Bubbles

Chapter 21

Anna

She's looking at her salad like it's poisonous. I bite into my burger, appreciating the fact I'm not a health freak.
Did Alice mean it? I'd miss her if she left. There wouldn't be the same reckless teenager vibe.
A song I recognise comes on in the background - 'Brother' by Gerard Way. My little emo heart is ecstatic. Pen looks at me with a slightly nosy expression.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Alice."
She's quiet for a moment, trying to decipher which part of Alice's messy self it is that I'm thinking about. No one but me knows that Alice is planning on hijacking the fuck outta here; she doesn't really trust anyone. It's understandable.
I hold Penny's gaze, studying her pale blue irises.
The door of the cafe swings open, bell tinkling. Loud male voices joke and laugh. I recognise Ozzie, Reuben and someone I haven't seen before. They don't notice us. The characteristics of their group melt together seamlessly - Reuben's gingery buzzcut catching sunlight, Ozzie's perfect teeth in a cheeky grin, and the other guy's amused grey eyes.
That's the thing with boys. It doesn't really matter how they look; they fit, and they banter carelessly.
I've always been jealous of that.
'Colour Fade' by Funeral Suits is playing now. Whoever made this playlist knows their shit.
My hair hangs in my face. I ignore it and dip a chip in some ketchup.
Penny isn't okay, and I know it. She's real fucked. It's blatantly obvious to me - it shows in everything she does. Her smiles don't last, her fingers are cold, her clothes don't fit her properly, there are bags under her eyes. I know she doesn't eat properly and I know her mum is like, psycho. I don't say anything because she thinks she's covering it all up. It isn't my job to pop her little bubble and tell her she needs help - if she's comfortable pretending she's fine, I'll let her stay like that.
I watch Ozzie and the boy as they head to the counter, leaving Reuben to scan the room for a table. He spots us and smiles in relief.
"Hey, guys. Can we join you?"
Penny looks up - I sense her brain whirring to remember him. It takes her a split second to return the smile.
"Yes. You might need to get more chairs."
Reuben shuffles awkwardly towards a grumpy-looking old man, and asks to borrow a chair. The man glares at him, putting down the crinkled newspaper in his hands. He appears to agree somewhat unenthusiastically.
Reuben picks the chair up easily, swinging it over to me and Penny's table.
He must work out.
"Ayy, look who's here! Penny, Anna, this is Grant. He's from Canada." Ozzie swaggers up to our table, gesturing roughly to the grey-eyed boy. He grows shy all of a sudden.
"Hi," he mutters, accent thick. "I'm from Canada."
I grin. "I know."
Grant blushes and flops himself awkwardly into the seat across from me.
"So, is there anything else about you I should know except your nationality?" I put my burger down and study him.
Do Canadians have a specific genetic makeup? His skin is kind of pale, with faint freckles. His hair is wheat-coloured, surprisingly clean and cut well. Mm.
"I... Uh..." He shrugs, and Reuben suppresses a snigger. "I like dirt-bikes."
Ozzie sits down, tugging his boyfriend with him. He scrunches up his nose and focuses his gaze on Grant.
"Nice. Penny's girlfriend has a motorbike."
I watch Penny's hands clasp around the edge of the table, tightening until the knuckles glare accusingly.
There's a sharp intake of breath, and then she looks up.
In her eyes, a tsunami of monstrous proportion is swelling to the surface - and it's heading straight for Ozzie.