she had the world

“Yeah I thought about it but I figured the bum had already asserted his dominace and I’m not makimng enough tips to pay for  a hospital visit right now.” SHe spun around to face the girl. “I’m Riley, by the way” She said her lips curling just slightly.

“See, this is why you’re probably much smarter than me.” Sasha nodded, giving the girl a smile. Sasha knew she didn’t recognise the girl, and she was glad. She would have felt really guilty if she would have forgot about her. Now she was interested, no one just moves to Luxbourne. It’s in the middle of nowhere. “I’m Sasha. You lived here long?” She asked, hoping to gather more intel.

Davey looked at the computer to his left as she talked, reviewing his notes from their last session. “So the medications not working.” He stated, turning his chair to face her more fully.  His hands mindlessly twidling. “That is if you’ve been taking it as perscribed?” He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“I...forget.” She told him. What she really meant to say was she didn’t like how they made her feel. Foggy and out of it, and they didn’t help. They just made her feel different. “Is there anything else I can do? I don’t think the meds are for me.”

“So, how have you been feeling since our last session?”

Sasha hated that question. She wanted to say ‘fine’, but that wouldn’t help her, which is what she needed. “The same, really.” She began with. “I have my ups and downs, random crying sessions here and there but that’s become normal now.” She told him, honestly.

“Nope, I think he and I knew there was no coming back from that. “She set down the bottle she was holding. “So he made eye contact with me from across the parking lot and walked away. The fucker didn’t even offer to pay for the car wash I had to go to at 2 am.”

Another laugh came from Sasha. “Wow, it seems the bums have grown some balls over the years.” She said, taking a sip of her drink. “If that were me, I don’t know what I’d do. Chase after him and end up getting myself stabbed, maybe?”

“I guess you could say that” Riley looked up to smirk at the girl, only to turn around and busy herself putting bottles back. “It’s the charming locals like the bum who threw up on my car yesterday that keep me coming back.”

Sasha couldn’t stop herself from cringing at that image. “Oh, wow.” She let out in a breath, followed by a small chuckle. “Yeah, that would bring anyone and everyone back. I mean...sorry, I can’t,” Sasha apologised, covering her eyes with her hand as the thought still burned away in her mind. “Did they say anything to you when they did that, or act like nothing happened?” She had to ask, assuming it was the latter.

“So, come here often?” Riley asked jokingly as she wiped down the bar, not even bothering to look up at what was probably her only patron. 

Sasha smiled at the girl’s jest, locking her phone for a minute and picking her drink up for the girl to clean. “Actually, I haven’t been here for a while.” She admitted. “So I have to answer no.” She added, giving her a grin. “I assume you do, though, right?” She teased.

There she sat, comfortable in her little corner of the crowded coffee shop. It had taken around twenty minutes of solid staring to get the person sitting there beforehand to move. And maybe a few hisses. But it was her corner. 

As she nursed the last few drops of her oolong tea, a black lip stain on the side from her signature lipstick, she began her pre-work ritual: chanting. Fixing her eyes to one particular spot in the room, she took a deep breath to ready herself. Today it would be in Russian, the phrase constantly repeating until it felt as though the spirits had aligned in her favour, “слава денежным спирам в эту прекрасную ночь.” 

Once Sasha managed to find a seat, she sat down with her coffee. It was busy, and loud, but Sasha needed her morning coffee if she were to get through the day. Just as she got comfortable, she pulled her phone out before noticing it was on 2% battery. It was then she remembered that she forgot to put it on charge last night. Motherfuck, she said in her head. Fortunately, she brought her charger out with her, and so she put in on charge. As her phone regained it’s battery life, Sasha grabbed a nearby newspaper and began flicking through the pages, seeing if anything interesting was happening in Luxbourne. She doubted it.

Whilst she read the paper, mumbles from someone the table next to her caught her attention. It was then she recognised it was Katya. In Sasha’s opinion, there were weird girls you go to school with, and then there was Katya. “It’s nice to know that you haven’t changed a bit, Katya.” Sasha told her, giving the girl a smile.

“No, that one I managed to change a while back, I just don’t remember how I did it… but I hid the instructions somewhere… actually I think,” She stopped talking, now completely disregarding the potential for the woman to get a drink. In the corner passed the bar top was a pinball machine. She reached behind it and ripped off a shred of paper. 

Idiot, here’s how to reset the wifi. 

“Leave it to past me to be both helpful and an asshole.” She laughed. “Now, you’ve earned a drink, what can I get you?” 

Sasha’s eyes followed Iffy as she walked away from her. Slightly confused, slightly offended. However, when she returned, Sasha peaked a look at the piece of paper she was holding and then it made sense. A laugh left her lips at past-Iffy’s words. “Hey, at least you were there for yourself. Quite hostile, but you got what you needed.” Sasha assured. "A black coffee would be great, thanks.”