Possessed Soul

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"Shut up," I said, in response to Holden's attempt to hold a conversation. It had started off okay, but eventually he ran out of things to say and started blabbering whatever shit he could come up with. He didn't even pause between words; all the words blurred into one.

"Sorry," Holden mumbled. He didn't say anything after that and I kind of wished I hadn't told him to stop talking. The silence hanging over us was intangible, yet heavy.

"Hi, I'm Caitlin and I'll be your waitress for the evening." A girl in a short black skirt and button-up pink shirt beamed at us, with a pen and paper in her hand. I don't even know why we had decided to come to this coffee shop. all I knew was that after I had seen Sage with Ryan my brain hasn't been functioning probably.

"Hey," I greeted her and threw her one of my golden smiles.

Her cheeks filled with blood, reminding me of the girl at the motel. If I had this effect on all girls, what was so special about Sage? This was a cruel trick that the universe was playing on me...my penance for being a player. I could have any girl in the world, except the one I wanted.

"Can I take your order?" she enquired, tucking a strand of her dyed, purple hair behind her ear.

"Just two cappuccinos," Holden replied, when I remained mute. There had been money in the saddles of the motorcycles we stole; it wasn't much money, but I was grateful that we didn't have to steal anymore today. I didn't think I was up for it.

"Okay." She didn't bother scribbling anything down on her notepad and just walked away. I noted the way her hips swung from side to side.

"What was that?" Holden asked. "I don't think now's the right time for a rebound."

"Why not?" I asked. I didn't want a rebound, but it wasn't about what I wanted anymore. I couldn't have what I wanted, but maybe I could have what I needed. Another girl to lessen the heartache was the perfect thing. Of course the pain would only be numbed, but that would suffice. "Rebounds are meant for people who can't get over their last relationship. I don't know if you can see it, but I think I fit the requirements."

Holden shook his head in horror and looked out the café window. I looked outside as well, but realised that there wasn't much to see: just cars, cars and more cars. No wonder Earth was so polluted. Now that Sage was gone I could see all the faults in everything, no matter how small it was. There was a spot of dirt on the waxed café floor and the waitress who returned with our coffee had a pimple on her left cheek.

"Are you okay?" Caitlin asked, and spent an unnecessarily long time setting my coffee down in front of me.

"Yes, I am." I realised she was blushing again, even more feverishly than the first time. She probably thought she was the reason for my staring into space.

"Maybe we should go someplace else," Holden said, when Caitlin walked away. "Or get our coffee to go, because there's no way you're capable of holding your own in society."

"I'm fine," I assured him. "I'll prove it to you," I added, when he still seemed unconvinced. I took a swig of my cappuccino and burnt my tongue in the process. "Hot!" I exclaimed and fanned my burning mouth.

"Bang up job of proving yourself," Holden sighed and slowly clapped his hands.

"That wasn't me proving myself." I stood up and walked towards the counter, where Caitlin was rattling off orders to someone else. I had intended to ask her for her number, but was distracted when two men in navy suits walked in. One stood right next to me, and I noticed that he had a gun in his belt, and he was very brawny. The other man was thinner, but still had an air of bitterness around him. The thinner man chatted with Caitlin and showed her a picture. All I got were snippets of their conversation, but managed to gather that they were looking for someone. The lean man left Caitlin with a picture and asked her to call him if the person made an appearance. Caitlin nodded, and I could see her quick intakes of breath as she tried to breathe normally.

I stood rooted in my spot and waited for the two men to leave. Once I heard the sound of their car taking off, I breathed a sigh of relief. There was something about those men that put me on edge. I had initially thought they were the police. I wasn't eager to see Johnson or Stark again, but even those two didn't seem as scary as the men I had just encountered.

"Trouble?" I asked Caitlin, who had recovered from her shock sooner than I would have expected.

"The FBI," she replied. "They're looking for her." She held up a picture of a girl slightly younger than me. Her eyes were the most peculiar hazel colour, and her hair was as red as fire: Sage.