Marc was wondering where Sofia had gotten to. They'd agreed to meet at the usual cafe at 12, yet it'd been ten minutes, and not a sign of her.
He didn't think anything had happened to her, nothing terrible at least. He had doubts someone like her could be so easily done in by... anything, really.
Maybe she was "snacking".
He mumbled to himself, when his attention was caught by another voice calling out to him.
"Oh, hi Marc!"
He looked over and saw Chaney, the bubbly girl from the fancy fashion and perfume store Sofia and her Mother liked to go to.
She was looking more casual than usual, sporting tight-fighting jeans and a pale blue shirt with some simple frills on the bottom, short enough it exposed some of her midriff. She stopped to adjust her lattice-like sandals, and then strode over, placing her pale brown faux-leather handbag on the ground, pulling up a chair.
"Where's Sofia?" she asked, looking around in mild confusion. "She said to meet her here."
Marc gave her a look.
"I don't know?" Marc answered, confused himself. "She didn't say you'd be joining us."
"Really? That's not like her," Chaney mused. Marc had to resist making a face in response; if only she knew. "I guess she got caught up."
"Yeah, I suppose she did," Marc answered somewhat drily.
"How about I get our drinks anyway? How do you take yours?" Chaney asked.
"Just a flat white this time," he answered.
"Sure. I'll be back, wait one."
She left to place the orders, cheerful as ever. Marc, on the other hand, grumbled internally.
He had a sneaking suspicion that perhaps Sofia's tardiness was intentional...
Chaney returned shortly afterwards, sighing happily as she sat back down.
"Shouldn't be long. Anyways, what have you been up to?"
"Eh, the usual, nothing. Well, except trying to figure out what uni course to take... and where to go to take it." He placed his face in his hands in feigned exhaustion. "You'd think it'd be easy."
"Well, it
is
your future, that's never easy to consider. I still haven't figured out where I want to take
my
life," she admitted. "Working at the store is nice, and the people I meet are lovely, besides a few less polite individuals. But Sofia and Maria are positively lovely. Just... I don't want to work there
forever
, you know, even if the pay's nice. It's still retail."
'Lovely' was putting it mildly, Marc thought. He did sympathise with her desire to not get stuck in a retail job, even if she seemed to enjoy it.
"I kinda want to avoid getting a retail job, given all the crap I hear, but I don't think I'll have much of a choice. My dad tells me it'd do me some good to do it for a few years, from an experience point of view. That it'd help me when dealing with 'difficult people' in any occupation I take up," Marc explained.
Chaney chuckled.
"My parents said something similar. My dad says it builds character, but my mum says - and I think she's got the right of it - it just teaches you how to, quote-unquote, 'deal with the bullshit'," she agreed.
"I suppose there's something to it. I have a feeling you can't escape assholes, no matter where you go."
"Like that dude that tried to pick a fight with you here a while back? He was about ready to cause a scene."
Marc groaned, the memory resurfacing.
"Don't remind me. Who the hell flips a lid like that?" he muttered.
"It's sadly not as rare as we'd like. Some guys have just got a sense of entitlement, and something disconnected in their brains. They just lose their cool hard."
"I wouldn't know, I guess," Marc said. "I've never been particularly outgoing."
Chaney laughed softly, not in mockery.
"Marc, you're the kinda guy girls
like
. You're smart, easy going, and kinda handsome."
Marc was quiet for a second. Looking at Chaney.
"You're screwing with me," he jokingly accused eventually.
Chaney shook her head.
"It's true. You're the kind of 'regular guy' that 'regular girls' are drawn to... I know that sounds like an insult, but... you know what I mean."
"Kinda?"
They paused, and then both chuckled a little. Still, Marc was a little... taken aback by the 'handsome' comment. More so than the 'smart' part, he didn't think he particularly expressed it.
He wasn't sure what to think of it.
"Anyways, I do wonder what's keeping Sofia," Chaney mused. "She's taking her sweet time..."
"Girl lives by her own schedule most of the time," Marc answered.
One of the staff came over with their coffees, Chaney having ordered a frappe and a biscuit on the side. Marc took his drink and thanked the staffer, taking a few sips.
