Page 15 of Indigo

She rolls her eyes at me playfully, and I stand and watch as she locks herself inside the vehicle before calling out, “I’ll be right back.”

She nods, and I feel her eyes on me as I turn and quickly make my way across the parking lot.

Stepping into the shitty convenience store, I order two cups of coffee and wait while the cashier presses a single button on the machine. I spot a strawberry sprinkle donut in the glass display cabinet while I look around and realise Indie’s probably hungry, given she didn’t get to eat before storming out of the restaurant.

Giving her the same thing I did the night before she left town may go one of two ways, but it’s either the donut or the stale cream bun sitting next to it.

“Coffee,” the cashier grunts, placing two takeaway cups in front of me as I stare at my options.

I nod, placing more cash on the counter before taking the cups and gesturing to the donut with a lift of my chin. “I’ll take the one with sprinkles, too, mate.”

He sighs, rolls his eyes and bags it up, handing it to me with enough force to get his point across.

He doesn’t like working here. Shocker.

As I push the door open with my shoulder, headlights blind me momentarily. I watch the black sedan pull out of the parking lot I left Indie in, and I realise she could have left by now. I wouldn’t have even seen her drive off from inside. My stomach drops, and I jog across the street, holding my breath as I turn the corner.

I sigh in relief when I spot her and slow down as I walk to her car.

The light of her phone screen illuminates her face as she stares down at it, and when she finally looks up, an incredibly sweet smile pulls at her lips.

I return it as she unlocks the car and steps out. “Thank you so much,” she says, holding out her hand for a cup. Our fingers touch as I pass her one, and I pause, savouring the feeling of her skin against mine before releasing my grip.

“I got you a donut too. Thought you might be hungry,” I say, holding out the brown paper bag.

She scrunches her nose at me and grabs it. Peeping inside, she laughs and raises an eyebrow at me as if to say, “Really?”

I raise my free hand in surrender. “I know, I know, but it’s not like the place had a huge selection of decadent pastries for me to choose from, Blue.”

She nods and places the bag and her coffee by her feet and then slowly lowers herself back to the ground.

The familiar vibration of my phone pulls my attention away from her, thankfully, and I slide it from my pocket as I sit beside her.

JAGGER:Where the hell are you?

“Sorry,” I say to Indie. She watches me curiously as I type out my reply, her cup raised to her lips.

ME:Out. Doubt I’ll be back tonight. I’ll keep you updated.

“Someone waiting on you?”

“Just Jag,” I reply, locking my phone and placing it on the ground beside me, screen down, not wanting any more interruptions.

“Oh, right,” she replies, letting out a deep sigh and tilting her head back to look up at the sky. “I thought you were crazy for choosing to sit here, but it’s kind of peaceful, isn’t it?”

I watch her, watching the stars, and it’s a fucking beautiful sight. The way the streetlight hits her collarbone, the way the shadow curves around her jaw. I follow the untamed curls framing her face, how they fall over her shoulders and down her back, fighting the urge to run my fingers through them as I have done a million times before.

Indie’s phone lights up from the ground between us and draws our attention down.

She picks it up immediately and presses it to her ear. “Sorry, Mum, I should have messaged you. I actually ran into an… an old friend, so I haven’t left yet.” She listens to Lana’s response. I can hear her voice, but not enough to make out what she’s saying. “Mmm,” Indie says. “Yeah, no. I didn’t mean to worry you.” Lana speaks again. “Yes. Okay. I’ll fill you in when I get home, yeah?” she whispers, darting her eyes toward me as if she doesn’t want me to hear this part of their conversation. “Okay, yep. Love you, too.”

Her lips press into a thin line as she hangs up. She turns the phone over in her hands three times before looking back at me. “Mum asked you to come here tonight, didn’t she?”

Her question takes me by surprise. “Uh...”

“Jesus,” she says with a humourless laugh before scrambling to her feet, leaving behind her coffee and donut.

“Blue,” I call out, jumping up and taking off after her as she heads for her car.

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