Chapter Six
When Apparition’s alarm went off the next morning, her father was gone, as was the bag full of cash. Heading over to the kitchenette to grab a bowl of cereal, she found a note on the counter.
Have something to take care of. You’re on your own for a few days. Text me when you get off work so I know you’re safe. Practice your illusions. Remember, stamina.
One of the keycards to their room sat with the note.
She bit her bottom lip. Dad had never left her alone for more than overnight before.
The idea that he’d be gone for a “few days” both worried and excited her.
No one would be there to tell her she couldn’t watch TV or to take her tips.
Maybe she could use them to get some drawing supplies or at least to buy the sort of food she wanted for a few days. Her heart quickened. This might be fun.
Finishing breakfast she put on her beanie and threw on a sweatshirt over her plain black T-shirt and jeans before rushing out the door and hurrying to the coffee shop.
When she entered, Jasmine was already behind the counter.
Remembering their last exchange, Apparition ducked her head as she walked past her into the back.
There she sloughed off her sweat shirt and replaced it with her apron.
Her hands shook as she clocked in. How was she going to get through working a shift with Jasmine knowing what the other girl thought of her?
“Hey, Nikki!”
Apparition stiffened as Jasmine entered the backroom.
“Ethan showed me your drawing.” Jasmine held out the register notepad, her thumb indicating the sketch of Jasmine.
Apparition wished she could melt into the floor.
“It’s ... it’s just a sketch. I know I’m not that good so you don’t really look like that—” she said quickly.
“Are you kidding? I totally look this adorable.” Jasmine gave her head a little toss, causing her beaded braids to clack pleasantly together.
“I think it’s great.” Her smile faded, and she shuffled her feet.
“Look, I am sorry if I was a little bit of a mean girl when you got here. I thought you were being creepy and weird, but now knowing that you’re an artist, I get it.
I’ve known enough of them to know that’s just how they can be.
My roommate is into digital comics, and half of what she draws is drenched in blood and skulls, but she’s pretty cool.
I guess I didn’t peg you for the type because you don’t dress it.
Like, seriously, you could totally pull off the goth vibe if you wanted to, girl.
Like, it’s amazing when petite, cutesy types go for the edgy, scary fashion. ”
Apparition blinked. Petite, cutesy type? She’d once used her illusions to frighten a security guard so badly that he threw himself through a plate glass window to get away from her.
“I don’t really know if goth is my thing though.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t really have a thing. I’ve always worn uniforms.”
Jasmine’s nose wrinkled. “Private school?”
“Kind of.” Apparition’s fingers clenched and unclenched. “I guess I don’t think about clothes a lot.”
“You should!” Jasmine seemed to grow taller, her eyes shining.
“You’re an artist, after all. Your clothes are just one more canvas you can use to express yourself.
Oh! We should go shopping. I can make a whole instagram series about your transformation and helping you find your aesthetic! It’ll be dope.”
Apparition’s stomach twisted. Dad would never go for that. “I honestly don’t have a lot of money to spend on new clothes, though.”
“No problem. Sustainability is so hot right now. We’ll go thrifting. I bet you anything I can get you a full wardrobe off a twenty dollar bill and some haggling.”
The bell over the door chimed, and Apparition saw an out. “Whoops. Customer!”
“Don’t think you’re getting away from this!” Jasmine shouted after her. “We’re going shopping, girl!”
Apparition left the backroom and stopped dead. Shawn stood at the counter wearing his favorite hoodie, a big smile, and a huge black eye. Guilt overwhelmed her, and she couldn’t take her gaze from the injury.
His smile disappeared, and his hand strayed to his face. “Is it that bad?”
“It’s ... pretty bad.”
He laughed awkwardly. “You should see the other guy.”
Her eyebrows shot up. She was the other guy. “Why? What happened to the other guy?”
“Nothing,” he quickly back pedaled. “I just walked into an open cabinet like a goof is all.”
“Oh, sorry. Looks like it hurt.”
“I’ve had worse.” He motioned to the stack of cups beside the register. “Want to make another art deal? Cup doodle for an extra tip?”
Her chest tightened. Was he serious? She picked up a cup and then a sharpie from the empty tea canister they used to hold pens. She couldn’t think of anything besides his black eye and the memory of how stricken he’d looked when she shifted from Apparition to Nikki the night before.
She dropped her gaze. “I don’t know what to draw.”
