A scone before the storm
THE COFFEE SHOP was packed with customers chattering over John Mayer’s breathy vocals, texting as they waited for their drinks, while others worked on laptops with stoic faces, diligently shutting out all the hubbub.
Big Rob noticed me at the door. He raised a hand behind the counter to get my attention, mouthing out later before taking the next order.
It seemed like years had passed since I worked behind that counter, often by Rob’s side, but it had only been six soul-crushing, life-changing months.
Someone lay a hand on my shoulder and turned me around. I yelped with excitement to see Faion there smiling radiantly.
I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight.
“Good to see you, too, moon baby,” he said as he took a step back to give me the once over.
“What?” I said.
“Those Scandinavians have you eating right?” he said, furrowing his brow. “Are you getting your iron? Sleeping enough?”
His voice melted my heart. “Um, yes, Dad… if I didn’t know better, it sounds like you actually missed me.”
“Okay, yeah, sure,” he said, unconvincingly, “but what I’m saying is you don’t look so hot, it’s like you’re a Walking Dead character we forgot about until they returned late in the season as a walker, all skinny and pale with dark sunken eyes.”
I punched his shoulder. “Dude, I had a transcontinental flight.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I know, I’m with that. I’m just saying… were you on Zombie Airlines? Because, I mean, you ragged, girl.”
I laughed. “So, I’m a bit tattered. I haven’t had my coffee yet.”
“I’m messing with you,” he said. “You still look like a favorite teller at a frat boys’ spank bank.”
It was good luck that instant cell regeneration didn’t kick in unless my body experienced substantial physical trauma. I was grateful that I could still look tired and mortal. I missed that feeling of fitting in.
“You’re ridiculous,” I said.
Faion grinned. “Thank you.”
He took my hand and led me to a table. A lean young man with untidy brown hair, wearing a gray SDSU AZTECS t-shirt and wrinkled khakis, stood up and flashed me a hearty smile. He was handsome in a boyish way, the kind of guy who’d offer his arm to an old lady to help her cross a street.
“Sophie, meet Joey,” Faion said.
Joey extended his hand. “Charmed,” he said. “Faion says fantastic things about you. He thinks you’re fearless and gorgeous.”
Faion slapped Joey’s wrist. “I said she loco as fuck, chases trouble like it’s chocolate and I have to be rescuing her little ass all the time.”
“Blah blah, we both know what you meant,” Joey said.
“I’m dating a guy who says blah blah,” Faion said, shaking his head.
“It’s true, Joey,” I assured him. “Faion’s speaking the truth. I’m about as crazy as a girl can be. First I act, then, maybe, I might think a little.”
“So, you’re both crazy?” Joey said, almost disappointed.
“I’m afraid so.”
Faion arched an eyebrow. “Did both of you just call me crazy?”
Joey chuckled. “I’m going to let you two catch up,” he said. “It was a complete pleasure meeting you, Sophie.”
“Same here.”
Joey squeezed Faion’s hand. “See you in a bit,” he said.
Faion leaned in for a quick kiss. Their ease and comfort with each other sent a pang of longing through my core.
I need that in my life.
I crossed my arms as Joey walked away. “Okay, how come I’m just finding out now about a boyfriend you’ve obviously had for a while?”
Faion shrugged. “The last few months has been a dream, girlfriend. I forgot about the rest of the world, if I’m being honest. Who are you, again?” He laughed. “Love can reduce the planet down to two beating hearts.”
Asshole. That was so damn lovely. I want that. “Sounds serious.”
Faion took a sip of his Frappuccino. “We’re in a good place.”
Holding his tongue was not typical Faion. I would have expected him to be chomping at the bit to deluge me with a frenzied retelling of events.
It must be serious.
I squinted, then gave him my sweetest smile. “A place called love?”
He thought about it. “That’s not me. I’m not going to put a name on it, wrap it up and freeze it in the icebox. Nah. It’s just good. I don’t need to conquer and label it. You got to let things breathe if you want them to live.”
Wow.
“That’s wisdom,” I said. “He’s basic, right?”
“He is what he is, but yeah.”
Dating a basic had a whole lunch box full of complications for us Deep Downers. Lines could get blurred very fast.
I was the last person to give relationship advice, but I did anyway. “That could work, just be careful. I worry about you.”
“Just be careful?” Faion repeated. “Said the girl who runs around with wolves and old-ass Neanderthal dudes. How about you, huh? Did you catch any dick in Stockholm?”
“Jeez,” I said. “No, I did not catch anything of the like. I’m not even thinking about guys.”
“Okay, now you’re lying,” he said with a raised eyebrow. “You still thinking about Mr. Freeze Pop.”
Not in that way. Farthest thing from my mind. Really.
My priorities lined up far away from romance. I was much more concerned with things like who my real parents were, why they abandoned me, and what my connection was to a deranged Immortal apocalypse junkie whose agenda could very well include eliminating me after I was of no use to him. You know, the basic stuff that concerns all recent grads.
“What’s this?” I said. “Now that you have a boyfriend you have to mess with single people? Happy people are total snobs.”
He laughed. “Okay, you right.”
“Yeah, I am right,” I said, thrilled to be talking to my friend again.
Big Rob walked up to our table offering me a cranberry orange scone.
I snatched it out of his hands. “Oh, man, I missed these,” I said, munching on delicious warmth of the scone.
“My god, Sophie,” Rob said. “Slow down, you’ll choke.”
“Dude,” I said with my mouth full. “You remembered my scone.”
Faion eyed Big Rob. “That’s because you the bullet in Rambo’s gun.”
