Folie á Deux

Chapter 5

"So how was your day with Neopolitan?" Coco asked, putting her phone down on the table.

"Not bad. I made her smile." Yang grinned and took a sip of her drink.

"It's like you're in love or something, honestly."

"Shut up!" Yang threw a crumpled up napkin at her, watching as she dodged it perfectly.

"Your aim is getting lousy, love-bird."

"I'm not in love with her!"

"Someone's sounding a little defensive."

"I'm being serious!"

Coco picked up her phone, shooting Yang a look that said she didn't believe her. The blonde girl rolled her eyes and slumped back in her chair, taking another drink as she looked around the cafe.

It was the end of the day, and the place was packed. Students from all the surrounding schools were coming to buy something sweet and hot to warm them up from the December weather, employees from the neighbouring establishments were there for a break, and families were dragging their red-cheeked children into the warm.

Coco and Yang were waiting for Velvet, who was just finishing her shift at the Medical Centre down the road.

"She says she's on her way."

"Cool." Yang replied. "Anyway, what's going on with you and Fox?"

"What does it matter?" Coco snapped back, making Yang hide her smile behind her cup.

"No reason." She watched as Coco typed angrily on her phone, her face obviously trying to hide something. "But seriously."

"Fine. He says he wants to move to Atlas to continue his research." Coco slammed her phone down on the table as Yang gasped.

"What? For how long?"

"At least 12 months. Can you believe that?"

"Crap..."

"Yeah, that's a word for it." Coco said, looking furious as she crossed her arms. "Damn geologists, so self-righteous."

"I'm sure he's just excited, maybe you can calm him down or -"

"I can't!" Coco shouted. She glanced at the cafe apologetically before lowering her voice. "This is such a great opportunity for him. They've discovered a new volcano or something up in Vacuo. His boss hinted at a raise and everything."

"But he can't leave without you." Yang said, watching as Coco sighed and shook her head.

"Yeah, he can, all of his family's there."

"Let me talk to him, maybe I can -"

Yang was interrupted by the sound of Coco's phone vibrating once on the table.

"Is it him?"

Coco picked it up, reading the text. Frowning, she shook her head.

"No, it's Velvet. She says she can't come, they were called out on an emergency call."

"What? Is it bad?" Yang leaned forward, watching worriedly as Coco typed a reply.

"I'm asking her."

They waited in tense silence for her reply. It seemed to stretch on forever before, at long last, Coco's phone vibrated again.

"What is it?"

"She says it's at the care home. Someone was hurt."

Yang's mind flew to Neo and she got up immediately, leaving her stuff on the table as she ran out of the cafe, headed straight for her workplace. She ignored Coco's shouts behind her, focused only on her destination. Worry coursed through her veins. The last time she'd been this worried, something very bad had happened.