Saving Neba

𝐕: Indigo eyes

I was leaning on the sandwich bar in the coffee shop where I worked and reading an old English novel. Francesca, who was in a way my boss when Mr Jupeng was not around, was inside the kitchen getting the trays filled. The shop wasn't as busy as it used to be on a Saturday. There were only a few people, mostly pairs of a girl and a boy, seated at the circular tables, enjoying a cup of coffee and some floury dessert for a snack.

Luan Adams opened the glass door and walked in, much to my surprise. She walked right to me and glared at the book in my hand. She let her hand move so slightly at the book before she took a firm hold of it and set it on the counter.

"Emery Scother," she stressed as her eyelids went open and shut and she played with the strands of her flaxen hair.

"Hey. Welcome to Mister Pat's. What can I get you?" I decided to be formal, taking into account that this was a shop I worked in and, for now, I didn't know her, other than being another customer in a cerulean miniskirt and a striped pink sleeveless crop top.

She pouted at my response and I just stood there, with my lips pressed and stretched. "We have doughnuts," I suggested because I had seen her so many times with doughnuts that had honey in their hole. "There's strawberry milkshakes too."

"Shut up." She pulled out one of the brown armless chairs from the table, sat on it, and placed her legs on the table, flaunting her Nike trainers.

I poured coffee from the espresso into the cup and placed it on Luan's table. "We're giving out free coffee today. Is there any other thing you like?" I watched her look at the white plastic cup for a minute before she had it in her hand and took a sip.

Everyone was enjoying their snack, or maybe it was just the conversation they were into, but they didn't bother noticing me and Luan Adams.

"Honey-topped doughnuts," she demanded, with her eyes on anyone but me.

"We don't have that. I could ask Francesca to make you one. Would you like that?"

She didn't reply and that was better because I didn't want to have to ask Francesca for any kind of thing which would be served to Luan, not in Luan's officious condition. I watched her pull out a rectangular card from a golden bag I just figured she had and placed it on the table.

Francesca walked out of the kitchen and was at the counter. "Emery, come over here," her deep voice called. I left Luan, wondering why I hadn't done that before and was soon facing Francesca, the counter being the only obstacle between us.

"How's it going?" She asked me.

"We've quite the number, lesser than usual. Eight tables filled." I heard the chair move and turned to see Luan stand up. She faced Francesca and me, then scoffed.

"What kind of coffee shop has no honey-topped doughnuts? Ridiculous. I'm going to have my daddy close down this shop," she assured, turned around, and left before anyone could reply.

I turned back to face Francesca who was staring at the door with fury in her eyes. "Make that seven," I added.

"Some bitches don't deserve these scrawny chairs," Francesca remarked and walked to the chair Luan sat on. She put the chair in place, ignoring the card Luan left on the table. I doubt she saw it.

"That's Luan Adams, at my school. Her father owns The Charions," I explained.

She grabbed the coffee and turned around. "And I'm Francesca Leibing. My dad's in jail," she snapped but with nonchalance in her tone of voice.

"No, well, I meant, he could have this place closed down, or something," I tried to appear apologetic but she didn't seem to notice that, or acknowledge it for the least.