Sparks

Chapter One

The dreaded alarm rang beside her bed.  With a quick slap, Becca made the awful noise stop. She groaned as her feet hit the floor.  The aroma of coffee filled her nose.  Oh how she was going to need that coffee today--maybe even an I.V. drip.  She slid her slippers on her feet and made her way down the stairs. 

"Damn, you look like hell," Monica said, standing at the counter with her own cup of coffee.

Becca glared at her roommate.  "Night number three of no sleep.  This shit is getting ridiculous." She grabbed a cup out of the cabinet and fixed her coffee.  "Worst part is, I have to work with the devil woman today.  I do not have patience for that. They don't pay me enough to have the patience." With a quick glance at the clock, she cursed under her breath and headed back up the stairs to get ready.

A half hour later, Becca pulled her car into her usual space and turned the engine off.  She reached for the pack of cigarettes she kept in the door and pulled one out.  With every inhale, she had to talk herself out of just driving away.  She didn't need the job at the coffee shop. There was enough money sitting in her bank account to take a six month vacation and just run away from it all.  Her husband had died a couple months before their third anniversary in a freak work accident.  Two years and a big settlement later, she was ready to move on.  Her phone buzzed in the cup holder beside her.

Lauren: you gotta get out of the car sometime.
Becca: don't wanna lol
Lauren: your cutie is in here.
Becca: lol be in in a few.

Putting the cigarette out in her ashtray, Becca grabbed her bag and climbed out of the car.  With a quick glance of the parking lot, she let out a low growl at her coworker's car.  Becca always liked working her until Taylor came along.  The woman had twenty years on Becca, but couldn't seem to act like it. Working with Taylor was the equivalent to being back in high school with the cheerleaders versus the geeks.  Becca sighed as she pulled open the door to the gas station attached to the coffee shop.

"Morning, sunshine," Lauren said from behind her register. "Glad you didn't decide to run.  I'm sure these guys would be lost without their breakfast from you," she said, nodding to the group of guys seating in the dining area that separated the two businesses. 

Becca smirked as she walked toward her side.  With a few 'morning' greetings, she weaved her way through them.  She locked eyes with the one Lauren had dubbed 'Becca's cutie' and matched his soft smile before heading behind the counter. 

"Oh look who finally made it in," Taylor said as Becca walked past her. 

"I'm ten minutes early.  I'll go back outside if you want," Becca replied, trying to keep her tone level.

"It's just a joke.  Lighten up ." Taylor rolled her eyes and walked off. "Someone's in a mood this morning," Becca heard her say to the other girls working.

She made her way to the back room and grabbed her time card. She punched in and grabbed her hat and apron out of her bag as her manager and the area supervisor walked in the backdoor.

"Good morning," Becca said, putting on the best smile she could.

"Oh it's not that bad is it?" Her manager, Hayley said.  Hayley was a good twice Becca's age but that didn't stop the two from hitting it off well when Hayley took over the store. 

"There's always time," Becca muttered and shot a quick glance behind her. 

"Well, I would like to have a chat with you and Hayley real quick before it gets too busy if that's okay.". Becca turned her attention to the area supervisor.  She had always liked Shelley, but sometimes Becca wished she would stay away. 

Becca followed them outside.  She hated conversations liked this.  It was like she was being ganged up on.  She took a deep breath and listened.

"So, Hayley has pleaded your case for a pay raise to me.  Actually, she's been pleading since the day she got here pretty much," Shelley said, looking over at Hayley for support on the statement.  "I have discussed it with my boss.  Unfortunately at this time, we don't feel nor see the reason for a pay increase."

Becca looked over at Hayley.  The look on Hayley's face told her they were both blindsided.  Becca cleared her throat and tried to find the right words.  "I'm sorry you all feel that way." Reaching her hands behind her back, she untied her apron and pulled it off.  After quickly folding it up, she removed her hat and handed the items to Hayley.  "Four years I've been here.  In those four years I've have some good times here.  I've also had heartbreak.  I'm not killing myself for a company that won't realize my potential, but will keep people here that should have been fired ages ago. Thank you for making this so much easier on me."

Becca turned and walked back into the store.  She grabbed her bag off the chair and walked back to the front of the store.  She kept her eyes forward as she felt all her coworkers' eyes on her.  "Where is she going?" She heard Taylor say as she passed through.  Becca didn't even dignify with a response, she just kept walking. 

She walked straight through the dining area and stopped at the counter.  "I need a pack of smokes."

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked as she grabbed the pack of cigarettes and scanned them. 

"I finally got my answer on my raise.  They denied me.  So, fuck it. I quit. Just in time to have my weekend open up," Becca said, grinning. 

"Oh girl, we're going out tonight then.  I was planning on hitting the bar across the road, but we can go anywhere," Lauren said.

"That sounds fantastic. Now I think I'm going to go shopping.  Call me when you get off work," Becca said as she moved toward the door.  She glanced over at all the guys still sitting in the dining area.  Catching her 'cutie's eye, she winked at him and flashed a grin his way before walking out to her car.  With a glance back through the windows to see him still watching her, Becca climbed in her car and felt the wave of relief roll over her