Page 7 of Tiebreaker

It's one of those stupid little fantasies, you meet someone in a coffee shop, your hands touch, your eyes meet... all romance novels start that way.

Not that I read a lot lately.

I don't have much time anymore, between working and sleeping.

I'm kind of just existing.

“Are… you sure you’re talking about the right rockstar? And he’s talking about the right coffee shop?” I ask. The last I remember, I’d insulted him, and as much as he’d seemed to laugh it off and try to tip me with a hundy, that doesn’t exactly spell outdo nice things for the coffee shop girl.

“Oh it was definitely Kai Brooks who delivered the tickets. Or rather, his manager’s assistant’s assistant. But still…” She trails off quietly.

“Mariah?” I ask her, my heart yanking at my pulse in my throat..

“Yeah, and unfortunately it was gonna be on one of your days you had to work, but there was a little fire at the coffee shops so it looks like we're going to be closed down for a couple of weeks…” She bombs me with that and then continues on as if it isn’t that big of a deal beside the news stealing my breath away. “And I figured since you're going to be out of pay I may as well give you something nice like this meet and greet ticket. Of course you could sell it too, but I think… you should come.”

I race through emotions faster than a hamster runs on a wheel in its cage.

“The shop’s closed for a few weeks,” I say, the dread seeping into my voice.

She laughs and there's a cruel hint to it.

“Yeah. So you're going to be a little short on hours, obviously.”

“Is everyone okay?” I ask.

“Yeah everyone's fine. It's not a big deal. Just do you want this ticket or not because I could totally sell it.”

There's something in the way she says it to me that sparks, a flame of fury inside my chest, she really doesn't want me to go.

“You got two tickets right,” I ask.

“Yeah, that's right,” she pauses. “My best friend was thinking about coming. If… you didn’t want to. But again, totally up to you.”

And just like that, that tiny silver lining is being snatched right out of my hands.

How much money do I have left in the bank? I look down at the bag that I'm carrying; it was only a few little mice for Toby, but it totaled $10.

I can't return them.

I don't want to. He deserves nice things too. I’m close to broke but…

But I also don't want her to have the satisfaction of taking something from me either. And this meet ticket is… well, after the news my hours are being cut…

“No, I want to go,” I say impulsively. I should sell the ticket. It makes financial sense to sell it to her friend or whatever. Plus do I really want to see Kai Brooks, up close and in person again after I’d basically told him to get fucked last week?

She's silent at the other end of the line, and then sounds annoyed when she finally speaks,

“You're not going to have work for at least two weeks,” she says.

It's almost like she expected me to say that sheshouldsell my ticket to her friend. Irritation wells in my stomach.

I turn around.

It's a five minute walk to her apartment.

I know because I've had to go pick up my paycheck there a few times when she's been late giving it to me.

“I’ll be right there,” I say, “Don't go anywhere. I can't wait for this meet and greet. It’ll be nice to hang out with you.” The last part is a lie, but oh well.

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