Chapter 3: Old Friends

“So I want my money by next week.”

“Look, man. I don’t get my paycheck till next Friday,” Chris protested as he and Hiram strolled along the sidewalk. Here he so nicely met up with Hiram at the bus stop, and the damn guy couldn’t wait one minute before he had to bring up that embarrassing loss.

“You should’ve thought about that before you bet me,” Hiram said with a short laugh.

“That desperate for money, huh?” Chris remarked dryly.

“Psh…like it matters. Who won the bet, huh?”

“You still lost a lot to everyone else.”

“Shit, we all lost out.”

Chris winced internally at the memory of last night. Jonathan hadn’t won a single round, Chris only winning once. Hiram had won twice with a straight and then a full house, the latter win which just had to have been an amazing stroke of luck—or cheating, as everyone had a considerably weaker hand that round. Still, not including his debt to Hiram, he had to pay up not only a hundred dollars but his wristwatch, as well.

Ugh…maybe I should’ve drunk more last night, after all.

Hiram appeared to deliberate before saying, “I guess I’ll be nice this time and say the money’s split between you and Jo-Jo.”

Chris was half-surprised that he’d actually relented. But he wasn’t about to question it. “So where we going?”

“When’s the last time you had Bo’s Burger Joint?”

“That diner? Been a couple years. Didn’t Nadya work there?”

“Still does. I grab a bite there sometimes to catch up with her.”

“How’s she doing? I haven’t seen her since graduation.”

Hiram whistled. “Damn. That’s like, what, a year now? Time sure flies. She’s doing good, I guess. Been looking for another job last time I heard from her. And I’m pretty sure she wanted to change her major—I think it was premed or something.”

“Guess I can see why she thought it was for her. She was always that type: wanting to help people.”

“Yeah,” Hiram said, brushing his nose slyly. “That’s why I’m not gonna lie: sometimes I try to talk her into giving me a pity-burger.”

“Man, how cheap can you get? Get a job already,” he teased while suppressing a laugh.

“Sure, when I can just win my money and not have to bust my ass like you? No thanks.”

“Yeah, and who’s the one who had to take a bus to get here?” Chris quipped. Hiram performed an affronted expression, and he only grunted in response as he added, “Besides, I get good tips at the hotel. And it’s not like I’m keeping that job forever.”

A laugh burst out from Hiram. “That’s what my uncle always said as a security guard. And fifteen years later he’s still working long nights at the hospital.”

Chris shrugged, though it did nothing to shrug off the words from his mind. Knowing

Hiram, he hadn’t really meant to add an underlying depth to his words, but it was there.

It was a scary thought, slaving himself away for that long as a bellhop. It was also a possibility that had been haunting the hinterlands of his mind. However, it was also a thought Chris refused to let gnaw at him.

So he changed the subject and asked, “So does that trick of yours ever work on her?”

“What trick?” asked Hiram.

“The pity-burger thing you were talking about.”

“Bro, she knows me. What do you think?”

~♦~

There were upsides and downsides to having a slow day at the diner. The upside was that she could relax a bit and chat with a couple friends who might have shown up that day. The downside was that she was mostly left to her own devices for the greater portion of the day, performing every possible minute task, then any possible leisure task like checking for notifi-cations on her phone, until the only thing left for her to do was to look up at the clock as she twisted the long dark strands of her hair.

Today was one of those days. Her two coworkers had already gone out “to get some air”—even though she knew the truth from previous times of the pair returning reeking like a casino—after they’d seen the slow business and hadn’t returned yet. A small handful of customers had trickled in since then, but nothing unmanageable—or occupying. Nadya was now fiddling with her dark brown ponytail, watching her last customer finish his burger. Then she went through a mental checklist to make sure she hadn’t forgotten any possible thing she could have done. She’d already cleared the tables, restocked the napkins, checked up on inventory, asissted in the kitchen, and notified the cooks about the waning business. Then she had rechecked inventory and wiped down the tables again for good measure.

Drat, I guess that is almost everything, she thought, glancing at the door and hoping she’d hear it swing open again. Ugh, come on. If I’m gonna be on the clock, let me do something. I guess I could check up on that assignment that’s due tomorrow…

Then the door did swing open again, and those thoughts flew out her head as her heart leapt. And it proceeded to do a second leap when she saw who walked in.

A thin young woman wearing jeans and a black tank top contrasting her light skin leisurely strode into the diner. Her short, straight jet-black hair was tied into a small ponytail on the top left side of her head, leaving only side-swept bangs to fall over her left cheek.

