Meeting

The familiar scent of roasted coffee beans and vanilla swept over Zale as he stepped into Rise & Grind. The warmth of the place clashed against the chill he'd carried from outside, but it was a welcome contrast.

His eyes scanned the cozy interior, a small crowd of regulars spread across the dimly lit café. It didn't take long for him to spot Jared, hunched over their usual corner booth with a steaming cup held tightly between his hands. The man looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

Zale smirked and made his way over, the creak of the old wooden floorboards beneath his feet familiar and oddly comforting. He slid into the seat across from Jared, a grin already forming on his face. "You look like hell, man. Trouble finding decent coffee?"

Jared's head snapped up, his wide eyes locking onto Zale like he'd just seen a ghost. The tension melted from his shoulders as he let out a harsh, relieved laugh. "Goddamn, Zale. You really are alive."

"I mean, I sure hope so. Unless I've turned into a zombie and just haven't noticed."

Jared snorted and shook his head. "Wouldn't put it past you to just keep working even if you were undead."

"Gotta stay productive, right?" Zale leaned back in his chair, letting the playful banter ease the strain coiled within him.

"Productivity above all, man. Especially when you look like you just crawled out of a grave."

Zale chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Jared's gaze softened, his posture relaxing as the initial shock began to wear off. "You have no idea how freaked out I was when I heard…"

"Hey, before we get all serious, how about we lighten the mood first? You're making it sound like we're at some depressing funeral."

Jared gave him a skeptical look before a hint of a grin cracked through. "Alright, fine. We can go back to being dumbasses for a minute."

"That's the spirit." Zale let his own smile grow wider. "Speaking of which, remember that time you spilled an entire pot of coffee on the CEO's shoes during that big meeting?"

Jared groaned, but his laugh came easily. "Oh, come on. You know that wasn't my fault. That bastard practically teleported in front of me when I was turning around. Besides, who the hell wears white shoes to a meeting?"

"Probably someone who thought they were untouchable. Honestly, I still can't believe you managed to talk your way out of getting fired."

"Yeah, well, lucky for me, the dude had a soft spot for desperate apologies and over-the-top groveling." Jared's eyes glimmered with nostalgia. "Your turn. Embarrassing moment, go."

Zale stroked his chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness. "Hmm… Alright. That time at the office party when I tried to prove I could do the worm, even though I'd clearly never done it before in my life."

Jared burst out laughing, drawing a few curious looks from the other patrons. "You looked like a dying fish flopping around on the floor. And then you sprained your shoulder! Good times, man. Good times."

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up," Zale replied, but he couldn't help grinning. It felt good to just joke around for a moment. To pretend things were normal.

"Shit, dude. We've been through some weird stuff, haven't we?" Jared held out his hand, his expression turning mischievous. "But we always pull through. You know why?"

Zale clasped Jared's hand with his own, their fingers entwining in their ridiculous, overly complicated handshake they'd created years ago. The series of taps, snaps, and quick fist bumps ended with their palms slamming together with a solid clap.

They both grinned like idiots. "Because we're awesome," they said in unison.

Jared chuckled and shook his head. "Damn right." Without warning, he reached across the table and pulled Zale into a quick, crushing hug. "It's good to see you, man. I mean it."

Zale returned the hug with a laugh. "Same here. You're probably the only person I've missed talking to."

They separated, still grinning, when a waitress appeared at their table with a polite but impatient smile. "Hey, you guys ready to order or are you just here to goof off?"

"Bit of both," Zale replied easily. "I'll take a black coffee, and whatever Jared's having."

"Same as usual. Mocha with extra whipped cream," Jared said with a nod.

The waitress scribbled down the order and headed off, leaving the two of them in a companionable silence.

The tension, however, crept back in quickly. Jared's eyes shifted from casual to serious as he leaned forward. "Alright, man. The joking's over. We gotta talk."

"Yeah, I figured." Zale's smile faded, his gaze sharpening. "What's all this bullshit about me being dead?"

Jared's jaw tightened, his fingers drumming anxiously against the table. "You seriously have no idea, do you? About what they've been saying?"

"Not a clue. All I know is that you called me out of nowhere, sounding like someone was holding a gun to your head."

"Well, it damn well feels like it." Jared's voice dropped to a whisper. "The company's been spreading it around like gospel. Everyone thinks you're dead, man. The manager himself is telling people you're gone for good."

Zale's eyes narrowed. "And nobody's questioning it?"

"Some people are freaked out. Others just accept it. But that's not the worst part."

"There's more?"

Jared's hands clenched into fists. "They're planning some kind of celebration party. Like… a promotion event or something. Making it sound like your death was a damn opportunity for the company to move forward."

Zale stared at him, his mind stuttering over the words. A celebration? They were throwing a party to mark his supposed death? The sheer absurdity of it was enough to make him want to break something.

"What the actual hell?" Zale whispered, his fists trembling. "And nobody thought to maybe, I don't know, fact-check that I'm not dead?"

"That's what's messed up, man. They're acting like it's all official. Like your death was confirmed. And when I heard that, I had to see for myself if you were still alive. And now I know you are."

"Well, that's good to know. But this just raises even more questions," Zale said bitterly. "And it's about time I start getting answers."

"Before you do something reckless, can you at least explain how the hell you're alive?" Jared's expression was a mess of anger, concern, and confusion.

Zale took a deep breath. "It's a long story. But let's just say… I've been through things no one should ever experience. And somehow, I made it through."

Jared's eyes widened, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "You better start explaining everything, man. Because if they think you're dead, and you're clearly not… this whole thing is even more messed up than I thought."

Zale nodded. "Yeah, Jared. It's about to get a lot more complicated."