1 The Sinners - Chapter 1 : A Safe Word

THE SINNERS CHAPTER 1 :

"So? When are you going to move into that new apartment of yours ? Do you need any help with packing your stuff ?"

The young woman, clad in an oversized coat that had clearly seen better days and an overused scarf, snapped her gaze upwards to meet the curious stare of her best friend from across the table.

She sighed and took a sip of her burning hot coffee.

"Nah…I'll be fine. It's not like I own much anyway."

Really. She found his help to be unnecessary. All her belongings could actually fit into two suitcases while still leaving some free space inside.

Furthermore, she didn't really want him snooping around her stuff.

He was bound to ask, at some point about her weird collection of charms, talismans and other paranormal artifacts she kept collecting over the years from random flea markets and shady antique dealer's shops.

He wouldn't understand why she absolutely needed them and why she always made sure to carry at least one in her bag at any moment.

"How did you manage to snag off such a cheap apartment, anyway? And at walking distance from campus too !" he exclaimed. "Man, I'm jealous….Mine costs me a limb every month. And it's not as greatly located as yours." he slumped in his seat, eyes closed and a defeated look on his unfairly god-sculpted face.

She shrugged and resumed sipping the steaming black liquid of life.

"Got lucky, I guess…? The old lady from the ice cream parlor down the street told me about it. Apparently, that apartment had been for rent for more than a year… Seems like, the new tenants kept moving out one after the other…. No one lasted more than a few weeks." She blew away the steam.

"You know how it goes, right ? Rumors spread…. and no one wanted to move in anymore." She stated. "Anyway. Not my problem. As long as the rent is cheap, I don't care about anything else."

Her best friend snickered.

"Well if I were you Sam, I wouldn't be so calm about it. You never know…. It could actually be…." He scooted closer to her with a devilish grin and a teasing voice. "You know… haunted!" He then burst out laughing at her unamused look and slumped back in his chair.

Unnoticed by him, the girl's fingers had slightly tensed around her cup. She sent him a warning glare to stop the teasing or else…

He responded with an apologetic look but didn't seem to get the hint to drop the subject because he brought it up again. But this time, his voice held a serious undertone that she could have sworn wasn't there earlier.

"You have to be careful though. What if you actually fall victim to some ghost?... Who knows what might happen? Those previous tenants couldn't have fled for no reason, right ?

Was it her imagination or had her best friend actually looked unlike himself for a few second there ? A tad bit too serious to her liking.

She scrutinized him with her piercing stare.

But as if nothing had happened he gave her one of his signature smile and started playing with the straw of his caramel Macchiato.

She glanced down at the drink and grimaced in disgust…Diabetes in a cup, how typical of her sugar crazed best friend.

"You know what? I know exactly what you need ! Feel free to bow down to the genius me after you hear it !" he huffed haughtily after seeing her unconvinced stare.

" I just thought about it but…we need a safe word! "

She gave him a weird look.

"Why ?"

"Well, you know ? In case you actually do get possessed. I kinda need to know when to run for my life and call an exorcist to the rescue. Better yet, should I add one on speed dial or something ? Just to be safe? " he guffawed.

She rolled her eyes at his antics and processed to ignore the idiot cracking up loudly at his own joke and took a look around her.

As she had already guessed, most of the girls in the Café were not so discreetly peeking over cardboard menus and stealing glances at the clueless man in front of her.

Not that it was surprising…

Noah Sinclaire literally glowed 24/7 like a freaking powered up light-bulb.

Sometimes she even wondered why the idiot insisted on following her around for years while he could literally walk out, stand in the crowd and shout out "Who wants to be my friend" and basically find himself jumped from every side. Everyone would flock to him like moth to flame, phone in hands to get his contact number.

Yep. Little Noah was so popular that it was honestly frightening at times.

While her, on the other hand, lived for the loner life. She loved her peace and quiet and hated crowds. She preferred to stay unnoticed, hidden in the shadows where her gloomy self belonged and thrived.

But what actually chases away shadows?

Yeah, you guessed it. Sinclaire.

Noah Sinclaire and his 200 watts smile that he kept flashing at every occasion.

For example, at that very moment Noah was drawing attention that she could have perfectly lived without.

Glares.

By dozens.

From the newborn Noah Sinclaire self-proclaimed-fans that just wrongly assumed she was his girlfriend or something.

She sighed.

Who would have thought having a best friend could be this tiring…

The said idiot patted her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey-hey. Don't worry ! Your awesome friend -aka.Me- will take great care of your computer and video games." He gave her two thumbs up and a flashy wink.

She cringed and put her now empty cup on the tray next to him.

"Keep away from my stuff. I'm planning on donating everything to someone more worthy."

He cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah? And who? You literally have three friends" He stuck out three fingers and counted them off. "Me, the ice cream parlor lady and…oh ! Me again !"

She paid him no mind and stood up to leave for her appointment with the owner of her soon-to–be apartment.

After slinging her bag over her shoulder, she gave him a sideway glance and smirked.

"You forgot to count that wonderful exorcist of yours. I'll have to get his number on speed dial too, right ?"

Noah made a scandalized face that tasted like her sweet victory to her.

As she was nearing the door and ready to exit the Café, she added to herself, as in an afterthought.

'He would probably find my weird belongings of better use anyway…'