys okay?" We inquired while they were hugging us back. I looked up at Neil. He was frowning.
 "We're all right girls, but what about you? What's going on?"
He still didn't seem to get it.
 "Because you guys were making a food item which, literally a rat made in an animated movie. You had that question coming" stated Avy.
 "Well, you guys thought it was yummy when you first looked at it and it took me this long to watch that movie and bring myself to make it."
 Oh, my God! She was just.... perfect. I didn't know how she could love us so much. "A plus for the effort guys, but we're over the food-crush. Now, we'll make you something." Us girls then shoved them out of the kitchen.