A Chance at Life

Café Duties and Concequences

I wake up to my phone ringing and I press decline to whoever it was and close my eyes again. It rings again and I pick it up pretty pissed off.
"Hello?"
"Toni? Where are you? I'm outside"
"Shelby? I'm in bed..."
"Get up, we have to go get the café keys from Mrs García" I completely forgot about us working the café today.
"Shit, I'll be there in a minute" I rush out of bed, waking up Helsby as he gets up to stretch. I start to quickly get ready and pack a bag full of things I need for today. "Charger, keys...phone..." I pat myself down checking for my wallet with my cards in it. "Shit" I search around my room and find it on Helsby's bed. "Naughty cat"
I open my door and he runs after me following me out the front door. "Bye have a nice day" I wave as he runs off down the street.

I get into the car as Shelby picks another song.
"I'm so sorry I totally forgot about today"
"It's fine, we have to go to her house first" She sets up her GPS and we drive to Mrs García's house. When we get there we see Rami in a window rocking a child who's asleep on his shoulder. I get out the car with Shelby and we walk up to her front door.

She lightly knocks and a young woman opens the door. "Shelby?" She look at me up and down then puts her focus back to Shelby.
"Mila, where is your mom?"
"She's in living room watching tv, she's not doing too good. Come in"
"Mila this is Toni, my fr...girlfriend" Mila smiles at me and reaches out to shake my hand.
"Nice to meet you, it's about time too" I look at her confused. "Shelby didn't hide it well, she can fool everyone but not me"
"She's on about how she's met Becca too"
"I'm so sorry for your loss Shelb"
We walk into the lounge where Mrs G is sat with a hot drink in her hand.
"Shelby, Toni, you're here. The keys are in my jacket pocket. Mila, you could of just got them. Estúpido" Shelby walks off to find the keys and I sit on the couch.
"Mama, you didn't tell me why they were here" Mila kissed her forehead and pulls her blanket up to cover her. I hear a door close behind me and see Rami come in with a teddy bear.
"Hey Toni"
"Hey"
"I see you've met my little sister"
"I'm not that little Rami"
"18 going on 21" he throws the bear at her and she catches it. "Maria needs her breakfast at 9, Mila and she has apple juice with it" Shelby comes back it with the keys dangling from her finger.
"Ready to go?"
"Whenever you are"
"The coffee machine needs to be checked over and the plumber will be over at noon"
"Got it" We say our goodbyes and Mila follows us to the front door.
"It was nice meeting you Toni, hopefully I'll see you again"
"You too" We get into the car and Shelby sighs.
"She's real sick Toni"
"She's going to be alright, it's just a cough"
"I hope so"

We drive to café and open up after setting everything up. We officially open at 9, which is later than usual but we still had a fair amount of customers come in during the morning. We spend the day serving customers and chatting away about life, Rami comes in around noon to help with the plumber and leaves at 1. The café had more customers than we expected for a Thursday and we happily closed up at 6.

The drive back home was long and tiring, when Shelby dropped me off and we sat in the car in silence outside my house.
"Are you dropping the keys off?"
"Yep"
"Do you want me to come?"
"It's alright"
"See you next week then?"
"Yep, I love you"
"I love you too" I kiss her and get out the car and go inside.

"Hellooo?"
"Toni you're back!"
"I am!"
"Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Yeah, can I ask you something?" We walk into the lounge and sit down as Marty puts on a movie .
"So what's up?"
"What are you doing on Saturday?"
"Nothing that I can think of. Do you want to do something?"
"I want to surprise Shelby at her pageant"
"Don't you think that it's kind of dangerous for you to be there when her family are?"
"She's asked me to go"
"Toni I don't think-"
"You think it's stupid"
"No I-" I walk off without listening to what she says after.

I spent the rest of the night cleaning my room and listening to music. I see my door open around 10 and Marty walks in with a hot drink. I just lay there and close my eyes again when she walks in. She taps my arm and I take out my earphones and sit up.
"I'm sorry Toni"
"I know it's not safe but I just want to be there for her"
"I just want what's best for you and Shelby"
"Yeah..."
I take the drink out her hands and she walks back out my room closing my door behind her. Putting the drink on the side, I lay back down and fall asleep to my music playing.

