Fenella and her friends waited until the janitor returned to his ethereal form before putting their plan into action. They placed the broom with the wig on it in Fenella’s shack, then snuck out to the farthest corner of the school.
“Think anyone saw?” Nitro asked with her back to the chain-link fence. She scanned the nearby area for any witnesses.
“I think we're good,” Polar said.
“Fenella, you ready?”
Fenella gulped and looked up at the tall, ice-covered fence. “I’m not used to climbing ice.”
“Don't worry. Nitro and I will catch you if you fall.”
Fenella took hold of the fence and slowly made her way to the top. She swung her leg to the other side and immediately lost her grip and fell into the snow.
“We caught you in spirit,” Nitro said.
“Why couldn’t we have just walked out the front entrance?” Fenella asked as Polar and Nitro climbed over with ease. “It’s not like they guard it.”
“That wouldn’t be as fun.” Polar took Fenella's hands and pulled her to her feet. “Now let’s get going! Today's your first day as a coffee shop girl!”
“What makes you so sure they’re going to hire me?”
Nitro grinned. “I have connections.”
----------------------------------------
The Iced Drink was located a few blocks from the school. It was always busy, but not so busy that people would leave at the sight of the line. The Iced Drink was a trendy, popular spot for teenagers to hang out after school. At that moment, a young barista was enjoying some downtime while the last person in line got their coffee. Her co-worker had been sent on break and she was alone at the front.
Nitro rose from behind the counter like a snake rises out of its basket. The barista stumbled backwards. “N-Nitro!”
“I need a favor.” Her tone implied she wasn’t asking.
“I’ll do anything! Just no more long, complicated drinks, please! There are only so many ingredients you can mix into coffee before it stops being coffee!”
“I need you to give me your uniform and leave for the day.”
“W-what? I can’t-"
Nitro pulled a folded up piece of paper out of her pocket.
The barista gulped. “What is that?”
“My drink order,” Nitro said. She unfolded the paper once, then twice, then a third time. The paper was a lot longer than a normal sheet was. “I’m a little thirsty.”
“Please no!”
Nitro unfolded the paper a fourth time.
“Okay! Okay! I’ll do it!” Tears sprang to her eyes. “If the coffee shop managers come after me for leaving, tell my family I love them.”
Nitro nodded. “We'll try to stop them from finding out, but if they do, we're sorry. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
The barista turned away. Before she could go, Nitro grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
“Go to the Val and Sleet intersection by the apartment complex. Look for a tree with a dark blue scarf hanging on one of its branches. Look at the number on it and go to the apartment that matches. They’ll give you a new identity and drop you off far away from this town. You’ll be free. You’ll be safe.”
The barista nodded, handed Nitro her apron, then sobbed as she made a break for the exit. Nitro watched her go with cold eyes.
Fenella and Polar stared at her from their spot by the register.
“What was that?” Fenella asked.
“Retail managers don’t like it when employees leave without permission.” Nitro gave Fenella the apron. “The rest is up to you.”
With that, Fenella was left alone to fumble her way through the rest of the shift. Her three new co-workers returned from their breaks, and despite having never seen Fenella before, they assumed she belonged there. They weren’t at all impressed by her strange colored hair. They were surrounded by brown coffee all day and weren’t surprised by anything anymore. Fenella felt oddly comforted by their lack of interest.
“Hi,” Fenella said. “My name’s Fenella.”
“I’m Polly, she’s Molly, and that’s Holly.”
“Our names are easy because we probably won't be reoccurring characters, but we have to have names to make us more human,” Molly said.
“Hey, you!” An angry voice broke the employees' conversation. A man threw a cup of hot coffee on the counter and pointed at them as rudely as he could. “I want free stuff, so I’m going to complain and threaten to leave a bad review until I get something!”
“We better give him what he wants,” Holly said. “Reviews are businesses' lifeblood.”
“Uh.” Fenella took a straw out of the metal container by the register. “Here you go?”
The man held out his hand expectantly, but before Fenella could give him the straw, it was snatched from her fingers. She whirled around and came face to face with a tall man wearing sunglasses. He wore an indigo dress shirt with a silver nametag on his chest that read, “Manager”.
“Hold on now,” the manager said, putting the straw back in its rightful place. “Picking on employees might get you free things literally everywhere else, but not here! Not while I’m-" the lights shut off and a bright spotlight appeared on him. He dramatically removed his sunglasses. “-the manager!”
The man scowled as the lights came back on. “I don’t care who you are! This is the worst service ever! I’m leaving and my lawyers will hear about this!”
The angry customer stormed out, but not before taking a straw right out of a little girl's cup and stuffing it in his pocket. The little girl began crying and the manager swooped in with two more straws and comforting words.
“Woah,” Fenella said. “Two straws!”
“Our manager really is something special,” Polly said. “Anyway, we have to get back to work and start cleaning. The king of the Winter Territory will be coming down later to give one of his televised speeches.”
Fenella perked up. “The king? Like, the king king?”
“That’s right,” Holly said. “He gives his speeches in a special off-limits room because the security is so high. That’s where we serve our special drink.”
Fenella couldn’t help but smile. “You know what would make the king happy? If you gave him that special drink.”
The three girls gasped. "We can’t do that! We're not worthy enough to make it! The only one who is…” They turned to face the manager, who was giving a pep talk to the coffee machine.
“Hey, Mr. Manager?” Fenella started.
“Mr. Manager was my father,” he answered. “What can I do for you?”
“I was thinking. The king comes by to make his speeches here, but it seems in bad taste to give him regular coffee that anyone can order. What if we gave him that super exclusive drink that’s not available to the public? The one that comes in a cup bedazzled with real diamonds?”
The manager stared silently at her and Fenella shuffled her feet awkwardly. Finally, his face broke out into a big smile. “Fenella, that’s a great idea! If we had any other job besides barista and manager, I would promote you in a heartbeat!”
“You can make it up to me by letting me deliver the drink!” Fenella said. “I’ve, uh, always wanted to give the king a drink?”
“Then I shall help you achieve your dreams for I am-” the lights went out again and the spotlight reappeared. “-a great manager!”
“Why do the lights keep doing that?” Fenella whispered.
“Budget cuts,” Polly whispered back.
The manager took Fenella's arm and pulled her to the back rooms. “Come with me, autumn child! The king will be arriving any minute now and I want his special drink to be ready when he arrives!”
Getting the drink was much easier than Fenella thought it would be. After the manager made it, Fenella offered to take it outside and put some “authentic Winter Territory snow" in it to prove to the king how loyal they were to their season. The manager was overly impressed by her improvised excuse and let her do it. Once she was outside, she shed the apron and took off with the drink. Once she was a safe distance from the coffee shop, she dialed Nitro's number on her phone.
“I did it!” Fenella said. “I have the drink! Diamond cup and everything! Do you know where Winston is?”
“Yeah.” Nitro sounded surprisingly unenthusiastic. “I’m looking at him.”
“Great! Where is he? I can give him the drink right now and-”
“SkateSlope park,” Nitro muttered. “Ask directions. Everyone knows where it’s at.”
Fenella paused. “Is everything-”
“Just get here.” Nitro hung up.