Emma

chapter three - conversation

"Is this even beer?" asked Emma.

     Todd, Lloyd, Mei and Emma were sitting at a booth of a local pub and grill. They were in the thick of the commotion of waitresses dodging between tables and people with varying amounts of sobriety conversing loudly. It was bubbling with life and sounds.

     "The only brand they sell here," said Todd.

     Emma had her beer - the same, cheap drink all four of the group ordered earlier - in hand and waved it around as she spoke. "It's so bad it's almost ironic."

     "That's the charm of it," said Mei as a waitress brought out their platter of fries.

     "Very charming," said Lloyd as he helped himself to a bite.

     "So, Todd. What have you been up to?" asked Emma.

     Todd finished his mouthful of fries and wiped off his lips, "Lately I've been hiking a lot. I even got myself gear and stuff."

     Mei almost choked on her sip of beer.

     "That's great. Have you hiked the Waterfall Glen?" asked Lloyd, perked with interest.

     "A couple of my friends and I actually went there last month. It's awesome," said Todd.

     Mei sat down her bottle and cleared her throat, "Wait. Are we not going to address this? You hate nature! And exercise-"

     "I hate camping. And park runs with you and the folks," said Todd. "Hiking doesn't involve either."

     "My life has been a lie," said Mei.

     "It's not that big of a deal," said Emma.

     "This is huge," said Mei, "This throws off my entire view of the world. My spectrum for how I perceive people has been destroyed. How can I trust my instincts ever again?"

     "Are you done?" asked Emma.

     Mei nodded. She sat up straight from where she slid halfway down her chair during the rant.

     "You're so dramatic," said Todd.

     "That's the charm of it," said Mei with a proud smile.

     The small talk and laughter continued for some time. They didn't even realise a couple of people coming up to their table until one of the men began talking to them.

     "You're that YouTube chick," said the slightly faded gentleman.

     "You into beauty and lifestyle?" said Mei with a surprised smile. The others turned to see the guy's answer as they followed the conversation.

     "My girlfriend watches your videos." He said, vaguely aware that his pride had been a bit bruised. Then the guy turned to leave without a word. His friends were left by their table as the other one wandered away.

     "He's a bit drunk." said one. He had brown-streaked blonde hair and kind eyes. The other one had a crew cut, but what caught Lloyd's attention was his paint-splattered jean jacket - he actually liked the look of it. Lloyd didn't know if the splatters were intended or an accident, but anything was fashion if you wore it confidently enough.

     "And he meant his ex-girlfriend," said the one with the jacket. That statement was enough to explain the slightly drunk guy's sudden disappearance at the mention of his girlfriend.

     "Poor guy," said Mei.

     "He'll be alright."

     The two of them introduced themselves because, apparently, they were looking for an excuse to keep talking to Mei. The taller one, with the brown-blonde hair, was Adam. The other's name was Hunter.

     "Can I get a photo with you?" asked Hunter. Mei gracefully agreed and scooted out of the booth after Emma stood to make room for her. Lloyd got the impression that Mei was more excited by being recognised than weirded out by two strangers coming up to them. He guessed the strangeness of it all was also why Emma was interested to make conversation with them as she stood next to Adam while the other two took numerous selfies. She did say she wanted an adventure. You probably didn't find one by doing what you always did.

     "This will definitely go to her head," joked Emma.

     "Well she is sort of a celebrity," said Adam looking at the stream of photos being taken in front of the table. Mei and Hunter were laughing, absorbed by their own conversation. Todd, sitting next to Lloyd, grabbed another fry.

     "Don't tell her that, she'll never let us forget."

     Emma and Adam smiled.

     "You have a beautiful smile, Emma."

     "Thank you," Emma seemed to smile even more, but she expertly tilted her head away from Adam's eyes, which showed a trace of shyness as he held a leather jacket behind his back with both his hands. These were two people who were confidently out of their comfort zone. It almost looked as if they were alone in a world from outside.

     "Do you want to come to Strobes with us?" asked Mei. The two newcomers exchanged glances and Hunter answered.

     "We were just heading there ourselves."

     There were now six around the table as they finished their beer and chips.

     Lloyd was delightfully confused as to when the conversation turned towards politics all of the sudden. Hunter brought up the first thing that didn't make Mei smile. Actually, it did the opposite.

     "I'm just saying that if everyone had guns, it makes sense that everyone could protect themselves from violence," said Hunter calmly. The debate was relatively tame for such a controversial topic.

     "But if it's that easy to get a firearm, then what's stopping someone who wants to create violence from getting one." Even though she restrained herself, Mei was feeling a bit more passionate than the rest.

     "I feel like the conversation over gun control isn't getting anywhere," said Todd. Emma looked at him.

     "I agree," said Adam. "You're talking about the second amendment protecting your rights to have a gun, while she's saying that there should be better care as to who these guns are allowed."

     Lloyd was impressed with Adam's view and found that he agreed with what he was getting at. "Yeah. Mei doesn't believe that everyone who has guns should give them up. And Hunter understands that some people cause violence with their guns. Right?"

     "It just comes down to properly checking if someone buying a gun is a decent, law-abiding citizen," concluded Emma.

     The group fell silent a second later. They looked around and the establishment that was utterly unaware of a political issue that had been discussed. Everyone just went on with their lives as if nothing had happened. Small forevers like those made Lloyd think about how nothing really mattered to the world - it was just going to go on despite anything. That didn't make him feel small, it just caused him to care more about his own experience through this life.

     "Are we drunk or did we just solve the gun control debate?"

     They laughed before getting up and leaving. Their extended group met outside again after the bill was paid. The six of them were spread out next to the pub's windows, waiting for their lifts. Emma and Mei were putting on their warmer jackets. Emma tugged her hair out from under her collar, the neon light from the name of the place reflecting over her face. Her eyes travelled upwards to meet his and for a moment, Lloyd saw galaxies reflected in them, before she blinked and looked back out onto the street.