❝Ante Mortem❞ 【Sally Face】

【xi ; the cafe】

 You hastily get to your apartment, wearing some decent clothes you can in a span of a few minutes, put your phone, your keys, and your wallet inside a bag. You head out of your apartment, tying you hair up into a ponytail as you lock the door. You knock on Gab's apartment, waiting for him to open up.

"Am here!" Gab opens up the door, grinning as he's dressed in a button up shirt, a part of cargo shorts, and some running shoes he has. He closes the door, locking it behind him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." You smile at him, heading towards the elevator. You look up at the screen, seeing the number go from 4 to 2. As the doors open, you see Sal dressed just the same. You snort, entering the elevator with Gab. Getting down to the first floor, you head out and wait for Larry to get up.

He joins you a few minute after, grinning at you guys.

"Let's go! This will be hella fun!" He laughs, all of you heading out of the apartment complex.

"So where are we going?" Gab asks, keeping his voice loud. You chuckle, holding onto Gab in case he wanders off.

"To the cafe, I still have money from saving a lot from my allowance." You say, smiling at him. "I'll treat you."

"Sweet! Y/N's treating us!"

"I meant Gab."

"Right, sorry." Larry crosses his arms. You see him pouting, and that causes you to laugh. 

You merely smile, turning back on the pavement you're walking on. Soon enough you get to the cafe, the small one just on the corner of the street near school.

"Oh, I'm so excited to see her again!" Gab exclaims, jumping in place. You all laugh, getting up the stairs and inside the cafe.

"Hello, hello, welcome to Cafe Serenity!" An old woman welcomes in a kind voice she has. She perks up upon seeing Gab, "Oh, Gabby my good friend, how are you, dear?"

"I'm doing good, Mrs. Brean." Gab cheerfully says. "Is Selene here?"

"She's baking in the kitchen, actually! She's trying out a new recipe- come, come sit!" Mrs. Brean takes a menu from the counter, hobbling towards you. You smile, what a cute old lady. You sit with the three at a table, each of you getting a menu. "I'll be here to take your order, all drinks are on the house! But for snacks, it's for a price, my dears."

"That will be fine, Mrs. Brean." You chuckle.

"Oh right!" Gab turns to the lady, smiling, "These are my friends- that's Sal Fisher, this is Larry Johnson, and a new addition to Nockfell and to the apartments, Y/N L/N."

"Well, it's very nice to hear of you, especially the two of you, Y/N and Sally dear!" Mrs. Brean chuckles. "I've heard from Selene that you've been nice to her, it's very much appreciated. I know she has a strange appearance, but that what makes her beautiful."

"I agree! I don't know how she looks different, but she really is pretty." Gab beams. Mrs. Brean ruffles his hair before heading back to the kitchen. He sighs, leaning back into his chair, "This really sucks, I can see shit but I can't see colours."

"Sucks to be you indeed, man." Larry sighs, patting him on the shoulder. "Anyway, free drinks? I'm down for that!"

"H-Hello guys!"

You turn to the counter, seeing Selene waving at you guys. She has her hair up, still wearing her usual turtleneck, but with an apron over it.

"Selene! I missed you, girl!" Gab stands up, running towards the counter. "How are you? Doing good, doing fine?"

"I-I'm doing well, thanks for asking." Selene answers, you watch in awe. That's the widest you've seen her smile, they're really good friends, aren't they? "Ha-Have you guys thought of anything to o-order?"

"I'll just have a F/D." You say, waving your hand as she writes it down on the notepad in her hand.

"Just an Americano here, thanks Selene!" Larry calls out, waving as well.

"Eugh, coffee sucks, I'm having a chocolate milkshake." Sal says. You imagine he scrunched up his nose while saying this with his voice sounding a bit disgusted. You sigh a little, you're getting a little too curious on what he looks like.

All you remember is his eyes when he..

"Y/N? You okay? You zoned out for a second there." Gab waves at your face. "Was I correct?"

"Uh, yeah, sorry." You chuckle a little, scratching your cheek. "My bad."

"It's alright." Gab leans against the table. "Weird question, but how's school? Chatted with Selene back there, seems like you got involved with THEM."

"Them?" Larry raises an eyebrow. 

"Yeah. THEM." Gab responds, just nodding.

You slowly nod, though you quickly catch on whatever Gab is talking about.

"Oh, you mean THEM?" You ask, smiling as Sal quickly catches on as well.

"Oh, THEM." He nods, eyes narrowing as he speaks the name. Larry stares at all of you, before his face morphs from confusion to understanding.

"Ah, I know who you mean." He snorts. "THEM. Right. Really convenient."

"Travis the bitch, Heather the motherfucker, Eleanor the whore, and Mark the narc." Gab laughs. "I love rhyming."

"Clearly."

"Anyway-- wow, it's your first week, how did you get involved with all of them? The fuck did you do to like- you know, get their wrath upon you?" Gab asks, raising an eyebrow at you.

"Well, first day, Travis and Heather," You sigh, placing your arms on the table as you lay your heaad on them, "Travis tried to get Liam and me off-"

"Wait, who's Liam?" Gab asks, eyes narrowing as he thinks. He then gasps, "Is he that British guy?!"

"Yeah, Liam, that "British guy"," You say, chuckling, "What about him?"

Gab teasingly twirls his hair, though with difficulty as he has short hair, "He kinda cute."

".. You've got a thing for him?" Larry asks, slowly grinning. Gab nods earnestly before laughing- you don't know if he's serious or not. 

"Wow, I just met you today, and I already know we're going to be good friends," Larry says.

"We already are, bitch." Gab rolls his eyes.

"Point."

"Anyway, before I was badly interrupted," You playfully glare at Gab, who only shrugs. "He tried to get Liam and me off our bus seats. Liam's a sassy man."

"What a man." Gab dreamily sighs, before laughing.

"Lunch time that same day, Heather "spilled" coffee on Selene." Sal rolls his eyes. Gab frowns, not wanting to comment on that.

"Two days after, got involved with Markus." You say, glancing briefly at Larry. 

He groans, not wanting to remember the particular memory, "Y/N accidentally tripped Markus and made him drop his books. He got mad and nearly punched her, luckily I shielded her."

"And therefore got punched?" Gab guesses, tapping his fingers against the table.

"You right." Larry weakly chuckles, rubbing the side of his face. "My jaw still hurts. You still owe me for that one, Y/N."

"Bro, I paid for your lunch the rest of the week, cut me some slack," You whine.

"Sucks to be you." Gab snickers, shaking his head.

"I know, right?" Larry snickers along with him, "Free food? Don't mind if I do."

"And just yesterday, Friday." You smile a little, still proud of Mina. "Mina helped me get Eleanor off me because she, well, she punched for no reason. She knows martial arts, what a badass!"

"She used to be my badass." Larry mumbles. Sal and you give him a look. He raises his arms in surrender, "Joking, joking."

"Sure you are." Sal retorts, making you all laugh.