Introduction

"Mom, I need to get on BC."

"Blaire you're only fourteen, you're too young. You know I don't like talking about that stuff," I say shivering.

She crosses her arms and slouches on her small wooden chair. She sucks in air in frustration and holds her breath, just like a child. Then she grabs her broken hair tie and throws her dark brown hair into a bun. She stands up, stares at me for a moment, and then walks out of the room. Within a few minutes she comes back with her knee-high black boots on and opened the door revealing the daylight.

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

She shuts the door behind her and the light disappears. I look around the apartment, then sighed.

I get up off the other chair and slowly walk to my room, taking in everything about my house. I grab my bookbag after throwing on a pair of leggings and a tank top. I throw my dirty blonde hair up into a ponytail and walk out of the apartment with my sneakers.

I locked the door and made my way to the cafe a couple blocks down. Hearing the bells jingle as I walk through the door, getting greeted by my coworkers.

"Hey uh, you're way early…" Bryan coughed.

"I know, it's been a crazy morning, if I didn't come here I would be out on the streets," I smiled weakly.

He smiles back, then holds out his hand, "We can fit you in."

I grab hold of his hand as he leads me to the back, he tosses me an apron and a hat. I grab them, put the hat on and tie the apron, rushing as he sits down on the chair and goes on the computer to clock me in.

"Thanks Bryan, this really helps, you have no idea."

I run to the front line after I hear the bells jingle again, meeting the eyes of an older woman, looking pissed. I sighed, great, she gonna be annoying.

I smile at her as she stepped up to the counter, she crosses her arms and orders a blueberry muffin with a black coffee.

"Is that all ma'am?"

"Yes, Now I'm in a hurry so don't take your sweet time."

I gritted my teeth as she walked away to sit down. I walked over to the coffee machine and made her coffee and grabbed her muffin, then called for her.

She walked over and looked at the food. She frowned and pushed the coffee back to me. I looked back at her in confusion.

"This isn't what I ordered."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but this is what you had me put down."

I pulled off the receipt attached to the coffee and showed her, sure enough it said a black coffee. But the lady only slammed her fists on the table and yelled she wanted a different coffee. I backed up and replied with, "I have the right to refuse service."

But she just got more mad and threw the coffee at me.

I gulped as the burning sensation took over. The coffee felt like acid pouring onto my skin. I held my clothes away from me so it would hurt less, but it didn't work.

By then Bryan came running by and jumped in between us, he stood firmly.

"What's going on here?"

The woman rolled up her sleeves and fixed her coat.

"I asked for a caramel latte, and this stupid worker gave me a black coffee. I demand my money back!"

"Ma'am, you didn't even pay yet.."

Her face became red, "I'd like to speak to the manager."

"I'll go get him.." I stammer.

I walk quickly to the back of the cafe in the office for the managers. I walk in and see Mike sitting on the chair doing more paperwork. He looks up and I put my hands behind my back nervously. He's super intimidating.

"Yes Jackie?"

"There's uh, a situation on front line.."

He pushes his papers to the side and stands up straight, his muscles flexing unintentionally. I looked down as he strides past me confidently. I follow behind him like a shadow and watch him from behind the kitchen. As soon as the lady sees him she backs down.

Soon she took the muffin and stomped out of the store, then Mike walked back to his office more relaxed, and Bryan grabbed a rag and started cleaning up the coffee. I went over by him grabbing another rag helping him.

"She won't be coming back."

"What do you mean?"

"She said she's never coming back, that this place had horrible service."

I scoffed, "Horrible service?? I should be the one filing a complaint for harassment! She got my apron all wet!"

He smiled and stood up, "How about you work on the truck and the interviewing papers, I'll handle front line for now."

I smiled back at him. I really could have just handled it myself. But I like him being my older brother, it helped me feel safe, protected. I mean I'm sure Mike could very well be my knight in shining armor, but he's just too serious, while Bryan is actually my friend.

???

It was about 8:00 pm when I was clocking myself out. Bryan walked into the room and stood behind me as I was clocking him out too.

"So, today's been a stressful day, how about we get a drink?"

"Sounds perfect," I say grinning.

I grabbed my clothes and bookbag, then helped lock up the store, and let him drive me to Johnny's Point.

