Page 20 of Game Over

Am I new??? I've been working here for two years!

Mei stills beside me, shadows looming across her dark eyes as she stares at the woman. Oh, no... In her hand, a metallic pitcher shakes—a pitcher she chucked at the last customer who yelled at me. The incident nearly got us both fired.

But that's the thing. Mei took this part-time job to fill up some of her free time while at university. She comes from money and, frankly, doesn't need a dime. Me, on the other hand? I need every dime I can get, and I can't risk losing this job over one mouthy customer.

"Mei," I hiss under my breath. "It's fine, really."

Her gaze darts to me, the crazy in her eyes dimming slightly.

Heather scoffs, snapping her fingers. "What're you two doing?"—Oh my god, lady, if you know what's good for you, shut up, shut up—"Make me another."

Milk splashes next to our feet, joining the coffee still dripping from my apron, as Mei's pitcher now buzzes with hostility, seconds from going airborne. But before she hucks the thing and kisses both our jobs goodbye, I pry the pitcher out of her hands, earning a glare. She's about to argue, when Heather strikes again. This time with a nasally hellooooo?

Mei whips her head. "You can take your latte and shove it right up your—"

I yank her hand. "Coming right up!"

For a fleeting moment, wariness flashes in Heather's gaze, before her superiority complex returns. "You've wasted enough of my time. I want a refund."

Another retort flies out of Mei's mouth, which I cut off. "Totally understandable—my apologies." I plaster on the fakest smile I can muster. "I'll ring you up over here."

When Mrs. Entitled is out the door, we've mopped the floors, and I'm wearing a fresh apron, Mei says, "You've been acting strange today."

I freeze, already well-aware of that fact, including the reason why.

"And I'm not even saying that because of your fall."

Playing it cool, I lean against the counter. "Have I?"

"Yeah, you have. For a couple days now, actually."

I shrug, avoiding her prying eyes. "Maybe it's the weather." But I want to kick myself the instant the words slip off my tongue. In the same breath, both our eyes flicker toward the bustling streets outside, to the sunrays trickling through the windows, then back to each other. "Uhm... I meant—"

"Oh my god!" Mei squeals. "I knew it! I knew something happened with that guy from Charmr. You just played it off, didn't you? Saying he was boring and all that... Oh, you did!"

An uncontrollable smile spreads across my lips, one I can't decipher is from the good or the bad that occurred that night. The good being the heat, the touching, the—well, wait, that's bad too! And the bad-bad, being that I agreed to a fake relationship, which Mei can never know about because... because that's just frickin' weird.

Seated at the bistro tables lining the windows, customers turn their heads and lift their eyebrows, failing to deter another wave of girlish squeals.

"You have to tell me everything!" Mei scampers over. "What does he do? I bet he works on Wall Street, or he's a salesman—or a lawyer. Did he pay the bill? Oh, who am I kidding? By the looks of him, he screamed money. Of course he paid..."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Mei."

"Did he take you back to his place after?! I bet that's why you won't fess up—you two totally hooked up—"

"Mei!"

She sucks in a breath. Holding it, she searches my gaze, and suddenly I'm in a police station sporting handcuffs, with a detective angling a bright light in my eyes. Her jaw drops. "You so did! The guilt is written all over your face."

"No, we didn't do anything!" I hiss, dragging her into the backroom, lest people on the sidewalk hear her interrogation.

My nose scrunches. If the harsh smell of coffee grounds didn't tell me that I've entered the cramped storage room, then the annoying flappy door with a little circular window certainly does. With one step, I've abandoned cozy vibes for the stockroom of some rundown kitchen.

Eeeee, errrrr, eeeee, errrrr, the door wails on its hinges, each sway revealing customers who shake their heads, obviously sick and tired of all the girly outbursts, here at The Caffeine Cove. Mei purses her lips like she always does, waiting out the creaks.

Once in silence, she starts back up. "Where was his apartment?! Tell me he lives on The Upper West Side. Did he drive you? Shit, did you two even make it to his place before you—"

"Mei!" I scream for what feels like the tenth time. "For criminy sakes, we didn't sleep together. You really think I'd lose my V-card after one dinner?"

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