The Happy Coffee House
Students in red blazers slope round tables sipping unhappily at sugary drinks. That is until Casey steps into the coffee house. Eyes swirl onto him. He's manoeuvred by eager students over to a table where the popular crowd sits.
“Sorry about what happened to Corey, bro,” says Milo as Casey sits in-between him and Frankie, on a comfy low leather sofa.
“We weren't sure you'd make it in today.” Frankie slides a steaming mug over to him.
Casey smiles, and gestures at our team to join his table. “It's called an infiltration.”
I bounce onto a sofa arm. “Case, brought me some lighter fluid.”
“And we lit up Spindle Tower,” brags Casey.
“All planned,” adds Geordie as he drags a chair over to the table. “Corey was never in any real danger.”
“Unless Midnight decided to drill into his skull.” Charlie sits himself on a spare stool.
“Surely her drilling is a myth.” Lucy's pompoms twitch in her lap.
Geordie pulls back the top of his ear and rests the tip of his nail on the dot of his skull that got pierced. Danny leans himself against a sofa arm. Twirls a katana. The barista gives him a warning glance; he ignores her, keeps his katana out.
Lucy smiles at Casey. “You were part of the infiltration. That's cool. Are you going to go on lots of Cloudy missions in your spare time?”
“No. I'm going to be skateboarding with my free time.”
“You best have time for prom night. We have plans remember? You are still up for them despite leading a double life?”
“You know I wouldn't miss sixth form's school's over prom for anything.”
“Great. What colours are you going to be wearing? We wouldn't want to clash.”
“They're trying to win prom king and queen,” explains Milo.
“I predict Casey will go for red and black. They're his best colours.” I tap at my knee daydreaming about being able to attend sixth form prom. They have fireworks at the end, and someone always holds a huge after party.
“Clash with me all you want, Lucy. I'm not going to prom with you anymore.”
“I thought you wanted to win.”
“That was at the beginning of school year. Now I'd much prefer to be having fun, dancing and screwing around with Corey rather than winning some dumb competition with you for show. That's if Cores wants to come to prom with me.”
I look up from tapping at my knee as mini griffons flutter in my stomach.
Casey leans over Milo and waves a hand in front of my face. “Dude, do you want to come to prom with me?” He invites me loudly so the whole coffee house can hear. A public invite coming from the boy who used to hide me from his friends at parties and ignored me in school corridors. Makes me beam my brightest smile because we've both come a long way since then.
I catch his hand waving in front of my face. We push our palms together. “Sure, I'd love to.”
“Woo prom night,” says Geordie in his sarcastic voice. “Can we get to business?”
“Do I know you from somewhere?” Lucy talks over Geordie. “Your eyes are familiar.”
“Yeah you know him from yesterday.” Geordie grabs me round the neck and tries to topple me from the sofa arm. “He was wearing a daft floppy hat. I'm glad it got burnt.”
“Meanie! I liked that hat.”
“Really? I only saw you wear it once.”
“Style show off,” says Frankie. “Together they're a monster.”
“You're jealous because you end up looking a mess after taking yourself shopping,” taunts Casey.
Lucy smiles sweetly at Casey's crew. “Do you remember Alex Harlington? Him and Jess used to always be in the textiles room customising clothes. He was blond too.” She makes a heart with her hands; looks through it at me and Casey. “Have you a twin Corey? I need a new prom date fast.”
“Thought you'd be taking Cameron,” snorts Geordie.
Danny slides a finger down the sharp edge of his katana without drawing blood.
Lucy gives Cameron, who's stood over by the counter, a cutesy wave and gets one in return. “He's an option. Ooo gossip! Have you seen his brother? His nose is way off centre. Some Thunder has given him a full nose job.”
“That's unfortunate.” Casey stretches his fingers round his mug.
“Are you positive you want to take a Cloudy to prom?”
Casey's fingers flex his mug super tight then he releases the pressure, flicks his fringe, and laughs. “I thought I could be snooty, but you are something else. You will get yourself scorched. Although I doubt Kaito is the type to fight over a girl.”
“At least I am not a control freak who blanks his boyfriends in school corridors then uses them for sex. Watch yourself Corey. His last blond boy committed suicide.”
I stroke my bracelet figuring Lucy knows exactly who I am. She likes playing games. I flash a peace sign. “Case invited me to his prom. It's great he'd be seen in public with a Cloudy don't you think? Me from training camp. Sorry poor people school as you call it. There's nothing poor about Team Geordie. Cloud High is the best place to get an education. It’s a shame not more Kensington kids want to attend.”
Lucy waves my comment off with her pompoms then quickly changes the subject. “Danny, you're quiet today. I almost didn't see you there.” When she's ignored by Danny, who's happier looking into his slowly rotating blade than her, she gets up and perches herself on the edge of the sofa arm he's leant against. “Do they have name’s your swords?”
“They're katanas and he's lethal with them so watch your ponytail,” says Geordie.
“I'm gonna set up by the basketball court. If you can convince anyone to come along for training that's where I'll be.” Chilled as anything Danny saunters out the coffee house.
“What is his problem?” sighs Lucy.
“Seriously?” says Geordie.
“You're a cheerleading freak.” I giggle. “I'm sure if you didn't make out with other lads he'd shower you with his commission. Dead generous is Danny. Sometimes he steals me cosmetics from the Black Market.”
“Not having another honour basketball game, are you?” asks Frankie. “Because we have class and I have tired of basketball.”
“Not basketball. Weapons practise for sixth formers,” says Geordie.
“We do not need weapons practise classes,” says Frankie.
“You do, you snobby brat. We might not be around next time Thunders raid your sports facilities.”
“They only invaded them because you were there in the first place putting holes in the barrier.”
“Don't go blaming Cores.” Casey shoots his best friend this dark look.
Lucy claps her pompoms. “Corsey!”
“Shut your mouth,” snipes Casey.
“I can't talk to these people,” groans Geordie.
“Will I get a sword?” asks Milo.
“Yes. Sabre probably,” I say.
“Whoa it's not about throwing armed weapons to students,” pipes up Charlie.
Too late Milo's already dashing off to the basketball court in hope of getting his hands on a sabre. He'll be disappointed to learn we have only brought blunted practise swords along with us today.
“You didn't even explain the reason why they need to know self-defence,” says Charlie.
“I'll let them know when we've got started,” says Geordie as he watches a couple of jocks slither away from their clique after Milo, as do the whole cheerleading squad even though over half of them are not sixth formers. I said the whole cheerleading squad, Lucy is talking quietly to Casey and Frankie so no one else can hear. “Are you three going to be joining us? Our area manager seriously needs to learn how to defend himself properly.”
Casey pauses his conversation with Lucy; gives his fringe a flick. “Area manager?”
“You yeah. I'm head of retaliation. Danny's department of defence. Charlie's logistics. Corey's relief. You're our area manager.”
Casey waves off his actual job title but I think he's grinning inside. “We're busy with more important issues. What time you guys home tonight?”
“When we feel like it,” says Geordie. “Thought we'd find some place half decent to have lunch. What the hell's more important than learning to defend yourselves from Thunders?”