Page 13 of Make You Mine

I probably shouldn’t eat anyway. The anxiety of not having my diary will force me to eject any solids.

What I’ve written in that journal…is forbidden. No one can know about it.

“How’s your day going so far, Ms. A’gosto?” An older co-worker, Mr. Broadsmith, our history teacher, asks. Cornering me by the coffee machine, he stands so close that I can smell the onions on his breath. “You look nervous.”

“Oh.” I compose myself. “I’m okay, it’s the usual. Lack of sleep, energetic kids.”

Inserting a cup in the opening of the machine, I press the button for the espresso and proceed to make my coffee, hoping he’ll get my hint and leave me alone.

It’s no lie that students can be a lot to handle sometimes, but they’re the least of my problems right now.

“You are still young and haven’t been working here long enough. You’ll get used to them. Maybe I can give you a few pointers sometime.” Mr. Broadsmith smiles.

I grab my cup and hold myself from running away, from not being polite. Even if he stinks and this conversation is out of place, I shouldn’t show it. I can’t afford to create tension between other coworkers and me.

“S-sure.”

“What a day. I need some coffee. Excuse me.” Hannah, my hero, comes to my rescue, stretching her cup between us.

Mr. Creep moves aside.

“Thank God you’re here,” I whisper to her as she fills her coffee. “Thank you.”

Once she gets her cup back, she presses her free hand to my shoulder, and we walk away.

“Mr. Broadsmith is a bit of a creep. He tried it on me, too, a few months ago. The whole, ‘You haven’t been here long enough. Maybe I can give you some pointers sometime.’ Excuse me, sir? I’ve been working here for four years. I’d say that’s long enough. It’s not my fault you’re like a hundred years old and beat us all.” She sighs as we take our usual seats. “He’s so desperate for pussy it’s not even funny.”

“I don’t know why.” I take a sip of my coffee. “It’s easy to adopt a cat. I can recommend some animal shelters if he asks.”

Hannah laughs at my lame attempt at a joke.

“Girl, you should be a comedian.”

I shrug, her enthusiastic response lightening up my mood a bit.

“Where’s your lunch?”

“I’m not hungry,” I lie. “I’m just here for the coffee.”

“Then you can have mine, too. God knows we need it.” She hands me her cup and retrieves her lunch box from the table.

“Thanks.”

“So, how’s the day really going so far? Any gossip you can fill me in on? Seen Kayden around?”

I roll my eyes.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

I take another sip of my coffee. “Between him and Mr. Creep here, I’m having the time of my life.”

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about. I’d love to have as many options as you.”

I scream-laugh and nudge her, finishing up my cup of coffee and rushing to drink the second one.

I can’t stay much longer, as much as I enjoy my and Hannah’s chit-chats.

I have no time to waste. My freaking journal must be found, or the whole world will know the bare truth about me. I wouldn’t want anyone in my wildest dreams to find it.