I wake up at 8 and turn over to Helsby purring in my ear. I get up, get dressed and decide to go for a run. Walking into the kitchen I bump into Mr Blackburn as he's eating toast.
"Ah Toni"
"Hey Mr B, I didn't realize you were back"
"I hope I didn't wake you coming in, I have something for you" he walks off to his suitcase and picks out a small box. "It's not much but something for your car, I seen it online and thought you and Marty could have a set each" he hands me a box with some light up coaster mats.
"Thanks" I put the box on the counter and I pick up a snack bar. "I'll grab them later, I'm heading out for a run"
"Don't forget this" he throws me a bottle of water and I catch it as I grab my house keys.

I run for half an hour up a hiking trail with my music blasting until I get a call from Shelby. I pick up and continue to jog.
"Hey Shelby"
"Toni? Why do you sound like you're running?"
"Because I am, what's up Einstein"
"I just wanted to know what you were up to"
"What are you up to?"
"My dad has me baking cookies for the service"
"The infamous cookies, I must try them one day"
"I'll make sure you do" Taking a break and I drink my water as Shelby talks about her day as I get up to run again, I get knocked over by a man.
"What the fuck" I drop my water and I watch as it spills everywhere.
"Toni, are you okay?"
"What the fuck dude"
"Careful where you walk" I stand up and dusty myself off and look at the guy.
"Is that my-"
"Goodkind"
"I've been meaning to talk to you"
"I don't want to talk" I start to walk off and he grabs my arm. "What the fuck you're hurting me, let go"
"I want you to stay away from my daughter"
"Your daughter?"
"Don't play stupid with me, I know you've been seeing her. I want you to stop, you're a temptation she doesn't need"
"Toni? Walk away from him"
"Leave her alone? She's not your fucking puppet, you can't-"
"Toni, fucking walk away"
"You know what never mind"
"I can't what?" I shrug my arm out of his hand and walk off. "Toni!" He reaches out to grab my arm again and impulsively I turn and punch him.
"Shit" I run off and don't stop running until I've left the trail.

"Toni?"
"Shit, Shelby?"
"What did you do?"
"I might of accidentally of punched your dad..."
"How do you accidentally punch my dad?"
"You heard what he said"
"And I heard what you said. Toni, I told you to walk away and you've made it worse. Now my dad probably won't let me leave his sight, let alone see you"
"I-" she ends the call and I sit on a nearby bench.

I get a call from Marty as I try to stop sniffling from my tears.
"Marty B! What's up?"
"Hey Toni, are you at home?"
"Not right now, I will be shortly"
"Can you come pick me up?"
"What's wrong? Where are you?"
"A street away from Aaron's house, I told him I couldn't do it and I left"
"I'll be there soon, send me your location"

I run back home, grab my car keys and drive to where Marty is.
"Hey"
"Hey..." She gets into the car and I turn down the music.
"You okay?"
"No, are you?"
"I'm great"
"Your eyes stay red for like an hour when you cry, Toni"
"I've not cried"
"Toni..."
"I bumped into Shelby's dad on my run and punched him after he tried to grab my arm...after he told me to stay away from Shelby and I told him she wasn't his puppet" Marty just stared at me.
"I'm guessing she didn't take the news well?"
"She was on the phone the entire time...She also ended the call on me after I told her I hit him. Do you want to go cry into some ice cream with me and tell me about Aaron?"
"Yeah please"

We make a stop at the store before we head home, change into our pajamas and get comfy in Marty's bed.
"So M, what happened with Aaron?"
"Well we were in his bed and he was kissing me. I wanted to go further but I couldn't bring myself to it. He asked why and I bailed on him, I told him I couldn't do it and I left"
"Oh Marty" I throw myself over her and hug her tight. "You're going to be just fine"