New Starts

Not from round here i gather?

The flight across the Atlantic was long and tiring, by the time he had caught a taxi to his new home from the airport it was 12:45am, however, when he arrived home (it was only just hitting him that this was where he now called home) Thomas just couldn’t sleep, thrill and excitement still overwhelming him, taking in his new surroundings like he’d seen the world before but couldn’t quite piece it all together to remember it. Deciding that sitting around wasn’t going to help and sleep was probably off the agenda for now Thomas decided to go out. Suddenly, he was overcome with an unexplainable urge to get Tea. Quite the stereotype Thomas thought chuckling to himself as he walked into the street. “Great” he said as he walked out the door only to be hit with the rain that had appeared almost from nowhere. Who would have thought that the weather in Britain could be as bad as is made out? All he needed now was to see a man in a three-piece suit with a bowler hat drinking tea from a china tea cup and all the stories of the British would be true.

It hit him then that it was now 12:55 and most places would likely be closed for the night. This thought didn’t exactly pan out to be totally wrong; he walked briskly down several streets, holding his jacket over his head to avoid getting soaked by the rain that had picked up its pace in downpour, seeing nothing but the same darkness through all the windows of shops that had closed well before. He was just about to call it a night and head home until he saw a solitary neon pinkie-red sign that said ‘Gladers café’. Oddly, the sign didn’t appear out of place, hanging alone emitting a strangely soothing light. Probably paid a psych a hundred quid to tell them that this sort of colour draws people in. well it worked.

Leaving his now dripping jacket by the door he had just walked through causing a small bell to ring. How cliché he thought. Just seconds later a rather shocked looking boy appeared from the back craning his neck around the door frame that funnily enough had no door attached. This caused the veins in his neck to flair slightly drawing Thomas’ gaze to the boy’s figure for a few seconds. Alright maybe a few seconds was under playing it a bit because by the time he snapped out of what had developed into a trans-like state the boy had made his way to the counter and was now starring at Thomas.

“You alright mate?” The boy said his voice sweet, thick with his British accent that fascinated Thomas.

“S-shit, yeah” Thomas said, starting to turn red as he realised the boy probably thought he was insane or on drugs.

“You sure? Wouldn’t want ya’ collapsing on my bloody floor now would we.”

“No, mind you I could think of worse places to.” It was said more as a statement rather than a question but Thomas decided to answer it anyway.

The boy’s face grew into a smile, Thomas noted the way his mouth creased at the edges of his lips as he did. “True that”. His face turned from that wide smile to a rather inquisitive face, “Not from round here I gather?”

“America- just moved here, literally, got off the plane…” Thomas realised he didn’t know what time it was and saw an opportunity to move out of the door way where he had been stood since the boy, now behind the counter, had peered through the door frame. He moved over to the counter where the boy had rested his elbows using his hands to support his face as he leaned and glanced at the clock, “about 50 minutes ago”.

“Ah-hhh” the boy said, placing great emphasis on it as though he had just been given a piece of a puzzle he had been attempting to solve forever. “Got myself a greenie then.”

Greenie? What the hell was a greenie?  

“Just a term I use to describe newbies… Greenie.” He smirked seemingly pleased with himself. Meanwhile Thomas had unknowingly taken a step backwards wondering how this guy knew what he was thinking. Don’t be ridiculous he doesn’t know what you’re thinking! That sort of stuff belongs in fiction books. Then he realised his face had been painted with blatant confusion when he had used the term. Yep I’m an idiot… and this guy probably thinks it too!