Golden Half-Wing

Leandre didnot bat an eye to his friend's conversation, for he was least bothered about women who constantly aimed to get his attention by any means. His sharp, edgy eyes focused on the road, speeding at an exceeding limit since he didn't need to bother about the speeding rules. The road is all his until the car pulls into the main lane. An hour later, the Maybach stopped at a scanty luxurious coffee house, where the four friends usually meet up. They didnot talk about Jeff's here to avoid suspicions.

Half n hour later, Knox impatiently gazed at his wristwatch. "Bad customer service!" He muttered. He is an old customer, yet they are taking aeons to deliver his drink to the table. He tapped his foot on the floor as he looked at Dustin and Xanth, immersed in their mobiles. Leandre shut his eyes, lazily resting his back on the chair. Knox guessed he was avoiding the stares of a woman sitting diagonally opposite their table.

Stupid girl, look at me! I am also handsome. Knox mumbled under his breath. Although she looked average, Knox wished she was crushing on him so he could at least pass the time sighting her.

"Argh! How long do these people take to make my Dragon drink?" Knox complained, peeking at Xanth's mobile. The latter immediately locked the screen and glared at him for sneak-peeking at his private chat.

"Let them take time to prepare. You must be the only customer contributing money to this weird drink," Leandre said, his eyes still closed. His thoughts darted to the email a certain user named essentialoillover sent. The attachment had a big list of torture techniques, and Leandre assumed whoever it was must be a psychopath to think in such a crude way.

"And you must be the only weird customer to drink a plain coffee at such a grandeur coffee house," Knox argued. Just then, he heard the clacking of heels on the floor a few steps away. Knox's sharp pointed nose twisted into folds as he saw a woman in a short pencil skirt topped with a flared shirt walking towards their table, a tray in her right hand. Her hips swayed in rythm with each heel click. Her top three buttons were done, revealing the right amount of cleavage for men to ogle at.

"Does she always forgets to wear the apron when we are around?" Xanth questioned, taking a look at her appearance as the woman approached near.

"Not we." Knox corrected and pointed his eyes to Leandre. "And she is intentional."Look at him, feigning innocence as if he is not listening to his words, Knox thought.

"Even I observed," Dustin added. "Since she joined the coffee house. Why did the cafe manager hire such people?"

"Obviously, he knew she would attract the bees," Knox said, and the three friends stopped gossiping when she arrived at the table.

"I am sorry for the delay, gentleman. Your order is on the way as we speak." The woman flashed a seductive smile at Xanth, Dustin, and Knox. A waiter came and served their coffee and walked off, but she stood there with a tray in her hand.

"We are honoured, Milley, but you don't need to come this far to tell this," Xanth sarcastically said, aware of her intentions. All of them got their order except Leandre's. She is going to initiate a conversation by giving the coffee to Leandre.

"It's my duty as a floor manager to check up on my customers, Xanth." She faked a smile and turned her gaze to the man, leaning on the chair. Her face flushed pink, seeing how handsome he looked even when he closed his eyes. She bent down, flipping her cascading hair to rest on her back so that her cleavage would be the first thing Leandre would see after he opened his eyes. "Leandre.." She called his name, her alluring silky voice failing to draw the man's attention. "Your coffee."

"Leave it on the table," Leandre nonchalantly said, eyes still closed. Her perfume smelled like the feet of a thousand soccer players, making him hold his breath.

"How about you drink and see if the sugar matches your taste."

"A complaint to your chairperson that the manager of the coffee house is harassing a customer would be good?" He had been aware of her intentions since the beginning. Too many pests, he should say, and unfortunately, he has no access to the wilderness to throw them into. Ignoring them is the best option, he learned.

She gritted her teeth, seeing Leandre's friends laughing at her state. Losing a job is the last thing she wants. Gritting her teeth, she faked a smile. "Enjoy your drink, gentleman!" And then she walked away.

"That was smooth," Xanth said. "Though she will not stop pestering again."

"At least she will not bother today."

"What an eyesore to see this fake-boobed woman!" Knox muttered under his breath, but the others heard it.

"How do you know, idiot?" Dustin questioned in surprise.

"Los Angeles plastic surgeon Stefan Maubletei teaches men how to spot fake breasts from real," Knox said. "I attended his program in my free time. I will explain to you after the roll call."

Dustin: " "

"What kind of kinky things are you doing, Knox?" Leandre shook his head. He had the urge to see Knox's browsing history.

"I am just leveraging my knowledge, brother." Knox shrugged, sipping the dragon drink. Too good! Wonder why these people have weird tastes, unlike him.

"Is that what you gave the name for kinkiness?" Xanth let out a contented sigh as he took a sip of the iced Latte. Finally, a Latte with no charcoal and virgin coconut oil. "Pineapple will be targeting you, Leandre." As far as he remembered, Leandre, Dustin, and Pineapple were the only people in the academy yet to taste the director's signature latte. Not a week back, Dustin and Pineapple fought, and the director summoned Dustin for a cup of Latte.

"I wish I could put him on mute," Each passing day, Leandre finds it a headache to deal with that dimwit. He sipped the coffee, brushing his forearm occasionally.

''You still think the birthmark has a meaning?'' Dustin's sudden question made Leandre's face constrict.

"I don't know...I_I am still searching." He sighed. Leandre brushed his fingers over the birthmark on his forearm like he always does, over the years, it has become a habit.

A baby is born from the womb with a white coating called Vernix Caseosa, a protective shield guarding the baby, but Leandre came out of his mother's womb with an extra asset. A golden half-winged birthmark on his left arm. People assume it's a tattoo making it a sensation. The media believe Leandre has a mysterious girlfriend, and the other half of wing is tattoed on his girlfriend's arm. He is just waiting for the time to bring her into the limelight.

Although a perfectly shaped golden wing highly qualified for a birthmark, Leandre ignored it with time, thinking it had no meaning until it glowed one day, radiating bright orange flames reminding him it existed.

It happened in eighth grade when his mom asked him to bring a Salvia sclarea plant from a nursery. The owner asked for the common name of Salvia Sclarea, which Leandre was unaware of. He was planning to return home and bring his mom when he suddenly felt a piercing pain in his arm. He was taken back to see the orange flames glowing brightly on his arm as if the birthmark had sprung to life for the first time. His heart screamed in pain, driving him nuts until he pushed his foot to move. His first instinct was, find the other half. Leandre turned the nursery into a mess, searching to see if someone had the other half. He bumped into his enemy in the process, nearly missing the other half.

"Leandre..."

"Leandre...Are you with us?"

Leandre was transported back to the present when Xanth patted his shoulder, telling him it was time to leave.

"What's wrong?" Dustin asked. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry..I was just..anyway...Let's go." He sighed, got up, and left along with his friends. As Leandre was close to opening the car door, his eyes unconsciously darted to the toy shop opposite him and found a little girl with a blue backpack going inside. Although the kid's face was not visible, Leandre recognized the backpack at first glance. "Kalhys?"

.....

Leandre's birthmark picture is posted in my Instagram page. Please check it out!