GA DR

Cafe

I woke up around noon feeling full of energy again. I got out of my bed and walked to the kitchen noticing Martha cleaning.
"Good morning Kiley!" Martha said rather chipper in tone. I greeted her kindly and went for a bowl of cereal. As I sat down at the table in the kitchen Martha looked to me with a smile and joined me Nina layed by her feet in a ball sighing deamatically. I giggled at the large dogs behaviour.
"So..." Martha started with a teasing smile. "I talked to Char yesterday." She said hoping I would catch on but I was kind of confused.
"What'd you two talk about?" I asked taking a large spoon full of cereal into my mouth.
"She told me about your little date today." She teased in my direction. I tilted my head with a boggled smile.
"What date?"
"Oh you know... the one with the hot paranormal investigator." She cooed looking down at Nina and patting her side a bit.
"It's not a date," I started, " he said he wanted to talk about something, probably gonna give me crap about my abilities and say I was lying or something." I concluded jokingly but I knew very well that could be what this is all about.
"They're show is famous you know." She told me ignoring my comment, not wanting to upset me.
"And that affects me, how?" I asked now begining to tease my friend and maid back.
"Just saying, its not everyday a hot famous guy asks you out," she cooed ignoring my teasing tone. I rolled my eyes playfully and scoffed at my friend.
"It's not a date," I defended. It was Martha's turn to roll her eyes. She laughed at my teasing death stare towards her and she stood up standing behing me patting my shoulders.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" I qas confused at what she meant and my face showed it. "Isn't it at 1:30." Martha answered my unspoken question and I look to the clock to see it was 12:30 and I sat up quickly giving her an awkward smile mouthing a thanks as I walked back towaeds my room. I hopped in my shower quickly. Washing off a day off sweat and grime leaving my hair as I washed it yesterday.
I exited the shower and got ready by 1:10. I washed my soggy bowl of cereal out and threw it into the diahwasher before finding my cat Pepsi. I searched for five minutes before I found him under my bed and coaxed him out with catnip. I put food and water in all my pets bowls before leaving the house at 1:23. As I drove the wind flew threw my curly hair making it a little frizzy but I didn't mind much as the feel of fresh air was comforting. I turned the radio on and a good song was on so I began to sing along. (Just think of a song you like for me it's Kryptonite by 3 doors down). As the song faded into local commercials I pulled into a parking space and entered the cafe purse in hand. I walked to the teenage cashier and asked for my usual. Then went to the side to wait for my order.
"Caramel Machiatto for Kiley," A teenage girl said from behind the counter. I nodded at her and grabbed my coffee turning to walk to a table until I rammed into a familiar chest.
"We gotta stop meeting like this," the mans voice said. I looked up to see Zak chuckling at me with a wide smile. I laughed slightly at his joke.
"Sorry," I told him scooting away as we seemed too close. " I was just gonna grab a seat," before he could answer his name was called. The girl handed him his order and there was a sticky note on it. Zak simply crushed it and threw it in the trash tiredly before turning to me with a smile.
"No need," he answered finally. "The guys and I already grabbed one, come on." I was slightly confused but I followed Zak with a small greeting smile to the other members of his show as we sat down. I had Zak on my right and Nick on my left while Aaron and Billy sat across from me.
"So?" Aaron said impatiently towards me with a childish grin. Zak rolled his eyes at Aarons behaviour.
"I haven't asked her yet."
"Asked me what?" I said a little confused by the exchange.
"Well you did amazing on the show last night!" Nick said from beside me.
"We wanted you to join the show..." Zak said cautiously. My eyes went wide as I looked at all the guys at the table. "What'd you expect?" Zak asked teasingly at mt reaction.
"Eh," i shrugged shaking off my original shock and hiding it with humour. "Thought you were gonna grill me about my abilities or whatever you wanna call them." I took a sip of my drink with a weak smile knowing the gravity that comment had on me but trying to make it lighthearted.
"Of course not!" Zak said with a fake offended look. The guys chuckled before a serious intrigued look fell on all their faces. "So...?" Aaron questioned me. I looked up releasing a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"Sure..." I answered cautioslt. They all grinned widly at me. I smiled back at them. I was excited to use my abilities for good, but also nervous. I didn't want to quit my job as a therpist. I had gotten quite close to some of my clients and I knew they qould steuggle having to find a new therapist. "But there is one thing." I said seriously looking to Zak with a nervous smile. "I can't leave my patients hanging." They looked at me confused and I sighed forgetting I hadn't told them. "I'm a therpist," I began. "My clients really rely on me and I can't leave them." Zak smiled softly as did Aaron qhile Nick showed a hint of confusion on his face along with Billy.