I brushed my hand against the leather of the seat, it felt so nice. I've always wanted a leather interior. But I wasn't getting anywhere with that.

"So, hows life at home?"

"Luxurious!" I rolled my eyes.

"Blaire really that bad?"

"Don't get me started," I threw my hands up.

He looked at me from the corner of his eyes and smiled a little. Though I kept staring at the trees outside that were passing.

I tapped my fingers on the leather, bracing myself for the next question, he asked every time we went to get a drink…

"So…..you're house-"

"I don't wanna talk about that right now," I countered.

He stayed silent after that until we got to Johnny's Point.

We got out of the car and walked into the bar silently, then as we sat down at a table he said, "Sorry, you just never talk about it…"

It's for a reason Bryan, don't push any further.

"Like I'm sure you don't live on the streets, probably not a mansion."

I gripped my shirt as he continued rambling.

"Do you live in some shitty apartment or something?" He laughed.

I looked at him and smiled, "I think it's time for that drink."

I got up and got ten shots of tequila. I took one then brought them back to the table.

"Ok I get it, you don't wanna talk about your house.."

I sit in silence, then hold up my next shot, "To us!"

"Us?"

"Our friendship," I smiled. He caught on and held the shot up with me. Then we clinked our drinks and chugged them.

I slammed the glass on the table and laughed.

"My daughter's gonna be pissed."

"Why?"

"Because, I told her she can't get on birth control."

His eyes widened after I took two other shots. I looked at him and smiled. This seemed amusing to me right now, but I really didn't care.

"She's only fourteen...what the hell?"

All I could do was laugh, and take more shots.

"Umm Jackie, you should slow down, you just took all the shots in two minutes…"

"Well we can always buy more. Actually I want a Vodka, with some cherry stuff."

I get up and walk back over to the bartender and come back with a huge glass of alcohol.

"Thank god I'm driving," mumbled Bryan.

I glared at him and sat down.

I chugged the whole drink and Bryan looked at me like I was crazy. I raised my eyebrows at him. He opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"Look, you can't judge me, you don't know what I've been through-"

"That's because you don't tell me! All I know is your name and age!! Come on Jackie!"

I got up and got another drink. I could feel him staring at me, but I didn't really care. When I came back with another drink he was looking down. I tilted my head.

"Whenever we go out we fight about this, why can't you just understand I don't want to talk about it?"

He sat in a daze, I sighed and took a sip of the drink.

"I tell you everything, you know my whole story, you have my trust, yet you won't tell me anything about you," He stammers.

"If I begin it gets deep, and it's too much for me."

He looks up at me, "Can you at least show me where you live? I've known you for almost ten years and I've never been to your house."

I chug the rest of my drink and zip up my jacket. I walked unsteadily to the bar and closed my tab.

I walked back over to Bryan and we went out to his car.

"You can walk me to my….place. It's small, and outdated…"

He smiled from ear to ear, "That sounds fine, but we'll drive, it's too late to walk."

I nodded then started to direct him to my shitty apartment, I noticed him start to drive slower as we were getting into the bad side of town.

"Here," I mumbled.

He stops the car right in front of the apartment. A really shitty apartment. My place.

I get out of the car and stumble to the stairs, he tries helping me out but I refuse. But then half way up the stairs, I fell and twisted my ankle.

"Here, let me help you," he takes my arm around him.

Great.

He helped me back to the tiny house I called home. I unlocked the door and braced myself for his reaction. But when we walk in, he doesn't even care about my home. He just sets me down on one of the old chairs and lifts up my ankle.

He glanced around when he had the chance, my face went red with embarrassment. I expected him to feel really uncomfortable and want to leave, yet his face held no reaction.

"This is your place?" he asks calmly.

"Yeah…"

He just keeps looking around but then stops when his gaze is on Blaire. She demands attention by stomping into the room.

"What the fuck mom?? Why did you bring him home??"

"Blaire keep your voice down."

"No! Mom how the hell can you bring your boyfriend home but I can't bring anyone here??"

"Stop cussing Blaire, you're giving me a headache."

"Good, I hope you get one, it's the least I could do."

"Will you just shut up? I'm done with your attitude!"

She jumped back when she heard me yell. I never yelled at her, but I couldn't take it anymore.

It hurts to yell at her though, literally. It frightens me, I'm drunk with a temper and an annoying daughter, I might snap again….