Innocence and Arrogance

Chapter 2// The Reckless Four

Chapter 2// The Reckless Four

It was Sunday afternoon when Mum dropped me off at work. The sky was clouded and the air was chill. My cardigan was insufficient and my skin grew cold in the small walk from the car to the shop.

My uncle, the owner of it all, was occupied baking a batch of cookies as well as some other employees but spared a second to wave when I greeted him. The shop had an air of emptiness as it always does during winter. A few customers would show up every hour and that was it.

The place was packed with goodies. There were stands filled with candies of all the states and the glass cases filled with varieties of cookies and cupcakes. Surely someone would get a sugar rush by the smell alone. The checkered floor and pink striped walls were more or less inviting and the workers were genuinely nice.

 I stood at my designated counter and talked to Stephanie, my co worker, most of the time. She mostly gushed about her boyfriend and what a sweet doofus he was. I listened, even though I only thought of the morning, and shared jokes with her till a customer came up and then again. She had red hair and greens eyes on her small face. She was overly excited at the littlest things; it was nice to have her as a friend.

The time had passed slowly and I watched the clock and counted the seconds as the time ticked and tocked till it was four o’clock. I was glad to leave as it was that my shift was over and left the place as I came in, but this time with my grey cardigan zipped over my uniform.

I sat on a bike rack as I waited for Charlotte who promised me lunch. Charlie had hazel eyes and blonde hair. The prettiest of smiles and the softest of hearts.

I turned to my side when I heard laughing. My eyes went to analyze the four that stood by motorcycles and with smokes in either their mouth or hand. They were awfully loud and I wondered what they were talking about. It was only after one of them unbuttoned his thin flowery shirt that I realized who the four were.

Manchester Matthew Maverick, Sheffield Alexander Wilton, Holmes Chapel Harry Danner, and the American girl, Stella Davis.

I shivered once again, my cold arms reminding me that there were such things as layering before leaving my house.

Matthew had his hair tousled to the side, its length reaching down the right of his skinny face. He dressed in a white unbuttoned shirt that reached the middle of his thighs, ripped black skinnies, and black shoes. He had several silver chains latched on his neck and Stella in the lock of his arm. She was in a short black skirt with nude leggings and her eyes were rimmed black.

Harry had a truffle of curls that he allowed scattered on his forehead. His eyes shone green and large compared to his thin eyebrows. The cupid bow of his upper lip curved when he laughed and revealed a set of dimples on his pale cheeks. An array of bracelets clinked on his bony wrists. He wore a grey sweatshirt and black jeans with his hair tied back in a crazy bandana.

Alex looked like he did earlier this day, with his hair to the side and in a quiff. He wore the same leather jacket and a black shirt. The thought of him ever being in my house felt so surreal, as if I had imagined the whole thing.

From the stories I've heard, the four together were reckless and vile. I wouldn't know since I wasn't one of the few who caught them in action when they would bash others and rob a store of its merchandise and much gruesome. So I wouldn't know. I stand there for a second more before turning away as I see Alexander do so in my direction. The same Alexander that had his hand over my mouth hours before.

I wait in my black pants and a crazy pink shirt that hugged my body tightly till Charlie's small car stops in front of me. I take a last look over at the four them and catch the gaze that Alex has on me. It’s bland and almost lifeless but intense.