The Hush Society Presents... by Izzy Matias (best desktop ebook reader .txt) 📕

I pull her by the elbow and usher her to the other side of the street.

"How on earth did you do that?" Cassie asks, bewildered. "I was going for more cringe-worthy type of stories, but I need to know how this starts and ends."

"Benji, Eric, and I were bored out of our wits one afternoon. I suggested we take turns balancing as many coins using our lips. When it was my turn, Eric had said something funny. I accidentally swallowed one while laughing."

"What?" Cassie almost shouts, but resists her laughter.

"And Benji had to record history unfolding." I shake my head.

"So there’s a video of you swallowing a coin?" Cassie covers her mouth with her hand.

"Yeah," I say. "In all its glory. Me acting all cheeky about it, laughing, and then the eventual choking and swallowing."

"Omigosh!" Cassie squeals. "What happened next?"

"I’m still alive, that’s what." I laugh. "Eric panicked and rushed me to the emergency. They resorted to other methods of getting it out of my system, but if I didn’t pass it out, they told me I’d have to undergo surgery."

"You’re a riot." Cassie shakes her head.

"Thank you very much."

"How do you come up with these ideas?" Cassie asks, laughing.

"I’ve got a brilliant mind." I tap at my temple. "It’s your turn."

"Oh, I don’t think any of my stories can top that one."

"I won’t be able to tell you if it’s the top scorer if you don’t share."

Cassie laughs. "All right."

We pass vintage shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants before turning to a side road beside a park.

"My mates and I were in Primark one time. One of them told me to meet her at the register. After I had my chosen bunch of clothes, I spotted her in one of the registers, ran to her, dumped my stash beside her, and hugged her." She gestures the story as she tells it. "So she turned around and screamed at me. I heard snickering after that. It was not her. I swear, the height, build and even the hair from behind looked like her. I was mortified! I left my clothes and dashed to my real mates, who wouldn’t stop laughing about it for weeks," she finishes, laughing.

By the time she finishes her tale, my stomach is cramping from the laughing. "It almost beats my story," I say in between breaths.

She gives my arm a playful punch. I continue laughing and put my hand on her arm, moving her closer to me. "Almost!"

"Ha-ha," she says and pushes the door to a colourful Indian café. As soon as I smell the spices, I am right at home. My stomach growls loud.

I zoom in at the menu, scanning at what to order.

Cassie gasps, smashes into me, apologises and reddens. I’m thinking about Murgh Kari—my favourite chicken curry—when she runs out the store. It takes me a few seconds to process what’s happened before I run out after her.

I push the door and the ringer sounds off.

Cassie’s a couple of meters away, leaning on a brick wall with her head buried in her hands.

"This isn’t about the money, is it?" I say, attempting a joke as I approach her.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Cassie looks like her eyes are about to pop out with anger. "Even in a different city, I’m bumping into my past."

It clicks. "Toby’s in there?"

"With his girlfriend."

"So change of venue then?" I ask, but I was bent on ordering Murgh Kari.

She doesn’t answer me. Her face is torn.

"You’re going to keep running into him, like it or not, especially since you both are in the same scene. You can’t live in fear forever. Besides, now is the perfect opportunity to step up, like I told you."

After a long pause, she nods. "You’re right."

"I can be your pretend boyfriend if you need me to," I tease. Part of me is also testing her to see how brave she wants to be.

"No. It’s all right."

"I am already proud of you." I wink at her.

"Let’s see how this turns out then."

"Who knows? Maybe this will be another entry to your cringe-worthy list?" I say.

"Cameron!"

I laugh and hold the door open for her. She takes a deep breath, stands up straighter with her head held high as she walks in. This is the gal that I fancy. She just needs a reminder every now and then of what she’s capable of.

She believes in me and I believe in her.

"So where’s the lad?" I whisper, curious who to direct all this hullabaloo at.

"I don’t see him," she answers me, looking around. "Maybe he left?"

"Let’s get some Murgh Kari." I clap as we approach the counter. "To celebrate a moment you were ready to face your fear."

"More like a pre-celebration, you mean."

I shrug. I’m happy the queue is short, so it's our turn. After I order my meal and reach out to pay, Cassie slaps my hand. "I said I was paying."

"All right!" I say, slightly taken aback at her slapping my hand. "Thank you, but violence is never the answer."

She giggles. It takes a while before she places in her order. I laugh when she asks the server what the least spiciest item is in the menu.

His face warps like he, too, is trying to stifle in laughter. "Are you sure you’re in the right place?" he says.

"Yes," she replies. "So what can I get?"

"You can get a mild version of our Tandoori Chicken. I highly recommend it. It’s our best seller."

"YES! You can never go wrong with Tandoori," I interrupt.

After we get our meals, we head downstairs with our bowls and drinks in tow.

I almost bump into Cassie, who doesn't bulge once we hit the last step.

I apologise again.

"I knew it was too easy," she says and then sighs. "Toby’s on the left of the only free table."

"You can get through this." I smile and my gaze goes to the empty table. I scan to my left. There’s a curly-haired blonde lad with brown eyes. At