Jolly Good

"Do it. I dare you."

"What are we, in fourth grade? You can't dare me to do something and expect me to actually do it."

"Oh come on, Ruby, it'll be great. Besides, it may just bring a little sunshine to this rather... um… gloomy place."

She was right, the small coffee shop was quite boring, to say the least. Two baristas stood behind the counter, one drumming her sharp nails on the counter top while smacking her gum and the other with her back against the counter as she sharpened her claws and every so often she would hold her hand out to inspect them before continuing her previous actions. An elderly woman sat alone two booths away sipping a hot cup of tea as she read a book that Ruby was unable to see the title of. On the other side of the establishment, a young couple sat with their heads pushed together whispering sweet words of endearment that would cause them to giggle, both lost in a haze of that honeymoon phase before the reality of true commitment set in. Then there was the business man, silently sipping his coffee, leg propped and crossed over the other the way men do, as he held the newspaper on his lap with one hand using the other to flip the page every so often. Outside on the patio sat two mothers with their babies, obviously enjoying the rare rainless day in London.

It was every spectrum of life in one small coffee shop in downtown London. Innocent babes, giggling and cooing at one another as their mother's chatted away, young adults declaring their infinite love for one another, a business man enjoying his much needed break from work, and the elderly thanking god or whomever for another day.

Before she was able to delve further into her analysis of the small shop fingers snapped in her face. "Ruby, were you even listening?"

"Oh, sorry, Cary, what was it you said?"

"UGH! You're hopeless woman," sighed Cary exasperatedly. "You tell her, Jessi, I think I've wasted enough air on Ms. Space Cadet over there." To this comment, Ruby simply stuck her tongue out at her longtime friend, who returned the gesture gladly.

Jessi just rolled her eyes, "Alright, you two. Now if we're done acting like two year olds." She gave the two of them a stern look before she set her eyes on the woman in question and continued. "Cary and I have agreed that we will both buy you anything you want while you are here in London if you do this one thing for us," she paused to look at Cary, then as if it had been rehearsed they both clasped their hands together and gave Ruby the biggest puppy eyes they could muster, "please Ms. Ruby, for us. We'll do anything, we swears."

"Anything?" She questioned with raised brow as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Anything," they repeated.

"Well." At this point she was just enjoying seeing them beg, since this never ever happened, ever.

"Oh come on, please, it would really mean a lot to us, and I'm sure it would bring in a lot of business for this place. I mean, look at all of the people walking around out there without a drink to quench their undying thirsts." It was a bit dramatic to say the least, but Cary was right. The clouds weren't crying today and a lot of people were out and about roaming the streets of London. If she was to do this "dare" not only would it give them a good laugh, but it would most likely bring in customers, and lots of them, which meant more business for the coffee shop. In the end, everybody would win.

"Oh alright, but," she paused for dramatic effect as they leaned in closer for what she had to say, "I want all of the delicious foods I can eat, and at least three new outfits while we're hear, deal?" Although she wasn't planning on letting them buy her new clothes, she was definitely going to take advantage of free food. So, the three of them shook on it. After which she took a deep breath and looked around, there was only one new person in the shop and she planned on making him her victim.

Ruby then stood up and walked over to the barista behind the register chewing her gum too loudly, and motioned for her to come closer so that she may ask her something while the other two girls set up the essentials. That crazy plan of theirs would either be the highlight of their day or the end of two of the girls' trip, either way what Ruby was about to do would go down in history.