“Cleo. Jesus. Think before you speak. Just because you’re a negative nelly doesn’t mean you have the right to be rude,” the other woman told her.
“What did I say that was so rude?” Cleo asked, appearing confused.
“You just called her a stray.”
“Oh.” Cleo stared at her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Georgina didn’t know quite how to take her, but she nodded anyway. “I’m fine.”
“Hi,” the other woman said brightly. “I’m Isabelle but everyone just calls me Isa.” She reached over to shake her hand. Isa had dark-blonde curly hair that was pulled back in a high ponytail. She wore a sparkly silver dress and cowboy boots. “Don’t worry about Cleo, she’s been in a bad mood for about, umm . . . “
“A century,” Kiesha replied.
“I haven’t been alive for a century,” Cleo said dryly.
“Feels like it,” Isa replied, sitting down.
“You’ve all known each other for long?” she asked.
“Since kindergarten,” Isa said cheerfully. “Cleo stole my lunch and Kiesha beat her up.”
“That is not what happened,” Cleo protested as she took a seat and glared at Isa.
“I’m going to order drinks, usual for everyone?” Kiesha asked.
“Yep,” Isa replied.
Cleo nodded.
“Georgie?”
She thought about telling her that her name was Georgina, but she kind of liked the nickname. It would horrify her mother. Which made her like it that much more.
“Just water, please.”
“Okay, I’ll surprise you then.”
“No, wait . . . . shoot,” she said as Kiesha took off in the direction of the bar.
“Don’t worry, if you don’t like it then you don
’t have to drink it.”
Surprisingly, it was Cleo who spoke.
“I’m not really much of a drinker.”
Suddenly, Isa stood. Then she went up onto tiptoes. She was tiny, maybe even shorter than Georgina and she was only five foot two. Isa climbed up onto her chair. Georgina watched her with worry.
“Isa, get down before you fall,” Cleo bossed.
“I thought I saw Juliet.”
“Shoot, it’s my turn to get her tonight.” Cleo stood and looked around worriedly.
Get her? What did that mean?
“Are you sure that you saw her?” Cleo asked. “Maybe it was just someone that looked like her.”