She Once Had

i | plasma

                           chapter one

Second night in a row.

I mentally frowned myself as I continued to scrub away any residue from the previous customers' drinks. My suppose it, best friend had tricked me into working the last hour and a half of her night shift again. I suppose it was for good reasons – her long distance boyfriend, Nicholas Patts was visiting Beverly Hills for the summer and she swore to him they would hangout the moment he got into town.

Tonight just happened to be the night Nick would arrive and lucky for me Sweetbrew closed a little earlier on Sunday's – which meant Elise's shift wouldn't be too terrifyingly long, so I agreed.

My eyes constantly flickered between the wall clock strung up with bright brown lights, hanging above the cash register and the dull yellow pages of my romance novel. I glanced around the kitchen one last time, making sure Elise and my station was completely cleaned before reading the last sentence to a long chapter and shutting my book tight, saving the spot with the creasing of a page.

Placing the coffee blend back in the fridge and the last of the dirty silverware in the sink, I grasped my book in my left hand, reaching to turn the lamp's nauseating vibrant yellow light out. The moment I feel the light's switch on the pads of my fingertips a familiar bell sounds through the small coffee shop.

On instinct my eyes trail towards the door.

A tall, lean yet muscular man steps through Sweetbrew's doorway. My frown deepened slightly, I was surprised he hadn't notice the vivid neon paper that read the shop's closing hours – which just happened to be right about now.

I took a sharp breath before softly speaking. "Sir, I am deeply sorry, but we are closed for the night. You can always come back tomorrow, we open at -."

He cut me off with a wave of his hand before stepping more into the yellow light. It was more evident now that he was bleeding from a deep cut above his right eyebrow, his shirt had a gash in his left side and it was obvious he had been bleeding by the way the blood trailed from his shirt to his denim jeans, but thankfully it had stopped.

It took every ounce of courage in me not to shriek in terror, but I was very grateful that I was still in the kitchen – surrounded by doable weapons.

His gaudy blue eyes seemed clouded with a mix of emotions. His fingers curled at his once bleeding side as he stumbled over to the shop's counter – using his weight to lean up against the tall bar area.

  "Water," he paused taking sharp breaths, "I need some water. Now."

I moved instantly, a grabbed a random cup from the sink, rinsing it out the best I could in a swift motion before taking the fridge's cool water jug and pouring him a cup.

My fingers were slightly shaking, but I wasn't afraid – my nerves were just all over the place. I wanted to get home curl up in my silky sheets and enjoy a bowl of cheerios, but I also felt an urge to stay and help.

  "Are y-you okay?"

He tossed the cup back in one gulp, slowly nodding to answer my question.

I was quiet for a lengthy moment before shifting my feet. "Um sir, I was just on my way-"

"Could you just give me a damn minute?" His voice was husky and stern. His facial expression went from confused to irritated, his features hardening and eyes darkening.

"I was just bleeding from my abdomen not to long ago, could you just give me a second to get myself together?"

I agreed with an uneasy half-smile. I turned back to put the jug of water back into the fridge, trying to keep my eye on the stranger in front of the counter.