Rob did not find Faion amusing. “Is this guy bothering you, Soph?”
I nodded. “Totally. Throw him out. He’s making fun of me because I’m single.”
Rob seemed completely confused. “You’re single?”
Faion rolled his eyes. “Oh, here we go,” he said under his breath.
Rob ignored him. “They treating you well over in Europe? If not, tell them they’ll have to come answer to me.”
Faion scrunched his face and held his heart mockingly.
“Thanks, Rob,” I said. “Yeah. They’re nice. I’m good.”
“Well, okay then,” Rob said, trying to form a sexy smile. “And I know you were joking about your friend here bothering you.”
Faion smiled at Rob who nodded to Faion.
“Oh no, I totally wasn’t,” I said.
Rob stood uneasy on his feet, uncertain. “Right,” he said with a nervous laugh and then slowly walked back to the customers.
I took a deep breath in. “I miss my life,” I said. “I miss San Diego.”
“You’re being compulsive,” Faion said. “It will wear off.”
“I’m not being compulsive.”
“You just ate that San Diego scone in fifteen seconds,” he said. “That’s compulsive. You’re bingeing on nostalgia.”
“Okay, so what? I never asked for any of this shit, and you know it.”
Faion pulled me to his chest for a hug. “Yeah, I know.”
“That’s better,” I said.
He let me keep my head on his chest for a while and I wanted to stay in his embrace forever.
“Saw your girlfriend Tam the other day,” he said.
I lifted my head and stared at him. “My Tam?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, cool. How’s she doing?”
My childhood best friend, Tam Nguyen, was one of the most uniquely skilled lunar witches and an absolute breath of fresh air among the deep dwellers. She could also outrun a rabbit and shoot the eyes off a peacock’s tail with an arrow.
“Promoted up the Lunar ranks. Sounds like she’s mad busy,” Faion said.
Primary level witch at twenty-three? Who did that?
Tam did, obviously. Every year she broke a record. Primary level meant she had developed complete control over nocturnal elements and could now manipulate that energy in multiple ways.
“Total legend,” I said. “Wish I could see her, but I only have eight days.”
Faion stared at me. “Hey, I might come visit you. Joey’s doing a semester abroad in London. I might tag along. We’d practically be neighbors.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Tag along? With Joey?”
“What?”
“That sounds serious, buddy.”
“Nah,” he said. “It’s not about that. I’m looking for context. I need to expand my horizons, drink up some culture. Educate myself, you dig? If I have a greater understanding of societal strata and what not, I can decide what I want to do with my life. I’m thinking film studies or architecture.”
So proud right now.
“Faion, I love it. Good for you. That’s awesome, really. In fact, I wish you could leave tomorrow.”
He tilted his head. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
Shit. I’m not smooth.
“Faion…” I tried to find the right words. “Go with Joey. Go early. San Diego isn’t safe right now. There have been several attacks on supernaturals and magics alike. Have you heard about it? They think it’s all orchestrated.”
His face told me he was clueless. “No, I haven’t. But what about you? Who told you this? You’ve been gone.”
“Obviously, Winter told me.”
Faion shook his head. “That dude’s bad news.”
“He told me to go back to Europe.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he did, because he knew you wouldn’t go,” Faion said. “You don’t think that a guy that old knows how to cleverly manipulate?”
“I know who and what Winter is, Faion, but I make my own choices.”
“That’s what everybody thinks. What did the generous purveyor of information tell you?”
“There have been incidents all over San Diego county,” I said, taking a deep breath. “The victims lose their magic, then they slip into a coma.”
“Okay, and why San Diego in particular?”
“Winter speculates,” I said, wishing I hadn’t used his name, “that the density of supernatural elements in the area could be a factor.”
“That’s a total guess, but whatever, it’s not good.”
“Not at all. Please, be safe, Faion, until we know what we’re dealing with. Don’t be out at night alone and stay near public places. Talk to Celia, soon, okay? She might know something.”
“What about your grandmother?”
I shrugged. “She was supposed to fly down for Easter, but now I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”
Faion crossed his arms and shook his head. “I can’t believe you’ve survived this long. You’re like a harbinger. Every time I see you, I know shit is about to get real, too real, scary real. You’re a disaster magnet.”
One hundred percent.
My phone buzzed. It was Celia texting me. I read the text quietly, a pang of guilt rushing to my face for not telling Faion it was from his grandmother.
“I guess, according to you, I better go get some beauty sleep, so I don’t drag around looking like a zombie. Let’s talk tomorrow?”
“Cool,” Faion said. “And that whole thing about you being fearless, that’s not always a good thing.”
“I’ll stay out of trouble,” I said, eager to get going. “Promise.”
“I am choosing to believe that,” he said. “And, me too.”
Celia had just confirmed my appointment with the powerful seer for me. She was going to accompany me to the designated location at eight o’clock the next morning. I tried to wipe the guilt off my face.
A quick hug and Faion was gone. Joey waved back to me as the happy couple left the coffee shop. I wished my life could be that simple, a warm hand to hold, a trip to the coffee shop with the one you love, a lazy afternoon together as one.
I floated toward the door in a daze when I bumped into a skinny guy carrying a bunch of textbooks under one arm. His coffee cup flew out of his other hand. A spark of magic left my fingers to envelope the cup in midflight and deliver it directly to my right hand.
“I’m sorry,” I said, handing the coffee back to the stunned guy.
Magic was a bad idea.
I scampered out the door on edge. Somehow, I already knew who would be waiting on my doorstep when I got back home.
© 2020 Stella Fitzsimons. AllRightsReserved