Chapter nine: Lucky Baby Ducky

A Friday like every other; the only difference being the change of the season, as Rowland stood behind the counter awaiting another customer.

He decided to work today, not really sure why apart from being sure he had nothing better to do and figured why not seeing as he got paid for it.

A day had past uneventfully but Rowland still coursed with new found confidence in his own work and felt that this was truly what he wanted. A new bounce in his step was apparent accompanied by a smile he tried to hide that would shine every now and then; revealing the dimples that Charlotte loved about his grin and for the first time in what he believed was a while, he felt something other than...nothing or the hum drum emotions of the motions of everyday things.

Rowland felt that he was stifled by the slow response time of his everyday life although only catching a glimpse of what could be for a day.

He had a new taste for life, although a sip.

In just two days he believed to had found himself not only in a hell of a lucky streak but also, a companion apart from his beloved...he thinks. But as Rowland looked back at the memories of the house he could feel the sudden loom of doubt among other things he had locked away along with it. Finding himself still sceptical of Nick's arrival of promises as he momentarily stops himself from tapping his toe at the possible reality of all of this being a lie and that he somehow was coxed by a charming and yet maniacal mad man who even; ("in an extreme case") could be the one who killed all those people, including one of them possibly being Oliver, Rowland's stomach flipped.

The possibilities of things going wrong ran ramped in his mind but couldn't go far enough as to unnerve him, for he was too excited. Rowland may have been tired but he was excited and couldn't wait to start on planning a photoshoot that fit his theme of choice that which he has felt so strong about since the bon fire.

Two ladies walked in having parked across the street in a little blue beetle holding two surf boards; squeezed between two other vehicles along the busy streets by the cross roads that which the café stood; It was a near miss as they parked, near a ill mannered jaguar which was parked liked it owned the road.

Laughing and talking, dressed down with sun glasses and sun tans to match for the few warm days of summer that were still left. Rowland stood up straight from his leaning position and greeted;

"Morning, can I take your order?"

Which the girls then stated, sat down and waited at a table close to the counter seated for two. They ordered three beverages, they were quite fair and elegant, so Rowland took an interest to see how their faceless third might look like for boredom's sake as the ladies informed him that their other would pay. Creating a pool of bets in his head on weather it was a woman or a guy and judging by the drinks; (one green tea and apple smoothie, one black knight Chi tea and chocolate and one black coffee), a total nose-in-the-air snob. He was just being bored...

He too then waited for their orders as no one else came after them in the busy cafe. He took note of the clock's miniature steps in time, spotting another customer through the large display windows of the shop.

It was surprisingly, Nick, walking with his hands in his pockets with a careless sway in his stature; his dark yet tasteful fashion sense never seemed to wane. Meeting half way with two other gentlemen who approached the shop from the opposite direction. He flashed a smile and opened the door for the other two men silently before entering after their thanks, a few heads turned to his direction as he walked in. He walked to the counter and wafted the familiar and burnt scent of roses as he exchanged handshakes with Rowland.

"Morning, bright eyes.", Nick greeted while sharing a short glance at someone behind Rowland, who possibly was staring at either him or his pastel purple eye that looked better than expected as he took his sun glasses off.

Rowland wasn't so hot for the new apparent nickname; 'bright eyes'. Rowland found that his eyes for him were his worst quality; having believed that he inherited his father's and it was definitely just peculiar that he kept bringing them up. It didn't help that he spoke with his eyes, he's been told; being a quiet child, he always communicated with his mother that way, and it simply stuck as a habit.

He looked down for a moment reflectively before catching a smile and greeting back;

"Yo man, don't you have somewhere to be?", Rowland joked.

"Yeah, and right now it's right here.", Nick replied with that confident smirk of his and continued; "I'm actually here for some-."

"Coffee..?", Rowland cut him off to ask, having heard that word at least fifteen times that hour.

