Chapter 11: The Meeting II

"What's wrong, Amber? Why are you-" Anne words died down, guess she has also seen him.

"Shit what's he doing here!" She exclaimed, echoing what was going through my mind right now. Wtf is he doing here. I get it's a café and is open to the public but why is he always here when we are. It is getting old to be hiding under a table. I heard Luke's confused voice from above the table

"What's wrong, Anne?"

"Some stuff."

He was silent for son minutes before he said

"Oh, I get it. He's an ex."

What! How did he know?

I peeped above the table and caught his smirking face. I eyed him,

"What are smirking about, I'm about to die." I chided. He waved his hand nonchalantly,

"You are not about to die, you are just being a coward"

"What, a coward! Are you kidding me?-"

Anne cut me off,

"Huh guys, it's not the time to be arguing. We have an advancing problem," my eyes widened and I dived under the table back, hitting my forehead on the way. I put my hand against my mouth to seal the cry of pain that tried to escape.

"Is he gone?" I whispered

"Not yet" Anne whispered back. A few moments later I asked again,

"Is he gone?" Silence for a moment,

"No not yet...Okay he's gone." I breathed in relief and stood up only to come face to face with the back of his head, for he was sitting right at the table in front of us. The heck, is this déjà vu or what. Having no time to pounder about déjà vu or karma or anything, I picked my bag taking a few notes from my wallet and slapped it on the table startling Luke who was in the middle of drinking his iced Americano.

"This is not the right time be drinking, sorry to say this but we need to leave."

"But I'm not through."

"Don't worry we will get another," that seemed to pacify him, so he stood along with Anne and I. I rushed ahead of them, speed walking to the door. I paused, when distance had been put between the café and I. Glancing behind me, I saw my companions afar off. Anne walking at a steady pace and Luke walking like he was dragging a truck. Yes, he was that slow. I was tempted to walk up to him and smack his head full of hair. Finally reaching me, Anne joined me in waiting for Luke.

"Why is he walking so slowly, it's making my eyes ache,"

"My thoughts exactly," I commented.

A few moments later, he got to us,

"What's the rush ladies? It is a good day and we have a whole of it waiting for us. Why the rush?"

Did he not hear what I said in the café? He is impossible. Deciding not to reply, I kept my mouth shut, so instead Anne did the favors of replying.

"Okay, we had to, or rather she-" pointing at me and continuing

"Had to. She saw her ex she had not seen for a couple of years, she panicked. We actually saw him yesterday at this same place and believe me, it was worse than this."

What! That is definitely incorrect. I was so calm yesterday. I was as calm as the sea before the storm, except there was no storm. Opening my mouth to defend myself and save my face, I was interrupted by a theatrical gasp from Luke. Tf.

"You mean, she was worse than this?" he wagged his finger at me

"I'm afraid so," Anne answered nodding solemnly.

What is wrong with the both of them, ganging up on me? Even Anne, my best friend, although I will not say that aloud. Voicing out my opinion I said to them

"When was this alliance formed?"

"What do you mean?" Anne enquired, both giving me looks of confusion,

"This ganging up on me you guys are doing?" Now they gave me innocent eyes, like those that they were not doing anything,

"And don't give me those eyes, it makes you both look like the monsters in children books."

They both gasped then looked at themselves, Anne putting her hand on his broad shoulders; I wonder how she could reach the other side or his shoulder for that matter. I am sure if I were the one, I would only be able to reach is upper back and my arms would not have even gotten to the other side. Yes, my arms were that short, or maybe it was his back that was too broad, we can never know, or maybe we can but you understand what I am driving at, right?

Snapping from my musings to see Luke saddling up my side I moved away due to reflex or maybe instincts (if they are not the same lol), but he dragged me down, almost crushing me to his side. I wiggled fervently trying to get out of his air-trapping embrace, alas, it was all fruitless and I slumped in his arms tired of fighting, poking my forehead with his forefinger, he said,

"You know, my mother says that you are probably guilty if you think people are ganging up on you,"

"What!" I exclaimed

"No offence to your mother but that is absolutely absurd. I am not guilty of anything. That logic is very wrong. And a person has the right to be suspicious if something like this is going on." wagging my finger between the two of them, although it was quite uncomfortable seeing as I was squashed to Luke's side.

"Something like what?" Anne wiggled her eyebrows. I swear she was baiting me.

"This conspiracy,"

"I don't see it like that," Luke said from above me, his voice teasing. Okay I give up. I slump more in his grasp a frown forming on my face.

"Okay, I give up. You guys won." I resigned throwing my hands in the air, which was once again cut short by me still in Luke's grasp. They laughed and I huffed at them annoyed.

"You can let me go now, Luke."

"Should I?" How dare he?

"You should." I replied firmly, and pinched his side for good measure. But he just chuckled and let me go. Bugger did not even feel a thing, stupid muscled person. I stuck out my tongue, to show my real annoyance.

"Real mature," Anne quipped and Luke snorted in her awake. I looked at them with narrowed eyes,

"Are you sure, you guys don't have telepathy or something?" and they both snorted again.

"Then, I guess you are just, pigs then," I said innocently clasping my hands and walking forward. They took the bait and ran after me,

"Don't ever compare me with a pig,"

"Did you just call me a pig?" They exclaimed together when they reached me, probably taking just three long strides or two, to my seven, damn my short legs.

"I just did, and I have" I answered both at the same time. They both narrowed their eyes and pouted. Such babies. I rolled my eyes and continued.

"Were to, my comrades?" I asked

"I don't know, and we can't go back to Kay's."

"Why?" Luke asked exasperated, "he's just an ex; people have exes all the time."

"I don't think you understand the nature of what he did."

"Okay, explain I'll listen."

"I can't just tell, someone's life story without permission."

"It's okay, I don't mind," I chirped in.

"You sure."

I hummed in affirmative walking a few distance from them as she started talking. I did not like hearing my story or even telling it, because it feels like I am reliving it. Moreover, it is too painful to relive, at least for me, other people might have gone through far worse, but this is the amount of pain I can handle, and even if the pain gets extremely much at least I could still pull out. Okay, I know you are curious so therefore, I will say the summary of the whole stuff.