Between Beasts

Chapter 4. An Invitation

Teo was the only one who moved, planting himself firmly between the stranger and the rest of the cafe. “Sorry, we’re booked up. Try somewhere else.” The usual happy tone of Teo’s booming voice had been replaced with an almost threatening coldness, and Jodie would have sworn he had grown even bigger, his already tight t-shirt now straining around his muscles.

“I did not come for… sustenance” said the stranger calmly.

“Then why are you here?”

“…her…” The strangers’ gaze had slipped back from Teo to Jodie, and with it had followed every other pair of eyes in the cafe.

“what do you want with…” Teo had started, but as fast and quietly as Teo seemed to move sometimes, the stranger had somehow rounded him and was standing at the edge of Jodie and Mary’s booth. Jodie blinked at him, she didn’t seem to have actually seen him move, but he must have, he was standing right there beside her.

Jodie looked up towards that handsome face and into those dark, depth-less eyes and found herself being drawn into them again. It felt like an eternity had passed, lost in that gaze, but it had been just a moment, a mere second before one of Teo’s mighty hands had appeared on the strangers’ shoulder, holding it as if he intended to tear his arm off.

“You left these behind yesterday” Said the stranger calmly, showing no sign he was even aware of the crushing grip on his shoulder, as he produced something from a pocket within the flowing jacket he was currently wearing over yet another fine, deep black suit.

“My keys…” Jodie said, seeming to regain some, little control of herself.

“I would have brought them to you last night, but I was not sure I would be welcome. You left in quiet a hurry the last we met.” Said the stranger, his deep, melodic voice portraying a hurt tone, but that ever so slight flick of a smile returning to the corner of his perfect lips gave away it’s playful nature.

“Oh, no! You’d be welcome any time…”

“She didn’t mean that!” Blurted Mary.

“I thank you for the invitation…”

“Jodie…”

“Miss Jodie. A pleasure to meet you again.” And with that, the stranger seemed to simply slip free of Teo’s grip and slowly left. There were a few moments silence as everyone seemed to continue to look at Jodie, as if reassessing her, unsure what she was, before Teo barked.

“Back to your business, people!” And the cafe suddenly sprung back to life. Most of the diners had seemed to take it as a command to instantly resume eating and their own discussions, the various sounds of food preparation including the shouting back and forth of orders resumed from the kitchen and the few irregulars, flustered and confused at first, seemed to decide it was best to join in, given the weight of Teo’s instruction.

“Was that him? Was that the man from the coffee shop, Jodie?” Mary asked, sounding both surprised and worried.

“I told you he was…“Jodie seemed unable to find the right words to finish her sentence, still looking towards the door.

“Jodie!” Jodie fully regained her senses and looked back to Mary. She really did look worried. “You shouldn’t have invited him like that! It’s dangerous!”

“He seemed nice enough.”

“And just what do you know about him?”

“Why are you so worried Mary? It was harmless. Besides, he doesn’t know where I live anyway.”

“Jodie, he’s…” Mary cut off, lowered her head and looked across the cafe, Teo was Glaring at her. “Just be careful Jodie, alright? Promise.”

“Don’t worry, I will be.” Jodie had spent most of her life being careful, she didn’t think there was any risk of her breaking that promise.”

After eventually returning to happily chatting, followed by wandering around the city centre trying on things they had no intention of buying the evening began to grow late and it was getting dark. When Jodie said she was going to head home Mary asked her to come with her back to the cafe.

Jodie didn’t mind, it wasn’t too far out of her way and was part of their routine; any time they were out in the evening Mary always seemed to want to stop off at the cafe before going home or heading out, and despite it being closed the staff would always let them in. She usually said she was just hoping to grab some chips, but Jodie definitely thought it was just an excuse to see Teo, they’d always disappear into the back briefly, and she was never allowed to go with her.

This evening Jodie could hear a large number of voices coming from the yard out behind the cafe, she couldn’t make out what they were talking about, but some sounded scared, some angry. All of them stopped whenever she heard the familiar, comforting boom of Teo’s voice though.

