Five of Hearts

Chapter 1

Author's note: Please make sure you have read the description and disclaimer before reading.
Will contain adult themes not suitable for readers under 18.

I watched the clock with bored interest, the stapling of papers becoming ridiculously monotonous. Three more minutes and I could leave the library until next week. I had somehow managed to get the weekend off. From this job, at least. Arguably the most boring of my three jobs, I had considered quitting numerous times. Each time, talking myself out of it on account of I really needed the money.

Three more minutes and I'd be free. Free to walk across campus and clock in at my job at the coffee shop.

"Great," I muttered to myself.

"Hey, Hattie," Mrs. Murray stuck her head out of her office, her untamed red curls sticking out all over the place. "You want to leave a little early today?"

I looked pointedly at the clock on the wall, and the whole two minutes left of my shift.

"That'd be great Mrs. Murray, thanks." I shook my head and started gathering my things.

"Have a great weekend, honey!" She stuck a plump little arm out of her door to wave at me and went back to whatever she was doing.

I scoffed to myself and walked out of the campus library, heading across the way to the campus coffee shop, Break Cup. I couldn't help but smile. Mrs. Murray had absolutely no sense of time; she probably honestly thought she was doing something nice for me.

The coffee shop wasn't as bad as the library. My job at the library was just ridiculously boring. My shifts at the coffee shop usually went by pretty quickly; my busyness keeping me from thinking about how much time had passed. Plus my friend Savannah had a job there as well and we worked together a lot.

I glanced around campus as I made my way to Break Cup. After an abnormally freezing winter, the students were all outside enjoying the warmer Spring weather. Some sat on the wooden tables in the small "park" area while others threw frisbees or simply walked around. A group of some very fit young people in flowy pants gathered together near the bayou and did yoga.

I tried to enjoy it as well. Pretty soon, the Louisiana heat and humidity would come full force and with one step outside you're drenched in sweat.

The electronic beep beep beep sounded as I walked in the door and my eyes barely had time to adjust before I heard someone shout at me from behind the counter.

"Finally! There you are Hottie. I've been waiting for my love to return."

"What's up, Sav?" I chuckled and threw my Jansport backpack behind the counter before donning the dark brown apron with my name tag on it. Savannah chatted away while she made a drink.

"Oh nothing. Except for a party tonight that you are definitely coming to. And before you say no, just know that I am a complete stalker and I have memorized your work schedules. So I know that you don't have a bar shift at The Scorched Fiddler until tomorrow night and you're off from the library all weekend and you don't have a shift here again until Sunday. So. You. Are. Going."

"Okay! Let's do it!" I smiled at her shocked face.

"Seriously?" Savannah's mouth hung open slightly and she stared at me like I'd just grown an extra head. "It was that easy? I've been begging you to go out with me for the past six weekends!"

"And every time, I had work. Now I don't and I need a break," I sighed. "Let's get hammered. Where are we going?"

"Yay!" she squealed and set the drink on the counter, calling the customer's name. "Ashton! Anyway, okay, so I know you aren't a fan of frat parties-"