6. A blonde at Fifties?

"What do you think about the school trip?" Kris asked from beside me. She twirled one of her curls on her index finger.

"I think this trip is some opportunity for teachers to slack on the job." I said before looking at the front of the class and taking a glance at the door.

Why is class always lacking the teacher until thirty minutes into first period? I'm lazy and all but that doesn't mean I don't want to learn.

"I heard there's even a whole tour on the tower." quipped in Vivian, one of Kris's friends in a way,  even though she's not as mean or scandalous as Kris while looking at me from beneath her faux lashes.

"Yay." I said with enthusiasm as fake as her lashes. "What if—"

"Don't ruin our mood with your what ifs again." Ken cut me off from my other side.

"Besides, this trip could be what you need to keep your mind off whatever it is you're always thinking about."

"You'll come with us right?" Vivian flutters her lashes at me and leans on the back of her chair trying to give me a view of her non existent chest.

Jeez. She was trying too hard. I'll never be into her in a million light years but I guess she's too dumb to take the hint.

"Can you guys give Warren room to breath?" Crescent sounded bored. If I were him,  I would be too. "He's going and he's also sorry for hurting your feelings concerning the school trip okay?"

"Whatever man." Ken dismissed.

The teacher entered the classroom and fortunately killed any chances of me being deprived of oxygen and suffocated by my so-called 'friends'.

***

"So." Crescent's voice was raised above the explosions and gunshots.

"So." I repeated concentrated on my soldiers.

"The school trip." he continued and that's when I didn't bother listening anymore.

Anything but that. I didn't want to go anywhere near any air craft and will never in a million light years, make any move in it.

"I know this is about your fear for plane trips—."

"I'm not going."

I mean not only was this trip useless, it was also a waste of my time.

Not that I really had any thing to do which kept me busy but at this point in my life,  I really wanted to avoid making this trip.

"Val will be coming." he said with a hopeful glint in his eyes which was pushing me to say yes but I held back.

"And you think that will change my mind?" I said hiding the defeat in my voice.

"If the idea of going to one of the most romantic cities in the world with Val doesn't make you go, I honestly don't know what will."

I couldn't argue because it was true. Yes,  I was absolutely terrified of plane rides but I was even more terrified of the idea of not seeing her face, her smile, of not hearing her voice in the morning made me willing to go on the hell of a ride.

"Look, I have to go now, mom just called, something's come up."

He stood up, dropped the console and took his book back which was beside the TV.

Coming forward,  he gave me a pat on my back. "Think about it Okay."

"Yeah,  whatever man,  make sure you drive into a tree on the way." I couldn't help but smirk.

I didn't miss an opportunity to make a nice comment to him. He was the responsible one in our little group.

Everyone could have easily called him the father of the group and he wouldn't fight back because it was true.

"And here I was,  thinking you loved me, I'm honestly hurt." He fake whined with an exaggerated pout. "Later Romeo." Came his last words before I heard the the door to my room close after his exit.

My phone buzzed with a message  and I picked it up from the small table beside me. Unlocking it,  I tapped on the notification:

Unknown.

We need to talk.

I frowned. We?

Unknown.

Your question will be answered when we meet.

Unknown.

Muchita's café.

I wonder who this stranger is. I'm sure they know me somehow, for them to know my number. I'm always conscious of who I gave my number to.

That was why I had two numbers. One private and one personal and this person messages me through my private number which I gave to my close friends and dad.

I pick myself off the bean bag which I had occupied earlier and walked out the door. It wasn't too hot outside which I'm glad for.

Muchita's café was a five minutes walk away from the house so I didn't bother taking my car. Whoever this person was,  they better make this quick.

Walking into Muchita's café reminded me of walking into Crescent's house.

A very warm and homey feeling always enveloped me just like the feeling I get when I wake up to the sweet aroma of bacon and eggs whenever I slept over at his place.

A handful of people were already there occupied a few tables, talking and just enjoying a cup of something.

"Excuse me young man." A feminine voice said from behind me.

I turned to meet three pairs of tired eyes and rounded bodies. The group waddled to a table, holding their fronts.

A bittersweet smile grazed my lips at the thought of the woman who had once carried me in her body just like these women but she wasn't here today to see the fruit of her labour.

The two televisions up on the walls at strategic angles displayed the news channel while soft music played in the background.

Muchita's always had that charm that makes customers comfortable and relaxed even after a horrible day.

I'd fallen in love with the place ever since the day Ken brought me here when we had serious hangovers.