She’d recognize that hair style anywhere.

“Naomi! Long time no see,” Nadya greeted with a relieved grin. “How are you?”

“Could be better. School’s beaten the living crap out of me, and then that Floridian summer heat out there nearly killed me,” Naomi complained rather wearily, dark eyes lined with eyeliner and weariness as she plopped herself on a chair by the counter. “Just glad we’re done. I had no time for that load of bull when I had other stuff to do that’s arguably more important.”

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“Maybe a burger might help with that. What’ll it be?”

Naomi leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter as she said with a straight face,

“The meatiest thing on your menu.”

Nadya chuckled. “We have a double steak burger piled with two layers of bacon. Your choice of curly or cheese fries.”

“Real bacon?”

“It’s an all-American diner that serves burgers. Of course it’s real bacon.”

“Sounds fattening. I’ll take it. Curly fries for me.”

“Sure,” Nadya replied, “Anything to drink, Nai? Wait, wait, let me guess…either green tea or coffee. Judging by your look, I’m gonna go with coffee.”

“You know me so well.” As dry as those words were, Naomi cracked her a smile.

After Nadya had put down the order, she brought her coffee. As Naomi blew on it, she questioned, “How have you been?”

“I’ve been all right, I guess. Glad school’s done. Doing that volunteer trip to Guatemala I told you about. And probably not doing premed anymore,” said Nadya, keeping a watchful eye at the door. “Now I’m not sure what I’m gonna do.”

“We’ve just finished our freshman year. Don’t worry so much about it if you haven’t gotten it figured out.” Naomi took a sip of her coffee. “Hell, I’m still undeclared.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just want to do something worthwhile, you know? Something I enjoy.”

It was just as she said them that she wished she could have retracted her words. Nadya inwardly winced as Naomi’s sharp gaze met hers, and she had a fair guess what her friend was thinking. Her eyes darted to the door again, suddenly hoping it would open once more.

What was worse was Naomi’s silence, because it never meant that her mind was silent. The gears were turning with some analysis in that brain, and Nadya didn’t think she wanted to know what it was.

“I’ll go check on your burger,” Nadya said abruptly, turning to leave.

“Nady,” Naomi called after her. And despite herself, she froze in mid-turn. Her head tilted back to Naomi like a reluctant marionnette.

Naomi tapped her nails against the mug. “You know what I’m gonna ask.”

Sometimes she hated that steady gaze of hers. It could really be unnerving. “Nai—”

“I’m not the one hounding you, Nady. She wants to know your answer. You’re part of this, whether you like it or not.”

She scowled. “Well, that’s thanks to who?”

Naomi shrugged. “Me. I’m not gonna deny it. I thought I was doing you a favor. Still do. Or did you not just hear yourself?” she asked.

“Nai…” She wasn’t sure what she was going to say, but she was forever grateful that she didn’t have to complete that sentence. Because it was right then that the door opened and two young men entered.

And was she ever so glad to see them.

“Hiram!” she exclaimed, rushing up to meet them a bit too eagerly. She hugged him and saw the young man behind him. “Chris?”

“Hey, Nady. Been a while,” he said with that small, crooked smile she had always thought made him look more attractive.

“A while? It’s been forever!” She hugged Chris quickly before releasing him to inspect him. “Well, at least you haven’t changed much.”

“That supposed to be a compliment?” he asked lightly.

“I sure think so,” she said with a smile. “How’ve you been?”

“No time to chat, woman. We’re hungry and you’re supposed to be working,” Hiram said with a raised eyebrow.

Nadya stepped back to appraise him, crossing her arms and imitating his expression. “Nice to see you, too.”

“Of course it is. It’s always nice to see me.” Hiram sat at the counter a seat away from Naomi, Chris following suit.

Nadya returned to her place at the counter so she could face them. Glancing at Naomi, who was texting on her phone, she wasn’t able to deal with the awkwardness a moment longer. Nadya indicated to her and said, “This is my friend Naomi. We were in the same dorm together last semester.”

Loath as she was to admit it, it was a tiny revenge on Naomi, because Nadya knew well that she didn’t care to talk with new people. And maybe Naomi might have been aware of that, because she actually put down her phone and smiled—smiled—at them. “Sup,” she said in a shockingly genial voice.

“Sup,” Hiram responded. “Name’s Hiram.”

“There’s a name I haven’t heard before.”

“That’s what happens when you had a mom that knew the Bible but no English.”

Naomi grunted with amusement. As Chris introduced himself, Nadya placed two menus down before them. “Let me know when you’re ready, boys.”

