Page 14 of Unlikely

Surprising me, Remy shakes his head, his cheeks turning crimson. “I’ve actually decided to take a photography class at the community college,” he reveals. “There’s an orientation class thing tomorrow that I want to attend.”

Lennox nudges him. “That’s awesome, man. I can’t wait to see all the photos you take.”

Remy is the baby of the group, and it’s obvious he’s still finding his feet, but the one thing we’re all good at is helping one another learn how to stand.

The conversation moves effortlessly from person to person, each of us giving the others little reminders of where we’ll be and when to check in.

“Okay, I’m done,” I announce, picking up my empty plate and half-drunk juice and taking them to the sink to quickly wash them. “I also won’t be home till late because I’m closing the coffee shop, but I’ll see you all sometime tomorrow.”

Arlo comes up behind me and adds his dishes to the sink before pushing me out of the way.

“Get out of here,” he says with a kiss to my cheek. “We can finish these. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * *

“Oh, look what the cat dragged in,” I call out as Raine, my friend who also works with me, walks into the shop, school bag hiked over her shoulder, her top knot bouncing on her head with every step.

“Sorry I’m late,” she says. “I’m seriously considering investing in a scooter, because this shuttle bus is more of an urban legend than a functioning service.”

“You will do no such thing,” I say as I continue wiping down empty tables.

“I’ve already got a mom,” she replies. “You’re supposed to be my best friend and down for whatever I want.”

“I’m not down for dying,” I quip. “I’m sorry, your mom sounds like a very smart lady, and I’m going to have to side with her.”

Raine is one of my more recent hires. She’s a new UCLA student, who moved here from Seattle for her first year of college. Despite the small age gap, it was love at first sight, for both of us. Almost five months of friendship, and I’m certain she’s my platonic soulmate. She is a kindred spirit who seems to understand the side of me everyone else doesn’t.

It isn’t often that I connect with strangers, let alone share my life with them, but with Raine it was give and take, a piece of her history for a piece of mine.

Slipping her apron over her head, she ties the strings behind her back and makes her way toward me. She grabs the wet cloth and spray bottle out of my hands.

“Go have lunch,” she orders. “This is your fourth double this week.”

“Excuse me,” I pout. “But I’m your boss.”

She continues wiping the tables while talking to me. “Any interviews lined up?”

“I haven’t heard anything from management,” I tell her. “But Billy is supposed to email me a whole bunch of applications tonight.”

I’ve worked at Wonderwood Café since Lennox started college. Near the campus, it started out as a place where he and his friends would hang out when they weren’t in class, and it was an easy meeting point for whenever we wanted to meet up and catch the bus home together.

Three years later, I now work here full-time, was promoted to café manager, and any thoughts I’ve ever had of pursuing something different have been put on pause. It doesn’t help that I’m twenty-four and haven’t quite yet worked out what that something different is.

It’s funny, because in every aspect of my life I feel older than my age—more mature, more experienced. And yet when it comes to making decisions for myself, I feel inadequate and undeserving in almost every way. I tell myself living for everyone else’s happiness is enough, when the truth is, prioritizing everyone else has started taking its toll on me.

“I’m not going to bitch about how you shouldn’t be working on the applications after hours,” Raine says, interrupting my thoughts. “But I’m going to take your lunch break if you don’t.”

I put my hands up in surrender. “Fine. I’m going.”

Fidgeting with the necklace hiding beneath my shirt, I head toward the staffroom. Gripping tightly to my reminder of what it could be like if I put myself first.

I love Clem. She’s familiar. Solid and reliable.

But I want to go back to that night and forever be Clementine, because she was fearless.

5

ZARA

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