3 - Intrusion

Her excitement mounted in her chest like a lovely blossoming flower as she went quickly behind the wall through the employees-only door, into the backstage where the magic happened. Humming softly, she pulled out the supplies for the coffee. The cheery little bell went off at the door, and Frankie peeked her head through the window to the main part, on a high with the first customer of the day.

Her heart plummeted. Ah, Evangeline; the only one Frankie wished was never employed.

She frowned and ducked her head before the other girl smiled at her. She was always outwardly cheerful, almost as though she had no other emotion. She was always serene, she was somehow on another level above everyone else. She was just not…human. She was too perfect. Even her lovely fire curls were nearly perfect, unlike Frankie’s wild brown hair that claimed to be straight. Evengeline was short, never wore jewelry, and had hips too wide for convention, but Frankie still somehow struggled to contend with her, despite having the body of a model and jewelry chosen by the careful eye of Wolf. Worse, everyone loved Evangeline. Frankie could have sworn her face glowed in the dark. Heck, her whole body might as well at this point.

Frankie let herself scowl before Evengeline walked behind the door into the kitchen. Now it suddenly felt like someone was intruding in her home, her space. She shot her a glare as the other girl accidentally dropped a bag of flour from the cupboard above them near her supplies. No, not even this time did Evangeline appear fazed. No matter how many times Frankie tried, no matter how biting her comments, Evangeline was never fazed. She was impenetrable, like Wolf. She was predictable, unlike Wolf, who was unpredictable except in that he went with the flow of the moment.

“Fran!” James called from the storeroom, startling her from her daydream. “It’s 7:30! The first customers will be coming soon!”

Evangeline was a waitress. She would be leaving Frankie’s realm soon.

She sighed in relief. This was one of the best parts of the day. Frankie fully enjoyed her job—once Evangeline left, it was perfect. The smells, the comforting familiarity of the schedule, James the baker giving her a leftover treat as she left at the end of the day. Her spirits lifting again, she snuck in the earbud she always kept in her apron pocket and carefully placed her hair over it. There, that always drowned out anything she couldn’t handle, made work with Avery the cashier yelling at her bearable. She glanced over her shoulder, and slipped her phone into her skirt pocket after putting on Clash of Light and Doom from her newest grunge band. Bobbing nearly imperceptible, memories flooded her mind with the song. She had been listening to it when she heard very good news indeed.

Today was Friday. Wolf was going to take her to his buddies after work, for one of their parties. She had just bought a snazzy dress for the occasion, since there was a birthday in the group. It was going to be the biggest smash yet. She couldn’t wait—today was going to be perfect.

Another minute, and the bell went off again. Frankie let herself smile as Evangeline disappeared behind the wall. Now, she had full reign over the coffee making. Just her, the process, and everything was in her control. Her little sphere of dominion. Such a small and insignificant realm, but anything to satisfy her thirst for autonomy. One day the kitchen, next day the management, she thought giddily. A spot was opening up in the higher ranks, but before Jace Brandish, the aged sole proprietor retired, he was going to choose someone to take his place, and it was going to be her.

All of a sudden, there was another. A bright-faced little girl (or so she seemed to Frankie) of about fifteen, a few years below her, with pale orange hair maddingly halfway between wavy and straight, and shockingly green-blue eyes brighter than headlights. Her face was speckled with an unholy smattering of freckles that at first looked like some kind of disease. After the shock, Frankie’s chest rose in offense; there was someone else in her space.