“No need. I already know what I want,” said Chris, pointing at the menu. “I’ll take the triple steak and bacon burger. Extra pickles and grilled onions.”

“Same here,” Hiram concurred. “Leave out the extra pickles, though.”

Naomi silently raised an eyebrow. Nadya smiled sheepishly at her and mouthed an

apology. That burger was relatively new. It hadn’t crossed her mind when Naomi had asked—and clearly meant—for the meatiest thing on the menu.

After she jotted down their complete orders—and revised Naomi’s—she darted back and forth in an attempt to finish quickly and get some downtime to chat with them. But those two guys only ordered more. Two triple steak and bacon burgers, extra curly fries, drinks, and now an appetizer of onion rings? She’d almost forgotten how much food could be eaten between the two of them.

She couldn’t be too annoyed with them, though, because they were a welcome distraction from the pressing matter Naomi wanted to confront her about.

Nadya returned to the counter with their drinks and appetizer first. As the two of them dug in, Hiram glanced in Naomi’s direction, then down at the onion rings, and then back at her. He pushed it towards her—making Chris’s fingers fall out of reach of an onion ring.

“Bro, you just—”

“Want some?” Hiram asked Naomi.

Naomi looked amused. “Based on what I’ve heard of what you can eat, I’m surprised you’d offer.”

So am I, Nadya thought, observing Hiram with a slight smile and roll of her eyes.

“What can I say? Guess I’m feeling generous today.”

Chris exchanged a look with Nadya, indicating to an object with his eyes. Catching on, she grabbed it and handed to him, all the while trying not to grin.

“Thanks, but I’ll have to pass on that,” Naomi told him.

Hiram shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Naomi’s eyes glided to Nadya, who suddenly felt wary. “Nady, mind if I talk to you for a minute?” she asked.

Of course she did. But damn it all. It wasn’t like she could avoid it forever. She wouldn’t put it past Naomi to stay there even after both Chris and Hiram had gone.

She resignedly walked over to Naomi and murmured, “Just give me a second. I want to see this.”

Naomi grinned devilishly. “So do I.” Nadya couldn’t say she was surprised. Naomi had often scared her times before with how observant she could be.

A string of curses came to their left seconds later, and the two watched with stifled laughter as Hiram spat out his food and quickly reached for his coke. He chugged desperately as Chris snickered.

“When the hell’d you switch the sauces?” Hiram demanded to Chris after he had recovered.

“While you were busy,” Chris answered shortly with a smirk.

Nadya giggled. “All right, we can go,” she said as the two continued their lighthearted bicker, contented while simultaneously bracing herself for the inevitable.

Naomi went with her to the back, close to where the bathrooms were. Nadya watched her lean against the wall and cross her arms. She, meanwhile, was wrenching her hands as she told Naomi, “Nai, I know what you’re going to say—”

“Really? I was going to say that it’s sort of cute that you had a crush on Chris.”

Her mouth hung open. “How’d you…”

Naomi only smiled shrewdly. Why had she even bothered to ask? Of course Naomi would know. Even when she claimed she was just half-listening…

“Was it that obvious?”

“You say you haven’t seen him in a while at the same time you’re giving him a goofy smile. Charmed by those green eyes of his, are you?” Naomi asked, that damned smile only widening.

“Oh, shut up. Just get to the point,” Nadya muttered. “That was in high school.”

“Gotta give it to him: the guy’s got good hair. I should know. His thick hair makes the fringe work. Spiky-ish on the front and messy—the good messy—all over.”

“Oh my God, Naomi.”

Naomi snickered. “Just trying to lighten you up.”

“I swear you have snake eyes,” she grumbled.

“Hawk eyes, you mean?” Her friend looked only humored.

“No…I think snake eyes suit you better,” mumbled Nadya.

“Sorry to disappoint, but I have human eyes. I just use ‘em.” And then, without warning, the teasing was over. Her expression darkened, and Nadya tensed at the sight. Seeing her reaction, Naomi dismissed her concern with, “I’m not about to say what you think I’m about to say.” And yet from her tone, Nadya sensed it would be far worse.

“What’s wrong?” asked Nadya uneasily.

“Nady,” Naomi began lowly, “There’s a possibility that running away can’t be an option for you anymore.”

She bit her lip. “And why’s that?”

“I got a call from her yesterday. And…well…” Naomi paused, and then her voice lowered further as she continued. Nadya’s skin prickled as she heard her next words.

“…something was found a few weeks back in one of the other worlds. Something that could threaten all of us.”