Me and You

2AM

"Breakfast is ready!" My mum shouts up to me.

I wake to Leo staring at me from my open bedroom door, his paw reaching up to clean his little ginger face. It's only 9am, I found it difficult to fall asleep last night because my mind was playing yesterday over and over like a broken record.

The stairs creek every step I stand on, my mum standing in the kitchen with a frying pan in hand "I made French toast" she mutters.

"Thanks" I say as I take a seat "are you not working today?" I ask her.

"No I have a rare day off, are you working today?

"I'm working tonight at the bar" I say as I bring food to my mouth.

"Who dropped you off last night?"

"Just a friend" I say.

"That was very kind of them, they must care about you" She says as she sips her coffee.

"I made sure they knew I appreciated it"

"Good, well i need to run into town to get some shopping...is there anything you would like honey?"

"I don't think so"

"Could you make sure your brother gets home from school okay? I don't think I'll be back on time"

"Sure"

I watch TV and wait for Cate to text me but no text comes. Its 3pm so I walk along to the local primary school to wait for my brother Sean. He's in his last year of primary school so I'm sure he could walk home himself but my mum doesn't trust that.

I see him walking out with his friends, he gives me a big wave as he walk thowards me. He's never embarrassed of me.

"Where's mum?" He asks me.

"She's shopping, come on...I need to be at the bar in a couple of hours"

We walk back home, he kicks the leaves that are falling from the trees.

"How was school?" I ask him.

"It was okay I guess"

"Is that kid still being mean to you?"

He nods with a sad expression on his face.

"I'll sort it, trust me"

He continues playing with the leaves. By the time we get home I need to start getting ready for work. I walk to the train station in the cold, I try to warm my hands up the same way Cate did. The train finally arrives, I take a seat and put my ear phones in.

I arrive at work, I place my coat and bag in the back and take my place at the bar. Its busy for a Wednesday night. The regulars sit at the same place at the bar they always do, they call me over and ask for their usual.

I wipe down tables and collect glasses to be washed. I carry plates through to the kitchen and help them wash them since they are short staffed tonight.

"Y/N there's someone asking for you" Sam shouts through to me.

"One minute" I shout back, I dry my hands on the kitchen towel hanging in the corner and make my way to the bar.

"Who's asking for me?" I ask her.

She points to a booth in the corner, Cate is sitting with a big grin on her face and she lifts her hand to wave at me. I get a sudden fluster feeling washing over me "I'm going to take my break now"

"No problem"

I walk over to Cate and slide into the booth next to her.

"Hello honey, everything okay?"