Seeing Shadows (Shadows 1)

"Shit," she said quietly. "You had one."

I rubbed my eyes and tried to smile. "Wow, I must really look like hell."

"Simon?" she asked, looking concerned.

"No, a new one."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not now. It's still too fresh," I replied, gentling my refusal to share with a smile. "But thanks. Maybe later."

Sarah frowned but she didn't push me. She knew that I was struggling with images I wanted to forget. "What time do you start work today?"

"One," I replied, glancing at the clock. I had plenty of time to get ready.

"What time do you get off?"

"Eight," I said. "Why?"

Sarah looked at me guiltily. "Grant asked me to come over today. He wants help with some new promotional fliers he's creating. I think Simon's coming over too."

I gave Sarah a small smile. "Sarah, you're allowed to hang out with Simon. I mean, I'm supposedly still friends with him, so it's not like I have anything against him. If anything, I feel badly towards him."

"But I don't want to leave you alone!" Sarah exclaimed. "I'll just tell him I can't come over."

"To do what?" I asked, raising a brow. "To sit in the apartment alone while I'm at work? That's ridiculous. Go and have fun." I didn't want Sarah to be burdened with this. Besides, being the only one in the group with a job, I was used to missing out on some get-togethers because of work. This was nothing new. The prospect that Simon might be there didn't change anything.

"Maybe I should come to Colette's with you," Sarah said, with a concerned frown. "I could just hang out while you work."

"Sarah," I laughed. "I doubt Colleen wants you hanging around while I work, nursing a cup of coffee for hours and taking the place of someone wanting to buy food. I'll be busy and not thinking about anything besides whether someone wants their burger well done or medium rare." I smiled at her fondly. "But thanks. I appreciate the offer. But go knock some sense into Grant with your come-hither looks."

Sarah squealed and threw a pillow from the couch at me. I leaned to the side to dodge it, laughing. "I do not give him come-hither looks!" she protested indignantly

I held up my hands in appeasement. "Okay, okay. I was just joking. I gotta take a shower. Have fun."

Sarah was gone by the time I got out of the shower. I was dragging my feet as I got ready, trying not to think of Simon or the girl in my vision. When I walked outside and down the stairs, I used every ounce of will power I had not to glance at Grant and Marcus' window to try and catch a glimpse of Simon.

I worked my shift at Colette's on autopilot. It was bustling enough where I was kept busy, but not so hectic that I had to do much concentrating. Fortunately, Emily was the other waitress on duty. I didn't think I could take Marnie's incessant talking today, especially since she would probably want to talk about the Henchmen's show last night. I had seen a glimpse of her last night, but she had been across the bar, separated by a rowdy crowd. I had intended to say hi to her later on in the night, until things had taken a turn for the worse and all thoughts of being friendly were forgotten.

Colleen seemed to sense my mood and kept her wisecracks to a minimum. After my shift was over, I dragged myself back home. Sarah was in the apartment and I smelled the aroma of fast food wafting in the air. My stomach growled and I was surprised that I was hungry. Loss of appetite was common after a vision, but my stomach seemed to be demanding food. I often ate a meal at Colette's during a shift, but I usually refrained from eating dinner there if I was going to be home at a decent hour. Sarah and I usually tried to eat dinner together.

"Surprise!" Sarah announced gleefully, clutching a red and white striped bucket in her hands. "I figured we could use a little indulgence tonight. The Colonel will fix whatever ails us."

I shrugged off my coat, feeling my hunger sharpen. "You're a lifesaver," I said. "I'm starving."

We spread out the food on the coffee table, which consisted of way too much fried chicken and biscuits for two people alongside large containers of cole slaw and mashed potatoes.

"How did the brain trust for the Henchmen's promotional campaign go?" I said, afraid to ask in case she mentioned Simon, but also apprehensive that my lack of inquiry would be too obvious.

"It was good," Sarah said, choosing a drumstick from the bucket. "Grant had some good ideas about spreading the word about the Henchmen although I don't know if it's necessary. After last night, it seems everyone knows they're back, new and improved." She hesitated, looking up from her chicken. "I don't know whether or not it's okay to mention Simon."

I forced a laugh, hearing it ring falsely in my ears. I wondered if Simon and I were really going to be friends or if it would be awkward between us now. I had wanted to avoid any awkwardness that may have happened if we had dated and things hadn't worked out, but it seemed it was now inevitable regardless of our dating status, or lack thereof. "Of course you can mention him, Sarah. We agreed to be friends."

"Okay," she said slowly, peeling a piece of meat off her drumstick. "Simon was there." She looked up quickly. "So was Samantha."

"Oh," I said, feeling as if an arrow had pierced my heart. I masked it with a smile. "Well, I can't say much for Simon's taste, but that's okay. He's allowed to date whoever he wants." I shrugged. "If he wants to catch gonorrhea, that's his prerogative."

Sarah burst out laughing. "If it makes you feel any better, he wasn't there with her. Marcus invited her. Of course." She rolled her eyes. "Jenny was livid. Even though Samantha was all over Simon and not Marcus, Jenny was still upset since she thinks Samantha is infringing on your territory. I pulled her aside and told her you guys had just decided to be friends but she couldn't believe it." She added quickly, "But Simon didn't act interested. He barely spoke to her. He barely spoke at all. I think he was hoping that you would be there."