Fake It Til You Make It

3

Esmeray, Val, and Ryan meet up at a coffee shop early in the morning. Way too early for Essy's liking.

Ryan ordered the girls their coffee and they found a table by the window to sit at. Esmeray wasn't happy to be awake this early but she was happy to be with her best friends.

"So guess what." Esmeray starts. Ryan and Val fully engaged, even leaning over the table to hear what she had to share. "I went to the beach yesterday and Cameron popped up and interrupted my tanning session." she finished. "Oh! We also work together," she adds.

Ryan didn't look amused by the conversation. It seemed like every time Cameron's name was said, he suddenly lost all interest in the conversation. His name gets called so he can get the drink and he didn't hesitate to get up and leave this conversation as fast as he could.

"You must be miserable." Val comments. She meant it sincerely but it came off a bit sarcastic.

"Of course I am. Cameron Carter is so insanely insufferable. His cocky attitude, his ginormous ego, his annoying smirk, everything about him irks me."

"What if he feels the same about you?" Ryan asks as he sets the drinks down on the table.

"He shouldn't. I'm not an egotistical assfuck." Esmeray sneers condescendingly.

"No, of course, you're not!" that comment from Val, however, was meant to come off as sarcastic. "Oh, I meant to ask you how you're dad was doing, Essy."

Esmeray sighs. She didn't want to think about her family problems, she was trying her hardest to push it out of her mind. "Still out of a job. The only reason I'm working at that shop is to help out but my parents refuse to let me help."

"I didn't realize it was still so hard for him to get a job." Ryan sympathizes.

"That's what happens to wrongfully convicted Mexicans," she grumbles.

After a moment of silence where the group didn't know how to respond to the conversation that took a dark turn, Valentina attempted to lighten the mood. "On a happier note, there's a party tonight— thank God it isn't at my house— that we should go to."

"You know Ry-Ry doesn't party." Essy teases him but he remains unamused. "Lighten up, babe. I'm up this early and I've smiled more than you." Ryan forces a fake smile to appeal to Esmeray but it doesn't last long. "Anyway, I'm down to go. But I'm not drinking too much, I work tomorrow."

"I'll go. I'm gonna hold you to that statement." Ryan says, shocking Essy and Val.

"Let's see how long he lasts," Val says to Essy.

~~~

Essy enters the shop, dreading the moment she sees Cameron. That moment came quicker than usual when he appeared in front of her as she was only a few steps into the shop. She jumps slightly, nearly swinging on Cameron out of fear.

"Boy, you almost got punched!" She exclaims.

"What's up, Evans Díaz?" He greets her and drapes his arm around her aggressively. Esmeray glances at his hand resting on her shoulder in pure disgust before pulling it off with just her pointer finger and thumb as if she would get the plague if she touched him with her full hand.

"What do you want, Cameron?" She questions while heading to the back of the shop to clock in.

"I know you heard about that party tonight. You coming?" He inquiries.

"What do you care? If you're there I'm avoiding you at all costs." She rests on the counter eating her snacks and Cameron does the same across from her. He attempts to grab a piece of her candy but she slaps his hand and scowls at him.