Amia
I spent the drive to the coffee shop hovered in front of the air vent trying to warm up. As much as I tried to get Liz to ride shotgun with Levi, she refused. Insisted she had to sit in the back seat. It was clear she wanted me and Levi to talk, but I had nothing to say. I kept my eyes trained on the dash as he drove. I could feel Levi’s gaze on the side of my face, hell, I could feel Liz watching us from the back seats. Still, I refused to look at him or try my hand at small talk. It wasn’t until he pulled into a parking spot across from the coffee shop and he hopped out that I raised my eyes from the dash.
“That was awkward as fuck,” Liz murmured.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said as I unbuckled my seat belt.
“You know damn well what I meant,” Liz hissed.
I eyed her in the rear view mirror and laughed. She was giving me a you know I’m right look. I reached for my handle when the door swung open. Levi stood outside holding not only my door open, but Liz’s.
Well, that’s sweet.
“I’m waiting for one of you guys to tell me who we’re meeting here,” Levi said.
“I don’t recall telling you that we were going to meet someone,” I said stiffly as I stepped out.
When I stepped out into a puddle, I looked up to find the umbrella firmly in place on his shoulder. After we moved to get Liz, she stepped beneath the umbrella and we faced the coffee shop.
“I told you I was joining you,” Liz said.
“That doesn’t mean you guys are going to sit with me. You’ll be my little spies and sit somewhere else,” I said.
“Does someone want to at least explain what’s going on?” Levi asked.
“We’re here because Amia’s mom told her to come. She didn’t say who she was meeting or what she would be doing here. She only told her that she had to be here,” Liz answered.
Levi looked at me and I stared back at him with a smile on my face. There was something about his surprised face that made me giggle inside. I liked knowing that he’d been caught off guard. I liked seeing it even more.
“So… let me get this straight,” Levi started.
His hands tightened over the handle of the umbrella. The rain continued to come down angrily, but I found the sound of the rain drops on the umbrella soothing. A neon signed of a coffee cup with steam billowing out of it welcomed us to Big Foot Java.
“You originally intended to come to town to meet a stranger for a reason unknown to you?” Levi asked.
“Yes,” I answered.
“And had I not come, and had Liz not told you she was going to come with you, you would have come alone?” Levi asked. I could see him getting angrier with every word and excitement bubbled up inside of me.
“You would be correct,” I said and flashed him smile.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” Levi yelled.
“I’m going to meet someone my mom trusts,” I said.
“You aren’t worried? What if she’s selling you on the black market? What if she’s betrothed you to someone and he’s here to whisk you away?” Levi asked.
“Betrothed?” Liz scoffed. I can’t help but laugh.
“What are we? From the 1700’s?” I said sarcastically.
“You can’t be serious right now,” Levi said.
“Whoever it is has to be someone important… and maybe…” I trailed off.
“Maybe what?” Levi asked.
“Maybe they’ll have answers for me, and besides, I’m curious and that’s why we’re here,” I said.
“You know what they say about curiosity?” Liz asked.
“Ye—”
“They say that curiosity killed the cat, or dog in your case,” Levi whispered.
“What?” I asked.
“What?” Levi repeated.
The three of us stood across from the coffee shop, beneath the umbrella, with the rain coming down. I stared up at Levi and this time, he stared back. Does he know what I am? I never considered the possibility of Levi knowing that I’m a werewolf, but if he did know, it would open the door for me to ask about what had happened earlier in the classroom.
“How about we head in? Or are we planning on standing outside all night?” Liz asked.
“That sounds like a good idea. I feel better knowing I joined you two tonight. I’ll be able to keep an eye out. If anything goes wrong, I’ll only be a few feet away,” Levi said.
“Mm, our hero,” Liz teased.
Can she make it any more obvious that she is #teamlevi? I rolled my eyes so far back in my head I thought it might get stuck. Levi drops the umbrella, closes it, and shakes it out before placing it in the umbrella holder. He steps forward and pushes the door open ad holds it open for us. A jingle announces our arrival and heads turn as I walked through the door.
The smell of fresh ground coffee and cinnamon fill the air. Levi and Liz walked past me and took a seat at the back of the cafe. I swallowed and let my gaze roam over the other tables. I walked over to a booth by the window. I don’t know who I’m meeting, but I’m sure they’ll know me.
I glanced at Levi and Liz in the back. They were pretending to look over their menus, but I saw the way their eyes tracked the movements of those who stood up. I doubted that their would be a problem today, but I was glad to have them. What I needed was answers and the thought of someone who might have them showing up here, excited me. I folded my hands and looked out the window. I’ll just have to wait and see who eventually decides to approach me.