“How about a crow? I ran into a bunch of those last night, and they left an impression.” He pulled a face.
Her heart skipped a beat. “I guess I could do that.” She sketched out a black bird.
It looked so grim and miserable. Something in her revolted against the darkness that always seemed to come out of her.
She was sick of that. Sick of scary things and dark things and unhappy things.
Quickly she added a tiny top hat to the picture.
The image gazed back at her, a serious, black feathered crow with a top hat cocked cheekily on top of his head.
A smile quirked her lips, and she turned the cup to show Shawn. “How’s that?”
“I love it! Might have to come back in for another cup after classes. I want to collect the full set of Nikki artwork.” His eyes twinkled merrily, and something within her cracked. This was what she wanted. To make something that made people happy, not terrify them.
She started working on his Americano as Jasmine wandered out of the back, carrying a stack of napkins.
“Hey, Jasmine, do you know where they sell drawing pencils and sketchpads near here?” Apparition called out to her. “I think I’d like to start practicing more.”
Jasmine tilted her head to one side. “There’s like a craft store about a fifteen minute drive from here. They’ll probably have stuff, but I don’t really know because I order most everything online these days.”
Apparition’s heart sank. She didn’t have a credit card for online orders or a car for traveling long distances.
“The college bookstore sells some art supplies,” Shawn said. “If you have a student ID, you get a discount.”
“I don’t,” Apparition said. She pulled the shots for the Americano, concentrating on the dark liquid filling up the shot glasses and the golden crema bubbling on the top. She dumped these into the cup before adding hot water.
“I do. If you want I can bring you some after my classes,” Shawn volunteered.
She averted her eyes as she passed him the cup over the counter. “I couldn’t ask you to do that. I’m not even sure I’ll have enough cash on hand to pay you back. It depends on how many tips I get today.”
“I’m sure you’re good for it, or you can just pay me back slowly with more cup doodles.” As he took the cup from her, his fingers brushed against hers. She inhaled sharply. “Or call it a tip.”
“I don’t think I can accept that,” she mumbled. It was already hard enough taking kindness and tip money from him. If he started giving her gifts, it would feel even worse when she inevitably betrayed him.
“I mean, I can’t make you take anything from me, but I swear, there’s no strings attached, and it would make me happy to see you drawing more.
” He shifted from foot to foot. “Look, I have to run or I’m going to be late for class.
If you say no, then I won’t, but one more chance to say yes.
Are you sure I can’t pick up some drawing supplies for you? ”
She stared at him. This was what she was there for, wasn’t it? To gain his trust, to get close to him. This was the mission. It’s what Dad wanted, and she needed to do what Dad wanted. Oh, but why did she feel sick?
“Okay,” she squeaked out.
His grin nearly sent her over the edge. Her powers shimmered like pins and needles beneath her skin, and it took all her willpower not to pull up her illusions so she could blend into the walls of the coffee shop.
“Awesome!” He raised his cup to her in a mock salute. “See you this afternoon then. Maybe you can draw a dinosaur on my next cup. I’ve always liked dinosaurs.”
“Sure,” she said. “All the dinosaurs.”
He laughed and walked out, a spring to his step.
Behind Apparition, Jasmine giggled. “Oh, he likes you. He likes you a lot.”
Apparition’s shoulders hunched towards her ears. “He’s just nice is all. He’s like that with everyone.”
“Nah, I’ve worked here for almost two years and served him multiple times a week.
He’s nice to me, sure. Tips well, always polite, but he’s never offered to buy me a present.
” Jasmine gave her a thumbs up. “As far as I’m concerned, you should go for it.
The guy has hair I could run my fingers through for days. ” She gave a low whistle.
Something stirred within Apparition, and she wondered what Shawn’s hair felt like. A sigh escaped her.
“Ah ha!” Jasmine jabbed a finger at her. “You like him too. You want a piece of that.”
Apparition’s cheeks burned. Thankfully the doorbell rang and a group of students came in.
“Uh oh, looks like we’ve got a mini-rush on our hands. You want the register or the espresso machine?” Jasmine asked.
“Machine.” Apparition moved to where the bulk of the espresso machine would hide her from prying eyes.
Her eyes watered. What was she doing? She couldn’t let Shawn like her. It wasn’t fair. No one had ever liked her—especially not someone who she really wanted to like back.
I need to hate him. I need to at least not care what happens to him ... but I don’t and I do and ... oh, crap, what am I going to do?