TCPS Tales

Dancing the Night Away Part 1

What on earth is my brother doing? Keeley wondered as she watched him slide into a seat across from a girl—a girl who was bad news with a capital B. She was part of that FEC robbing clique that just got busted by the police. How did Zach and her know each other? Please, God, don't tell me they're friends.

"Keeley," Nicky hissed as she approached the table in the middle of the mall food court. Her tray was stacked high with samples from every vendor. "You'll never believe what I just heard."

Knowing Nicky it could be anything. She always managed to find the most random gossip in town. "Is it about my brother and FEC? Because if it is I want every single detail you can get your hands on."

"What? No." Nicky set her tray down and dropped into a chair. "Java Hut could be closing."

Startled, Keeley's head swung in her direction. "Can't be! It's an institution around here." Everyone went to Java Hut. They had the best coffee in town.

"Not since that new Starbucks opened on the pier. I talked to one of the owners, Jim, and he said they're barely staying afloat."

Now that Keeley thought about it, Java Hut had been pretty empty lately. She assumed it was because she came later in the day so she missed the afternoon rush, but apparently it was more than that. "We have to do something," said Keeley. There was no way Java Hut could close.

Nicky frowned. "Like what? I don't think buying a couple drinks is going to bring them out of debt."

"Well, we can't sit here and do nothing." Java Hut was more than a shop. It's where she first met Talon. Could still remember how nervous she'd been. To have it gone forever would be heartbreaking. A memory tainted. "There has to be something we can do. Even if it's just spreading the word to get people interested in it again." They could make flyers, or start a social media campaign, or something—anything— that helped bring in business.

"But do you think that will be enough?" asked Nicky.

Keeley didn't know how much it cost to run a coffee shop but she assumed there was a hefty price tag. A four-dollar latte wasn't going to make much of difference, but they had to try. Java Hut was worth the effort.

Nicky bit her lip. "Or we could do something bigger..."

"Like what?"

"How about a fundraiser? Remember that fundraiser the library did a couple years ago?"

Keeley remembered. Both girls had volunteered to help. And by the end, the library had enough to buy whole new furniture and upgrade the computers. To raise that kind of money... Hope charged through her as her mind raced with possibilities.

Nicky added, "I bet we could get the whole town involved."

"But what kind of fundraiser could we do for coffee?" Keeley wondered out loud. Coffee gave people energy; put a pep in their step—

And that's when she remembered an episode from the Gilmore Girls marathon she had over the weekend on Netflix. In the show, they had a twenty-four hour Dance-A-Thon to raise money. What a perfect way to promote coffee than staying awake for twenty-four hours?

Keeley grabbed her keys. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Java Hut. I've got an idea."

***

To be continued...

If you want to know more about the FEC read my story, Honor Among Friends, here on Wattpad.