“How did he know you’d be there?”
I thought for a moment as I wondered myself. “Not sure to be honest with you.” Though Carter knew I was going on a date with Jack, I’d told Ryan and Seb, but he didn’t know where. That bit was a mystery.
I walked into my bedroom as I wondered more about that. I took off my clothes and put on my dressing gown, and strolled back into the living area. “What happened after I left?” I asked. I had wondered if Jack and Blake’s affection would have turned to her and I shouldn’t be bothered—but I was.
Ah, shit.
“You leaving pissed them off…” Polly said, rolling her eyes to the ceiling.
“And…”
“Nothing really. We stayed and had another drink. They brought me back here. Blake used the bathroom and then they left and asked me to ask you to call them.”
I tilted my chin in the air, rubbing the back of my neck. The chill I previously felt was back, and I noticed I hadn’t felt it for a few days. I strode to the window, looking around the gardens of the university—nothing. This time my senses were astray.
Carter alluded to someone with dark magic trying to find me, and there was definitely something dark around me. More than anything else, did this black magic kill my parents?
“Just tell them I’m not interested,” I said.
“You’ll have to tell him yourself.” Polly hissed.
“Polly.”
“No Lacey, I’m not getting involved.”
“Do you have Jack’s number? I’ll call him,” I murmured.
Polly walked to the table, flicked through her contacts, and a few seconds later, she fired Blake’s and Jack’s mobile numbers. I saved them into my phone contacts.
“I’m going to get a coffee. Do you want to come?”
Polly smiled. “Uni coffee shop?”
“Yeah, you fancy it?”
“No, I’ve got this assignment to hand in.” She held the paper in the air. “I want to get it finished today.”
“I need a good strong coffee and then I’ll feel alive again.” I strolled back to my small bedroom and took a pair of skinny jeans and a hoodie from my wardrobe. Put on my favourite heeled boots and a splash of lip gloss for no reason other than I wanted a bit of colour.
“Would you like me to bring you one back?” I asked as I shrugged my cream knee-length coat over my shoulders, then picking up my purse and mobile.
“No, I’ll see you later.” She put her head back into her assignment and I took that as a sign to leave her alone.
I did.
Ten minutes later, I sat in the coffee shop, ordered my coffee, took my mobile from my pocket, sent a message to Clay asking if he was home later. Then I scanned through the university’s social pages. Nothing exciting, as always.
The coffee shop wasn’t fancy, like some of the Paris bistros I’d been to when I was younger. This one was basic, pictures of smiling people dotted around on the plain white walls. The floor was wooden and real, not laminate, and matched the wood of the table and chairs in the centre of the room.
The area I sat in was at the far end of the café and had five American style booths in one row on the back wall. It totally took away the English feel. Although knowing how busy this café got, it was a good idea.
I glanced up at the loud noise thumping across the floor and saw a young girl with blue-tinted hair. She wore thick, knee-high leather boots, a miniskirt that stopped at mid-thigh but it was the ripped black tights that finished her ‘don’t mess with me’ look. She stopped at my table. Paula, was on her name badge.
“Cappuccino with extra chocolate,” she said, and placed the coffee mug in front of me.
“Thanks.” I smiled at her. Her dress sense was misleading because underneath she was a dainty girl with a cute pixie face and sparkly grey eyes.
She smiled back.