"I suppose that's true," Chaney agreed, dunking her biscuit. "But it's not so bad. I don't mind talking with you. I was kinda hoping I'd get a chance earlier."
Marc paused his sip, and glanced up at her.
"Really?"
"You seem like a nice guy. I know you can be a bit grumbly, but who isn't when dragged to a fashion store when they've got no interest? Trust me, I've seen it in plenty of people. Boyfriends and husbands, and the occasional lady friend who has to wait for their partner to finish browsing. You get along with Sofia so well though, so I think you'd be nice to hang out with. Perhaps catch a coffee on our own some time."
She had no idea just
how well
he 'got along' with Sofia. Still, Marc wasn't sure if this was flirting or Chaney just wanted to be friends, the tone made it hard to tell, bubbly and upbeat. Also because he barely knew her."
"I mean... could be an idea," he conceded.
Just then, Sofia finally made her appearance, slinging her own bag off her shoulders, wearing a pale pink blouse and jeans similar to Chaney's, albeit of a much darker colour, and fashionable slides.
"Sorry I'm late," she excused as she sat down. "Mum had some things she wanted to do."
She sighed and then looked between the other two.
"So, what are we talking about?"
"Oh, not much, university stuff, job stuff, maybe hanging out again. Your step-brother's pretty alright," Chaney said, giving the cliff notes.
Sofia cast Marc a very subtle grin, her sly expression going unnoticed by Chaney, but Marc could already feel his face turning a slightly redder shade.
"Yeah, he's pretty cool~"
Marc took another sip of his coffee.
"Well, I see you two have started without me, so I'll go get my own drink to join in on the fun."
Sofia went to get up again, but Chaney wagged her finger in denial.
"No no, I've already paid for my drink and his, it's only right I pay for yours too. On me."
"But you've just sat down," Marc pointed out.
"And I'm getting back up again," Chaney retorted with a cheerful smile as she rose again. "Be right back."
She headed over to the counter to make the order.
Marc took this opportunity for some interrogation, leaning over towards Sofia.
"What're you playing at?" he asked with his voice lowered a bit.
"What are you on about?" Sofia said quietly, looking confused.
"Don't play dumb. I know you weren't late for a real reason. You didn't tell me Chaney was coming. Read my mind and know I'm not an idiot."
She paused for a moment, and then smiled.
"You two would be good together~" she confessed with a knowing smirk.
"I barely know her, Sofia, and you're trying to hook me up with her?"
"You'll know her more if you actually spend time with her. I know she's got eyes for you. Don't need mind reading to figure that out."
"But... why? I don't get it, I thought I was your 'Soul Mate', or whatever, wouldn't you want me to not go out with other people?"
"You don't stop me from banging other people, do you?"
Marc had no immediate answer to that, pulling back and going red in the face. Prompting Sofia to giggle knowingly.
"Unless she was going to steal you away somehow, I'm more than happy to help my bro get a girlfriend. That won't stop what we've got going on, of course... and I know you wouldn't want it to stop."
"... you're twisted, you know that, right?"
"Twisted and evil and wrong~" she teased, grabbing Marc's drink and taking a sip.
"Hey, that's mine!" He stole back his coffee from his giggling stepsister, just as Chaney returned.
"Can't you wait for yours, Sofia?" Chaney chastised in her usual friendly demeanour.
"No," Marc muttered as he took a possessive swig of his coffee, eyes twitching a little as he somehow tasted Sofia in it... another damned sex demon trick of hers, no doubt. Her ability to screw with him in public was truly quite impressive.
And yet... he wasn't about to stop drinking his coffee.
"Gotta keep your brother on your toes, you know?" Sofia answered, her excuse poor, but it made Chaney laugh.
"I think you keep him on his toes plenty enough, knowing you," she retorted, Marc doing his best not to choke on his drink or respond to that remark in any way. "You're more energetic than I am at times."
"Oh, that's a lie, I don't know anyone else with the kind of bubble in her step like you, Chaney. No one else in town has your kind of energy."
"Now you're making me blush," Chaney retorted. "Still, it's nice to see you two getting along."
"Well, you know me, a people person," Sofia remarked.
