His World, not Mine

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I was scared to open the message. My fingers hovered over my phone, my chest tightening with every second that passed.

“Emma?” Michael’s voice pulled at me, gentle but concerned. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head quickly. “Just… give me a second,” I said.

I didn’t want to open it in front of him. I didn’t want him to see whatever it was. Another threat. Another video. Another reminder that something was wrong.

I stepped a few feet away from him, my heart pounding as I finally gathered the courage to open the message. I tapped it and froze.

That wasn’t what I was expecting.

“Heyyy girl, where are you at? We are planning to chill at The Bell Cafe once school is over. You in? Oh btw it’s Cash, got your contact through the school group chat.”

I blinked. Relief washed over me so fast it almost made me dizzy. I let out a small breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

Quickly, I saved his contact, then walked back to Michael. “Where’s The Bell Cafe?” I asked.

He raised a brow. “Not far from here. Like three streets away. Why?”

“Cash texted me,” I said. “They’re all going after school.”

He nodded. “That’s cool. You should go.”

I pulled out my phone again and typed, speaking out loud, “Oh yes! I’m in. I’ve got playwriting last period. Where would I meet y’all?”

I sent it.

Not even a minute later, my phone buzzed. “We’ll be at the school park. You still recognize my car, don’t you?”

I sent a simple emoji then slipped my phone back into my pocket. Michael led me to the pavilion by the field, and we sat down.

For the first time all day, everything felt normal.

“What’s playwriting like?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Honestly? I just started. But it’s… interesting. You get to build stories from nothing.”

He nodded. “So you’re a storyteller.”

“I guess,” I said. “Or at least trying to be.”

He smiled. “That explains a lot.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, raising a brow.

“You notice things,” he said. “More than most people here. You don’t just… blend in.”

I let out a small laugh. “Yeah, I think everyone already knows that.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” he said.

I looked at him.

“You’re different,” he added.

I didn’t know what to say to that so I just smiled. “What about you?” I asked. “What’s your thing?”

He leaned back slightly. “Football, mostly. But not in a loud way. I just… play.”

“That explains the calm,” I teased.

He chuckled. “Calm?”

“You don’t act like them,” I said. “You don’t… try too hard.”

He looked at me for a second. “Maybe I just don’t care as much.”

“That must be nice,” I muttered.

“It is,” he said simply.

We sat there talking about random things, classes, teachers, how confusing the school layout was, and even small things like favorite foods and music. It felt easy and I forgot everything else.

Then it hit me.

“I have class,” I said quickly, standing up.

Michael laughed softly. “You just remembered?”

“I’ve had a long day,” I said.

He nodded. “Fair.”

I hesitated. “Are you coming to The Bell Cafe later?”

He smiled. “Yeah. I’d try.”

I nodded, then turned and ran back into school as if nothing had happened. Like I hadn’t seen someone die or detectives hadn’t questioned me. Like I wasn’t being watched by something I didn’t understand.

By the time school ended, I was already exhausted but I still made my way to the school park. Cash and Missy were already there, leaning against his car.

I walked up to them.

Cash looked at me and grinned. “You look happy.”

Missy nodded. “You actually do.”

“Shouldn’t I be?”

Cash placed a hand on his chest dramatically. “Oh my God, you’re glowing. I never thought I’d see this after everything that happened today.”

“I’m trying to forget it,” I said.

“Well, it’s working,” he replied.

Then MJ walked up. “Hey folks,” she said, then looked at me closely. “How are you holding up?”

Before I could answer, Cash cut in, “Can’t you see? She’s fine. She’s thriving.”

I laughed but it felt wrong, like I wasn’t supposed to be laughing today.

MJ nodded slowly, then added, “I heard something.”

We all looked at her.

“They’re doing an autopsy on John,” she said. “The sheriff wants to know exactly what killed him.”

Missy sighed. “That’s going to take days. Maybe weeks.”

Cash groaned. “Can we not talk about death right now?”

He opened the car door. “Hop in. I respect the dead, but John is gone. Let’s enjoy life before it’s our turn.”

We all exchanged looks and got in.

The Bell Cafe was huge. That was the first thing I noticed. It didn’t even feel like a cafe it was more like a luxury restaurant. Very quiet and calm, like nothing bad was allowed to exist here.

People are sitting, eating, and some are even studying.

I glanced around. Is this a library or a restaurant? I thought to myself.

We found a table and sat in four chairs around it. It didn’t take long before a waitress approached us.

I looked up, Chloe. I blinked, surprised.

She didn’t react much, just pulled out her notepad. “What would you like to order?”

Missy went first.

Then MJ.

Then Cash.

They all turned to me waiting.

I froze.

“I… don’t know what to order,” I admitted. “I’ve never been here before.”

Cash smirked. “Just get her what I’m having.”

Chloe nodded and walked away.

I leaned toward MJ. “Why is she working here?”

MJ shrugged. “Her dad owns the place. She just works here sometimes. Technically, she’s the manager.”

Of course, she was a rich kid.

Our food came quickly, It looked expensive. Chloe placed our plates down, then paused, just for a second. “Be careful,” she whispered.

Then reality hit me.

“I… don’t think I can afford this,” I said quietly.

Cash looked at me like I had just said something ridiculous.

“You’re not paying,” he said, then leaned forward. “You use CashApp?”

I nodded slowly.

“What’s your tag?”

I told him.

My phone chimed, a bright, cheerful sound that felt violent in the quiet cafe. I looked at the screen and nearly dropped my fork. Thirty thousand dollars.

My heart stopped. “Wait… what?!” I almost shouted. My hands started to shake. My mother worked four jobs for a year to see that kind of money on a tax return, and Cash had just sent it over lunch.

MJ looked at me. “What happened?”

Cash waved it off. “She’s just excited.”

“Cash, I can’t take this. This is… this is a mistake.”

Cash didn’t even look up from his truffle fries. “Think of it as an investment, Emma. In this town, the only thing more dangerous than a murderer is a girl who looks like she can’t afford a lawyer. Fix your hair, buy a dress that doesn’t smell like a thrift store, and keep your head up.”

I stared at him.

He shrugged. “You’re in a rich school now. You need to look like it. We can’t have our friend looking out of place.”

“Thank you,” I said, my voice soft, checking my phone again subconsciously.

He nodded like it was nothing and went back to eating.

After we all finished eating, that was when I remembered, “Michael might come,” I said.

Cash smirked but I ignored him.

MJ just smiled.

Missy looked at me quietly, then said “I hope he’s worth you.”