Alyssa
“Aly,” I’m brought back out of my daydream by Amy’s voice calling my name. I shake my head as I continue untying my apron before going in search of her. On my way to the front counter I sling my bag over my back and hook my keys on my finger.
My next stop as I start up my rusty old bug is my mom’s house. The drive over isn’t long since I haven’t quit my old job yet.
I keep meaning to, so that I can look for a job closer to school and home but I’ve known Margie for so long. I hate the thought of leaving her when she’s been so good to me over the years. She gave me a chance when no one else would, I owed her alot for her generosity.
Right now, it’s less than a thirty minute drive and that’s okay, for now. Until school starts. I have until then to quit and find a new gig.
The first thing I notice as I pull up outside of mom’s house, her car isn’t parked in the drive. She’s probably not even home but at least I could say that I tried.
I park up and knock on the front door. I still have the keys but I wouldn’t want to just walk on in without some sort of warning. I learnt that lesson the hard way.
After a few minutes, I try knocking again but there’s still no response. With a resigned sign, I walk back to my car. I’ll try again next week but as for right now, I’m already running late for training - I can’t waste anymore time here.
“I know, I know.” I call out as I sail into the gym, past a stern faced Stefan and into the locker room. I’m late and I know it, I don’t need more grief on top of my own.
Stefan instructs me that I’ll be skipping to warm up, he sets the timer and walks away. I hop to but struggle to regulate my breath, not to mention I keep tripping myself up.
“Girly, where is your head at today?” Stefan asks after seeing me trip for the hundredth time.
“I’m sorry, Stef. I’m just tired.”
“If you keep pulling extra shifts like this, you’re gonna do yourself some serious damage.”
While I know he’s referring to within the ring, but I think his warning may be too late. I ran into my bedroom door this morning and am sporting the bruise to prove it.
“It won’t last forever. Fiona is only on holiday for a few more days.” I try to reason with him. Hell, if Jerry weren’t out sick I probably wouldn’t have gotten any extra shifts at all.
For the first time ever, I’m secretly hoping he takes pity on me and sends me home early. But of course, I have no such luck.
~~~~~
“Hey.”A masculine voice calls from the living room as soon as I kick the door shut behind me. My eyes are barely able to stay open as I make my way to the sofa and flop down on it. It’s not until I’m face down on the cushions, do I pick up the other voices in the room.
Well, shit.
I tilt my head enough for my eyes to scan the room, and it’s full. From my position, I can see the dining table where Jesse and Jackson are sitting with a deck of cards. Cam and Christian are huddled in the kitchen next to a familiar looking guy. It takes me a moment to realise it’s the guy who spoke to me at Cam’s fight the other night.
Cam makes his way over to me but I can tear my line of sight from the hot guy from fight night. Until Cam leans down next to me, cutting off our connection that is. “You okay?”
“I’m beat.”
“Never.” His voice is strong and unwavering. His childish confidence in me causes me to smile despite everything.
“You hungry?”
I mumble my affirmative with my face still smooshed into my pillow. I’m surprisingly comfortable, if it weren’t for the room full of guys and the noise, I could definitely fall asleep like this. I’d definitely wake up with a crick neck but a deep sleep would be worth it.
“We’ve got some burgers leftover, you want one?”
“Hmm, yeah.” I widen my eyes to try and keep myself awake long enough to make it to the bathroom. “Just let me jump in the shower quickly.”
“Ten minutes and then I’m coming in to get you.” Cam calls after me.
Only seven minutes later, and dressed in a pair of pyjama pants and a tank, I’m still towel drying my hair as I enter the kitchen. Cam is across the room, on the couch as he kicks Jesse’s ass in Call of Duty. Or maybe that’s Jackson.
I still can’t tell the twins apart.
