Claire answered the phone and was confused when she heard static
"H-hello?" She asked. Silence followed for a few moments when suddenly
"Look out the windows missy."
When Claire looked up and out one of the windows, the color immediately drained from her face.
"I thought you'd remember me from the car incident. Just thought I'd keep you on your toes" the man tauntedand hung up before heading on his way.
Suddenly, Claire didn't feel all that hungry anymore.
Mel happily texted her new love interest while Yu went to order their dinner. That left Marcus alone at the table as he stared where Claire departed with a worried expression on his face. She could handle herself, of course she could, but... He still worried. Was it a friend? Was it the woman with the cobwebs? Surely another assassin, one who especially wanted to kill her, wouldn't have her number, right?
Claire had instinctively frozen, but now she looked down at her phone, immensely worried. Did they just have tabs on her at all times? Who was she kidding, of course they did. While she was smarter than letting the victim know this, it was still impressive how scary this situation had gotten. She turned around to head back to the table.
"Clarie?" Marcus asked when she returned, "is everything alright? Are you okay?" He asked. Mel was totally oblivious for the moment being until she looked up to see the grim faces. She didn't say anything, but she was really worried about the tense atmosphere surrounding her friends.
"Just uh... I'll tell you later. It's a bit difficult to explain." Claire said before forcing a smile. "I should go order for myself. I'll be right back." She then turned around and went over to go order.
She was nervous, though the nice atmosphere helped in the nervousness not being as intense as it would, and probably should be otherwise.
"I got it covered," Yu said as he returned with cookies and a few pastries to the tense atmosphere, "they offered to bring out our meal since we have a bit of a larger party than usual. I also ordered you a chicken soup in a traditional bread bowl with an apple fritter and a cherry turnover because I wasn't sure what'd you like so I got a few different flavors of low calories for your particular... Lifestyle," He said cheerfully and Mel raised an eyebrow. Even without turning around Yu could feel the tense atmosphere even across the room. His biggest hint was the awkward counter attendant who had kept looking around him, "also, I've heard stellar reviews about the chicken soup here," He aimed that bit at Mel. Marcus was dumbfounded and Mel had questions about what her boss meant about Claire's 'lifestyle'. Was she a runner?
"Ah, thanks, Yu." Claire said gladly and took a seat in the booth she did her best to calm down so the atmosphere wouldn't be so tense. She could pick up on Mel's curiosity already and was internally preparing a few excuses if Mel asked questions.
"Yu-Yu, are you parenting your patients again?" Mel asked as she munched on one of the cookies. Yu, being the doctor of a small clinic, tended to worry about his patients a bit more than most doctors, "no, what makes you say that?" He said. Mel didn't look to convinced, "so Claire, what do you do for a living?" She asked with a smile. Marcus choked on his cookie at the question and Yu just kept smiling.
"Me? Ah, I'm a personal trainer." Claire lied "I've been taking some time off due to some issues with friends and family, though."
That seemed like a pretty passable excuse. Hopefully Mel didn't visit gyms all that often. Or else Claire would have to find a quick cover up. Maybe saying that she was employed online? She had been an assistant to a trainer in the past, but things didn't go too well there and she ended up quitting.
"Oooh, that's sounds like so much fun! I've been meaning to exercise, but who has the time, am I right?" She teased as the answer seemed to douse any suspicions she had. Mel was very easy to sway, it didn't take a lot to move her in either direction. Marcus looked relieved as she accepted the answer and Yu looked as impassive as ever.
"It's less fun than you'd think, but I enjoy it. And I get what you mean, it's just really difficult to get in exercise some days." Claire agreed with a smile, thankfully Mel seemed satisfied with her answer.
With that their dinner arrived soon. Claire's bread bowl was rather large and the smell of home-made chicken soup wafted from the top. Yu got a plain sandwich, the same as Marcus, and Mel had some sort of bread bowl as well, though the smell from hers would bring tears to your eyes... Not the good kind of tears, "Mel... Are you sure you can eat that?" Marcus asked as he looked at the red soup inside the bowl, "this? I eat it all the time," She beamed.
Claire seemed concerned, but Mel could eat whatever she wanted. Clearly she'd had it before, though Claire would be strictly a mouth breather for the time being. She was curious what they put in that to make it smell that way, as she was half-sure you weren't supposed to be crying as you smelled your meal.
"M-Mel... What is that...?" Marcus asked as he tried to inconspicuously wipe the tears from his eyes. Mel looked up from a spoonful of her soup to smile at him, "hmm? It's a ghost pepper soup! This place might look super quaint and stuff, but it's like, the only place that sells it! Wanna try a bite?" She offered with a bright smile, "oddly enough it's the only thing lately that tastes good..."
"That's because you're taste buds have been burned off..." Yu said quietly enough as not to catch his assistant's attention. Mel was easily an over the top person, "how are you even alive...?" Marcus couldn't help but ask.
"While I don't seriously exercise, I do, do yoga," She smiled.
"I don't think that's it..." Marcus shook his head.
"So I take you're a fan of spicy things, Mel. Goodness, it's making my eyes water just smelling it." Claire said with a smile "Yoga is great! It's very relaxing even if it's fitness intensive or not."
Somehow, Claire felt like Mel's inner peace was probably through spicy foods, as ghost peppers were way beyond her feasible limit right now.
"I do like spicy things," Mel smiled brightly. Yu smiled as well, "when she does decide to have lunch at the office, I make sure to pack her lunches. I'd rather not kill my patients with her spicy food," He beamed. Mel frowned at him, "hey! I'll have you know that eating spicy foods is good for you!"
"Mel, if Claire's eyes are watering then that can't be... Healthy?" Marcus attempted. It was a bit of an excessive amount of spice.
"Have you had anything spicier than a ghost pepper, Mel?" Claire questioned as she started getting to eating her food despite the spice that Mel was enjoying.
OOC: If you're running out of material we can skip to the next plot idea
"Nope, just those. Everything else is too spicy," She stuck out her tongue at the thought. Marcus honestly looked surprised, "there are spicier things?"
(Yeah! Sorry, while I do enjoy Claire interacting with Mel and the rest I just don't have much to say, lol. So yeah, can we skip?)
OOC: It's all good lol I was running out too X3 How about to Mel's date? Lol it'll be hilariously beneficial for all