"Don't worry," Zak saidblooking down at me with a reassuring smile. "You'll have plenty of time for them." I wasn't sure I believed him but then again, it's not eveyday you're invited on TV. I nodded sipping my warm drink. Zak smiled at me as if I were a child and the rest of the guys held in a laugh. I raised an eyebrow at their behaviour. Was this whole oppurtunity just s joke? Zak noticed my confused look snd pulled himself together quickly. "Sorry, u just have a little..." Zak brought his hand toeards my lips as my face turned hot from embarrassment. Zak used his thumb to lightly rub them before bring his fingers to his lips an licking whipped cream off of them. I used my sleeve to wipe my face aggressively before looking at him. His mannerisms were just so enticing one couldn't help but to stare. But I quickly shook it off as it was Zaks turn to throw me a confused look. I ignored it as the rest of the guys chuckled at the whipped cream mishap.I let out a small giggle of my own as I looked down into my lap with embarrassment, taking another large gulp of my drink.
"Want to head to the bar?" Aaron suggested. I laughed at his enthusiam but shook my head.
"Maybe tonight, I have a meeting with a client at four and I am not a drunk therapist." I joked. They all laughed understanding before they dug into the boring details of the job. Pay, hours, travel, things like that. By time we finished the important yet dragging conversation it was 3:30 and it was time for me to head to the office. I said my goodbyes and confirmed our hang out at the bar for later. I got in my car and turned the radio back on before pulling put of the cafe and heading to work.
After. The clients appointment finished it was 5:30. She had told me some deep stuff today and I was really proud of her progress. I took a breather throwing my hair into a ponytail sitting in my car. I stopped at a fast food place for a quick dinner and headed home. I had two hours before I had to leave so I let the dogs out and watched some TV.
When it was time to go I grabbed a light jacjet and headed for the door saying bye to my dogs as I fought them to stay in the house.
I arrived at the bar not seeing anyone I knew so I sat at the bar and ordered a shot of whiskey. I downed the shot quickly asking for acouple more.
"Starting off without I see." Nick said jokingly sitting beside me ordering a margarita. I laughed at him downing another shot.
"Yep, that's me," I joked. "The girl with a ghost and a drinking problem." Nick laughed as Aaron and Billy sat with us ordering drinks of their own. Zak never showed. Which wasn't too bad, it was fun hanging put with everyone else. Qe laughed and walked to the dance floor as a good song cane on. I danced with Aaron to song, jumping like a drunken child. Some guy bumped into me knocking into Aaron harshly. I noriced he was extremely drunk so I let it slide.
"Why hello there?" The mans voice said behind me his words slurring together flirtatiously. I quietly groaned turning to him. "Sorry sir, I'm not interested." I told him turning back to Aaron thinking he would go away. Instead he grabbed my wrist tightly pulling me to him. I roughly threw my arm out of his hand. "Sir I suggest you bother your wife." I told him annoyed noticing the ring on his hand. He shook his head at me not saying a word. Only staring into my soul in his drunken manner.
"Is this guy bothering you?" Zaks sover voice rang through the music.
"Nope he was just leaving." I answered watching rhe drunk man walk away sulking with every wobbling step he took. I smiled and began dancing again trying to lightwn the mood. Aaron qent to the bar for more drinks while Zak stayed with me. I tried to nudge him and pull him to dance with me as I was with Aaron but he would not loosen up. I sighed looking t him.
"You're no fun." I told Zak before trudging to the bar ordering two shots, passing one to Zak who sat next to me. I quickly drank my shot while Zak merely stared at his. After 5 minutes of watching him stare at the drink I couldn't take it. I drank his ahot as well before turning to him with a worried look. "Are you ok?" I asked. Zak merely sighed sadly not answering me i knew the look he had. It was on couples in my office often had after years of discrepancies. "Trouble in paradise?" I asked him. He only nodded looking into his lap. "Not gonna push it but..." i started with a joking manner, hoping to lighten the mood. "I am a liscened therapist, you know?" He smiled and thanked me but he never said a word about what was bothering him. Although it was easy to tell he was heartbroken. Over the years of training and expirience I've learned not to push, it only makes the pain worse. I let it go and throughout the course of the night I eventually got Zak out of his melancholy shell. It took a lot of coaxing but he was finally having fun.
At the end of the night I fell asleep on my couch, excited for this new chapter in my life with these amazing people.