I felt a slight vibration on my leg coming from my phone which brought me out of my slight nostalgic feeling mixed with reminisce. After bringing it out of my side pocket,  I checked the message.

Unknown.

I'm at table 12.

I let my eyes lead me west and sure enough,  a girl which I'm sure couldn't be older than me sat.

From here, the only things visible to me was fair hair which fell in gentle waves over slender shoulders covered in a simple peach top.

Her eyes watched me intently, her thin lips pressed in a thin line.

"Hey, I'm Sapphire."

Her eyes held a look like she had something to tell me and it was important,  her back was straight with tension which was obvious to anyone with half a brain to see.

"And you're Warren." She stated maintaining eye contact.

Although her eyes were desperate,  she had something else there but it was so small, that I wouldn't have seen it but her tone was demanding.

"So, why exactly did you want to see me?" I asked with caution. I had a feeling she meant trouble.

"So you don't remember me?" She sounded disappointed but it also sounded like it was a very shallow feeling and she had expected this all along.

"Remember you?" I frowned. "Have we met before?"

"Does a blonde at Fifties ring a bell?" Came the question.

A blonde at Fifties?A blonde. At Fifties. Oh. That blonde I had found snuggled with me in bed the other day but she looked different today.

Maybe it was the lack of heavy makeup or her hair which was looking bleached or the fact that she was decently dressed that made her look somewhat different.

"So, you're her."

"Yes, I'm her." She replied with venom in her voice

Her eyes were what captured my attention the most but her nose was scrunched in something resembling disgust with the corners of her mouth turned downwards and I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach. She meant bad news.

"I'm pregnant with your child."

She's pregnant. Pregnant? How is that? I couldn't remember anything about that night and her. This can't be possible. I'm not ready to be a father. No. Not yet. This cannot be happening to me.

"You think?" I was beyond mortified at this point. "Do you have any proof to back up this claim?" I asked to be sure because something about what Sapphire just said didn't blend with her attitude.

"Here." She placed a white envelop on the table in front of me. "If you think I'm lying, just open the freaking results." Her voice was rising by the minute.

My vision whirled momentarily as I read and reread it again. No. She can't be telling the truth but the single piece of paper said otherwise.

I could feel my chest heaving with with my now shallow breaths. She began talking but I couldn't hear her through the heavy buzzing in my ears.

This just cannot be happening to me of all things that could possibly happen.

"So, what are you going to do?" The words seemed to slip from my scattered mind after I was sure I could hear myself and she had stopped talking.

"What am I going to do?" She asked with disdain. "This isn't my fault,  this is yours." she pointed one finger at me, frowning.

"Oh, so it's my fault you threw yourself at me?" I spat back.

I couldn't believe her right now. I couldn't even stand the sight of her right now.

That night, I didn't want anything to do with her. She was trying to get my attention and she made that fact known to everyone at the bar. I knew this because Crescent had told me about it the next morning at school.

"I for one, didn't want anything to do with you."

I didn't care if she was carrying my child or not because her eyes still had that shallow look to it almost like this was all an act. Something definitely wasn't right about this news.

"If you don't take responsibility for your actions,  I—"

"Do whatever you freaking want Sapphire, nothing about this." I raised my left hand and gestured to the opened test which was now on the table in front of me.

"Feels real. Nothing about your alleged pregnancy feels true,  I might not remember anything from that night but I remember enough to know that I never wanted you." I spat not letting the glint which had appeared at the corners of her eyes faze my resolve.

"Something about this screams fake and until I find out exactly what it is, you can wait and do whatever you want but you won't reach me in any way."

With that said, I took the envelop with my hands shaking and walked out of Sapphire's sight.

The warm air hugged me. I continued walking home with the sky now a beautiful array of yellow, orange, purple and some blue,  signifying sun set.

She couldn't just come out of nowhere and say she was carrying my child. Life didn't work like that. She could be saying the truth but something didn't add up and I could feel it.

After closing the door to my room I fished out my phone and dialed a number I haven't dialed in my life. After four rings, the call was answered.

"Benjamin Boyer, speak." He had a strictly business tone and sounded extremely busy.

"This is Warren Ecuador."

"Warren?" He sounded confused.

"Yes sir and I have a proposal for you." I said.

The line became silent for a while with the ticking of a clock in the background of wherever he was.

"Okay, go on."

"No." I replied quickly. "Not over the phone."

"Where do we meet?"