v e l v i a // fillie

➤ 2

my phone rings exactly three times before he picks up, his voice thick with sleep.

"hello? finn?" caleb asks, raspy and distant.

"i need your help. tomorrow. i need to find someone."

"only you would call me at god-knows what time it is for something like this," caleb mutters to himself.

"are you done with the self talk? There is a crisis at hand!"

"i highly doubt this is a crisis finn, you're just dramatic."

i can basically hear his eyes roll.

smirking to myself and fidgeting with the picture in my hand, i plop onto my bed and stare up at my ceiling.

"this is serious, caleb. i solemnly swear on my love of all things analog and lomography."

a low whistle sounds on the other end of my call, and i know i have him hooked.

"damn, you must be whipped. who is she? no―you know what? don't tell me right now. it's two-a.m and I'm exhausted. i'll meet you at javahutt at nine sharp, 'kay?"

"deal!" i exclaim, but then remember to reign it in in-case the parentals are awake.

we say our goodbyes and i set my phone down on my nightstand to charge before rushing through my nighttime routines. i can feel it, deep in my heart, that tomorrow will be the start of something life-changing.

something extraordinary.

***

i got to javahutt ten minutes before caleb told me to meet him here. so far i've had two cups of coffee and half a scone. the coffee-house is as packed as it usually is, with some couple with their noses deep in notebooks and a few people lingering by the display case. i like that it's not usually busy; I guess new yorker's just prefer starbucks.

twisting my cup of coffee before me, i bounce my leg, causing my camera bag to tap against my thigh every-few seconds.

finally, at a minute to nine, caleb walks in while smoothing down his button-up shirt.

pursing my lips into a fake smile, i narrow my eyes at him and wave sarcastically.

"are my eyes deceiving me?" caleb asks as he sits across from me, mock-shock playing on his lips. "is finn wolfhard, notorious flake, early to something for once in his life?"

"har-har," i retort while pulling a five from my pocket and tossing it at him.

"go buy yourself something to drink, it's on me."

smiling cheekily at me, he snatches the money and stands, walking the six steps it takes to get to the counter.

"you must be in a really good mood finn."

flashing him a quick thumbs up, i busy myself by stacking creamers while caleb orders his drink and waits for it to be made.

sitting back down, he pops his fingers, then drums them on the table.

"so? What's the game-plan? who's the girl?"

"i don't know, that's the problem."

looking at me blankly, caleb sighs with exasperation.

"how do you expect me to help you find a girl when you don't know anything about her?"

twisting my mouth to the side, i pop open my camera bag and sift around until my fingertips grave the picture, then slam it on the table between us.

"not exactly nothing. i think i know her friend, or at least someone she's acquainted to. her name was sadie."

grabbing the picture and holding it up to his face, caleb takes a sip of his coffee.

"so?"

"whaddya mean, 'so'?"

"so, how does that help us?"

oh.

yeah.

"she was wearing a work apron, for...um...starbucks!"

putting the picture back down, caleb glances out the window. following his gaze, i watch the people outside, biking, strolling and jogging beneath the shadows of the skyscrapers.

"this is new york, finn. there's got to be like, three-hundred starbucks in nyc alone."

"well, everything has to start somewhere."