Gee thanks. That made me feel really special. “Yeah, no thanks.” I tried again, downing what was left of my drink and hoping it came with a burst of confidence.
“Your loss,” he grumbled, rubbing his crotch, making me gag.
Despite the fact he was rude, drunk, and stunk like a brewery, he was nothing like I’d ever go for. He looked as old as my father and his beer belly hung over the top of his dirty jeans. But it was the look in his bloodshot eyes that was the final straw. It was almost scary.
Keeping my mouth closed, I hoped he’d take my silence as a final rejection and slink back to wherever he came from. But today just wasn’t my day. After calling more than a dozen salons in the area only to be told they weren’t hiring, I was no closer to having a job to go to on Monday morning. Then the bullshit with my brother and his friends. They kept telling me to ask them for help if I ever needed it, that they’d always be there, they’d always have my back then they’d laughed at me when I’d finally caved and asked them. Arseholes. Now this guy. I just couldn’t get a break.
“Last chance,” he slurred again, rubbing his chin.
“I’m good. Thanks though.”
“You’re not worth it anyway.” He drained his glass and slammed it down on the table between us before staggering away. It wasn’t until he was on the other side of the room that I sighed heavily, relieved he was gone.
I sat there for another five minutes before I gave up and collected my stuff. I didn’t want to be here anymore. Stepping out onto the street, I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed home. I had nowhere else to go. It was moments like these that I hated being in the city. Back home, I could walk out into the paddock and scream until my throat hurt and no one would even know. It was cathartic. Here though, if I screamed someone would probably call the cops.
Wandering along the footpath, my head a million miles away, I ended up at the lookout on the top of the headland staring out over the water. Sunrise might’ve been my favourite time on the beach, but it was pretty spectacular at night too. The way the moonlight reflected off the water, the calm, rhythmic sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below had me relaxing for the first time in days and sinking into the bench.
I don’t know how long I sat there staring out into the night, but when I couldn’t ignore my phone any longer, I pulled it out of my bag to see a string of missed calls and texts from the boys. Not even bothering to read them, I slid my feet back into my shoes and headed home.
Tomorrow was another day.
It’d be a better day.
It had to be.
It just had to be.