When the voices finally all went silent Mary came back through, following behind Teo.

“Sorry we kept you, I’ll walk you home.” Teo said to Jodie. Like everything Teo said, it was an instruction, not a request and certainly not open to discussion. “Mary, you get yourself home now as well.” Mary nodded.

“See you Jodie!” Mary headed out the cafe, clearly dismissed and not having any intention of debating it.

“You really don’t have to walk me home, I walk by myself all the time” Jodie said to Teo, a bit surprised that he would offer. In truth, it was a comforting thought. She hated walking by herself when it was dark, there were so many noises and people you couldn’t see, and what you could see took on an ominous shade. The only reason she didn’t get the bus each day was to try and save what little money she could, and even if she did, she’d still have a ten-minute walk from the bus stop anyway.

“You’re a beautiful girl Jodie, and there are… bad people out there… particularly at night.”

Jodie was stunned. Teo thought she was beautiful? Mary had told her so many times that she was, but she was her best friend, and Jodie had never really believed her. She didn’t think she had ever actually heard Teo explain the reasons for his instructions to anyone before either.

Did Teo… like her? Jodie looked at Teo with fresh eyes. Besides being large and very well-muscled, with arms so big she couldn't imagine anything they couldn't do, he was also very good looking, in a far rougher way. Teo was also passionate and never hid his emotions; always wearing a broad smile. His face and arms showed a number of small scars, which gave you the sense that he had been beaten by all the troubles of the world and had just kept going, smiling as he did.

Jodie didn’t think it was possible for the bearer of that face to let someone down or break his word.

Realising that she had now been staring at Teo, thinking what she had, Jodie blushed bright scarlet.

“Are you alright? Ah, you’re cold!” Said Teo, noticing her colour change. He grabbed one of the smaller fleeced furs from one of the booths and wrapped it round her like a shawl.

“Thank you, Teo.”

“Come now, let’s get you home.”

The walk home had been fairly quiet. No ‘bad people’ had attacked them.

The occasional drunk who would normally try to speak to her and call after her as she quickly walked away seemed to all be staying as far away from them as they could, and although Teo may have been friendly once you got past the initial feeling of smiling intimidation and gotten to know him, he was not a man of many words.

There had been a moment passing one of the bars where a fight had broken out, spilling out into the street and Jodie had instinctively taken hold of Teo’s arm. She had instantly felt embarrassed, but it also made her feel so safe. Teo hadn’t seemed to notice, never mind object, so she had kept hold of his arm the rest of the walk home, idly playing her fingers over one of the larger scars on his forearm.

“This is me, thank you Teo. You really didn’t have to.” Jodie said as they reached the front door of her building.

“No problem. I usually walk about a bit in the evening anyway. Take care.” Teo didn’t leave though, he just stood there.

“Oh! The fur! I’m so sorry, here” Jodie started to take the fur off her shoulders.

“No, you keep it. It looks good on you, but…” Teo looked down to his arm, where Jodie was still holding on, still stroking her finger-tips over his scar. She quickly let go, closed her eyes and tried to hide herself within the fur, she was such an i***t!

“Have a good night Jodie.” She opened her eyes again and he had disappeared into the darkness. How did Teo move so quickly? Jodie headed inside and began walking up the stairs to her flat, thinking about the feel of Teo’s arm as her fingers started to unconsciously play with the fur he had given her.

As Jodie reached the front door of her flat though, she froze, key in hand. She was suddenly struck by everything she had intentionally not been thinking about! What had happened the night before, what she had done and what Mark had seen! Would Mark have told Kevin? Kevin! He hadn’t known Jodie would be out today, and she was home far later than she had thought she would be, he must have been worried about her.

Jodie pulled out her phone to check if she had any missed calls or messages… nothing. Mark must have told him. Was he angry? What would he say? Jodie’s mind raced and her heart pounded as she stood there, her keys still in her hand, inches from the lock.