The Loud One

Chapter Eleven- Gossip

I move my hands around my coffee nervously in my favorite coffee shop a few blocks away from my apartment that I found a few weeks ago. I'm not honestly sure what I'm more nervous about the meeting I'm about to have or the news that is playing on the TV while I am waiting. It's explaining the official police report from the shooting that happened on Coney Island a few days ago, they reported two not seriously injured just hurt from tripping while running away from the gunshots. While no one was reported dead or shot, they are contributing the shoots to a notorious and dangerous gang in the city, the Sancho gang. I haven't spoken to Jack much since that day, I tried to focus on work to distract myself from what happened.

Which leads me to why I'm alone in my favorite coffee shop waiting for disaster. Because I wanted a distraction and Kat texted wanting to talk so here I am. I finally see a familiar face walk in the door looking around to find me, she sees me smiles and motions that she's getting something first. My nerves calm a little bit at her smile, realizing that she isn't extremely mad about what happened as I had expected.

I watch as she orders her coffee, I can see that she has lost even more weight making her look like skin and bones. I wonder if she has even eaten yet today, looking down at my muffin I decide to try and get her to eat it when she comes over.

The TV still flashes with the daily news, talking again about the number of shootings and gunshot sighting contributed to the Santos and Mornivalle gangs has increased. I frown at the likeness of Jack's last name Mornwall to the gang name Mornivalle.... So similar yet so far away. Kat then slides into the seat across from me.

I smile genuinely happy to see her... sober, smiling and calm, "I missed you."

Kat gives me a half-smile, "Even after last time?"

"Yes, definitely after last time," I counter, "I got you a muffin," Sliding the muffin over to her, continuing my lie, "I already ate mine while I was waiting. I got hungry." I give her a sly shrug.

She laughs a little and takes the muffin without argument and starts to nibble on it, "I wanted to apologize for... whatever I said last time." I try to hide my frown realizing she most have been so drunk she doesn't remember, as she continues, "I was having a really bad day and I honestly took it out on you."

"I get it but some of the stuff you were saying... I hope you know that it wasn't true."

Kat looks down ashamed to ask, "What exactly did I say again?"

I reach across the table and grab her hand to give her support, "Something about Max and I leaving you at the club on my birthday." Her face seems to pale a little bit almost in realization, "I just want you to know that we would never have done that, you and a few others had already left to go to another club by the time we left."

Kat nods, "I barely remember that night at all, to be honest, one of my friends said...." She pauses before changing her story, "I must have mixed it up and I'm so so sorry I left you on your birthday."

I shrug, "I forgive you, it's not a big deal but you did miss something at was a big deal that night..." I smile excitedly to finally tell Kat about what happened.

Kat's eyes light up as she actually begins to eat her muffin distracted by the tea she knows that I'm about to spill.

"So..." I begin, "That night while you were off at the bar, I was taking shots with Max and I decided that I should finally listen to both of you guy's advice." I pause for dramatic effect as Kat looks at me for more of the story, "So I was a little drunk and decided to get a guy."

"Fuck yes, it's about damn time." Kat says with a huge smile on her face, "What happened??"

I continued to explain how I found the group of guys that Maxine thought were gangsters- well I think she may be right but that's to be determined. Finishing the story about kissing this guy and running away not including his name.