I did my best to shove out the demon's words, but his gravely tone drowned out the other sounds. And I was becoming annoyed.
“Crissa?” Lavender asked as I stood right in front of her. “Hey, you okay?” I didn’t speak. She tucked her coiled hair behind her ear and cocked her head. “Can we talk for a second?”
To think, just a year ago, we were close. So close to one another that we felt like sisters. Now, all I could do was try to not choke on whatever sickeningly sweet perfume she was wearing. I’d never smelled it before, but it made my stomach twist and turn. I took a step back and nodded while trying to hold my breath. “Fine. But it needs to be quick.”
Lavender stepped out of the doorway to the curb and sat down. The aroma seeping off of her filled my nostrils and made my eyes water. I kept my distance and followed her. She was in her uniform, wearing vibrant red polyester pants and a Big Top Pizzeriaemployeet-shirt, the ones staff wore in the back. I knew she had switched her hours, but I didn’t realize she was working the nightshift tonight, or I would have clocked out early to avoid her.
You cannot trust her.
I held onto the information Zeth shared.
My hand reached into my pocket and pulled out another cigarette from the box. Once I lit the end and exhaled, my eyes drifted over to Lavender who was staring out into the alley. “You wanted to talk?” There was a tinge of annoyance in my tone. Lavender just sat there. If she wanted to talk, why the fuck wasn’t she talking?
Patience.
She sighed loudly. “Yeah, about a couple things.”
“Okay. Well I’m still on the clock, so…” My hands were palm up in front of me as if in invitation, waiting for her to say whatever she needed to say.
Lavender began picking at a loose red string on her pants. “I hate to ask, but—” I took a deep inhale of my cigarette, anticipating the dreaded question. She was probably about to ask me to cover her shift, knowing how much I needed the money. And as much as I hated the idea of it, working alone at night didn’t sound half bad. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about customers.
Lavender cleared her throat. “Would you mind covering one of my nightshifts? I need to go to the?—”
“Fine.” I interrupted, ashing my cigarette at my feet, not wanting to look up at her. Why she needed her shift covered was none of my business. “What day?”
“Oh, uh, tomorrow.” Lavender stumbled the word out.
Cris-sa. Put out the cigarette and leave.
I ignored him. I was finishing the damn cigarette. Fuck Zeth.
“Okay.” I took a long drag, eyeing my ex-friend. “Was there something else?”
“Yeah,” Lavender muttered quietly. “I wanted to say…that I really am sorry for everything that’s happened lately. And before you say anything, I’m apologizing for myself…no one else.” She paused. “I–I’ve missed you.” She shifted on the curb to look directly at me. I turned my head, my gaze scrutinizing. “Crissa, I really have missed you. And I’m really sorry. For everything. From the bottom of my heart.” She placed her hands on her chest and poked out her bottom lip.
A demonic groan rumbled in my mind.
Crissa, this human is obviously lying to you. You cannot trust her. She is toying with you.
Every fiber of my being wanted to believe Lavender, but something inside of me just couldn’t quite reach forgiveness. Aside from Zeth.
“Okay, Lavender.” Was all I could manage to say. “I’ll let Tawny know I’ve got your nightshift tomorrow." I stubbed out my cigarette and tossed the butt in the nearby dumpster.
Opening the backdoor, I made a bee-line to the office where Tawny was sitting, penciling out the next schedule. My knuckle tapped the door as I peeked my head in. “Hey Tawny, I’m gonna take Lavender’s shift.”
She raised her brow in concern. “You sure?” I nodded. “And everything’s okay, kid?” She asked in an accusatory tone. I nodded again and she made adjustments on the document in front of her before looking up at me. Her eyebrows raised to the middle of her forehead, blue eyeshadow on full display.
Rolling my eyes, I replied, “It’s fine, Tawny.”
“It better be.”
Why didn’tyou listen to me earlier?
The huskiness of Zeth’s voice was in my ear as I lay in bed, holding a teddy bear to my chest. “I heard you the first time, Zeth.” I tugged at the stuffed bear’s ear. “Why do you keep saying that about her?”
The longer Zeth and I remained connected, the more I came to understand him. And right now, he was feeling annoyed.
I told you to leave because that human cannot be trusted.