"Actually, I'm already spoken for just came to pick it up.", Nick pointed to the drinks that were slid into Rowland's peripheral vision in a cardboard cup holder just he pointed out. Rowland assumed he somehow charmed the ladies into his weird and unknown web of that or the other but said nothing about it at first.

'like... How on earth did that happen?!', Rowland thought genuinely confused as to how he even knew these women.

"I also figured you'd actually want to come along with me and Charlotte tomorrow night, 'little get together."

Rowland stood there for a moment thinking; " You mean the one you guys were talking about the other day..?", he then thought of how easily Nick made himself at home in his life and with his girlfriend no less, despite the fact that they haven't even exchanged phone numbers yet.

Nick had just interested him in a good time and where ever he seemed to be was a good possibility to be Rowland's perspective, judging by previous experience.

He also figured that with Charlotte; someone like Nick couldn't be trusted despite the fact that they're so close already, much to Rowland's reluctance, though he knew she was her own person, she just couldn't be shared.

He selfishly desired to start his weekend on a high note though (be it as it may that he meant that literally, they both did in fact).

"I'm game. Where? ", Rowland asked.

"My place.", Nick replied. "I'll pick you up. You're place?"

"Nah, I'll actually be here.", Rowland stated, rubbing the back of his head; internally crumbling due to his laziness; sighing deeply.

"You sigh a lot...", Nick randomly stated, looking at Rowland the way his therapist used to, a calculated glare of examination.

"What..?", Rowland asked avoiding eye contact.

"No no,just...something I've noticed.", he replied, still tracing his face through subtly narrowed eyes of scrutiny. That was before he decided to not got after one week and then, never again.

"Party starting a little early, eyyy ?", Rowland changed the subject, stretching the last part of his sentence to emphasise as he gave a slick smile directing his attention to the women that came in earlier.

"Yeah, but not like that, man.", Nick huffed deeply, stroking his chin as the wheels turned in his dirty mind; " They're just a few wayward travelers looking for some down time with a couple of other friends back at the house."

So the party was starting early.

Rowland tucked the receipt for his electronic payment between two of the beverages and handed Nick the three drinks as he said; "I'll take you're word for it, bro." chuckling rhythmically in sarcasm.

"Whatever, man.", Nick said as he readied to leave for the ladies' table. Greeting these beautiful strangers as if long time friends once he reached their table, leaving Rowland to his job and the temptation to eaves drop on the three's conversation. Watching as they got up from their seats, the two girls hoping hopelessly for his individual attention; seemingly babbling on about themselves amongst themselves as Nick seemed to have nothing to say.

Watching as he took note of how everyone he cared to notice treated Nick as if he was a close and approachable person, yet he came off so... Odd, Rowland couldn't place it; everyone seemed so comfortable around Nick, as the girls asked him questions like two curious toddlers who took a liking, watching them walk out as one of the ladies clung close around Nick's right arm for further physical contact.

'Thirsty much, sweetheart? that drink you're holding is for you.', Rowland thought aloud, talking to himself as he watched the three of them part ways just outside the door; they were taking their conversation obviously elsewhere.

Rowland was then left to wonder on his own what exactly went on in Nick's inner circles, he was so curious about what interesting people Nick has met with before and wondered how exactly he got into drugs, what kind of drugs and if he'll find out for himself tonight as well as what Nick has seen or done before he even set foot in this sun drenched hole of nothing called Shell City. He was an numinous tune that played in Rowland's head which made him slightly...

"Curiouser and curiouser." Rowland whispered under his breath, going back to his ordinary world in this caffeine filled box stuffed with ordinary and caffeine filled people, some of which who mainly came for the free Wi-Fi, of course.

He figured while he waited for time, Rowland would start to tally the cash register, Wishing that the hours of this last day of the week as well as normality would end.

But instead, seconds seeped into minutes, which bled into hours and Rowland found himself wondering if washing dishes was any better than this, for he did admit it kept him a lot more busy and took his mind off of time.