-Kalel's POV-
I opened the front door and was shocked when I saw the drunken slob who stood on my doorstep. "What the fuck are you doing here, Hunter?" Was the first thought in my mind and the words that came out of my mouth.
He grinned, "It's nice to see you too, Kalel."
I crossed my arms over my chest, "That didn't answer my question."
"Look, Charlie and I had a huge falling out and I left," He explained. I gasped, "I just need a place to stay, Kalel. I won't be a bother. I'll even help around the house if you need me to."
I scoffed, "No way." I started to close the door when he stuck his hand out and pushed the door open.
"Please, Kalel. You're like the only person in this town who I didn't bully in high school and is still holding a grudge against me," He begged.
"You only didn't bully me because I was friends with Charlie!"
"Still! I didn't bully you, did I?"
"No..."
"So please let me stay here."
I shook my head, "No. You made my best friend miserable. Why would I help you?"
"Because you're a good person and if you don't want to get the shit beaten out of you, you'll allow me into your house," He threatened.
I smirked, "Oh, is that it?"
"Yes."
"No. Go find some other place to stay," And with that, I slammed the door in his face and turned around. I took a few steps in when I started to feel bad. "WAIT!" I shouted, spinning around and swinging the door open. He was still in the same place. "You can stay here. But only because I'm a good person."
He grinned and walked past me into the house, throwing his bags down on the floor and plopping down on my couch, picking up the remote and turning the TV on. I stayed in my place and crossed my arms over my chest. He looked over at me and asked, "What?"
*****
I was busting one of the tables at Cheesecake Factory when I saw Charlie rush past me and into the kitchen. I smirked as she came back out with a tray in her hands. "You're late," I reminded her as she started to clear the table next to mine.
"I know," She retorted.
"Are you feeling better?" I inquired, referring to her break up with Hunter. It's been a couple of days since Hunter's moved in. And today was the first day since their break up that Charlie's come into work.
"I don't really want to talk about it, Kalel," She retorted, moving onto the next table, farther away from me.
"Why?" I questioned, moving tables so I was closer to her, "Hunter's been talking about it..."
She set down the tray she had in her hands down on the table and glanced over at me, "How would you know? He left town. Somewhere where he'd never have to see me again."
"No," I walked over to her, "He came to me, Charlie." She looked very confused. "He told me he needed a place to stay."
"And you said yes?" She yelled at me. We attracted the attention from a few of the diners.
"I told him no at first," I replied, "But...I felt bad and told him he could stay."
"He dumped me!" She shouted, tears starting to form in her eyes, "He dumped me and you feel the right to let him stay at your place?" She didn't give me a chance to answer, she just continued getting louder and louder, "You're my best friend, Kalel! You were the one who wanted us to break up!" She gasped, "And for what? So you could have your chance with him?"
"What? No!"
"Then why would you open your house up to him?" She stuck her finger in my face, "And don't tell me it's because you're a 'good person'. Because I know you, Kalel, and you are not a good person."
It was my turn to yell at her, "Excuse me? I'm not a good person? You're not a good person! If anything you're..."
"BOTH FIRED!" Our boss boomed from behind us. We turned around and saw Mr. Matthews, red of face, fists clenched by his sides. "How many times do I have to tell you girls to leave your personal shit outside?"
"Please," Charlie begged, "Sir, Mr. Matthews, this is the only job I have!"
"Well you're going to have to find a new one, because I'm done hearing you two fucking argue almost every damn day!" He exhaled loudly, "Hand me your aprons and name tags and get out of my restaurant, both of you."
Charlie and I both stripped ourselves of our aprons and name tags and threw them on the ground. We stormed out and walked to our cars.
"Charlie..." I wanted to talk to her about what happened, but she ignored me and hopped in her car, speeding away. "I'm sorry!" I shouted, though she probably didn't hear me.
*****
I walked through the front door of my house and slammed it behind me. I dropped my bag and sweater to the floor just as Hunter came out of the kitchen, wearing one of my aprons.
Anger boiled up inside of me, just knowing he was the reason I lost my job and my best friend. I clenched my fists as I forced a smile on my face and said as politely as I could manage, "What are you doing in my apron?"
"Oh," He looked down at the powder pink apron with ruffles on the top, "I was just cleaning some dishes and I didn't want to get my shirt wet."
"Yeah, right," I retorted sarcastically. He ripped it off and threw it to the ground, "Look, Hunter, I changed my mind. I can't have you staying here anymore."
"What? Why? Kalel!" He cried, taking a step towards me.
"Hunter, I know what you said. About me being the only person who isn't still holding a grudge against you. But I lost my job today. I lost Charlie as a best friend today. All because of you."
"Because of me?" He repeated, pointing at himself.
"Yes! And quite frankly, my job and my best friend mean more to me than some jock I was acquainted with in high school. So, if you leaving and going somewhere where you'll never see Charlie again will fix that, then by all means, I need you to leave."
"But Kalel..."
"Go!" I yelled. He frowned at me before walking past me and out of my house. I heaved a sigh and closed the door behind him. I turned around and walked up to my apron, picking it up in my hands and looking at it for a little before hanging it back up. I turned around and saw all of the clean dishes piled next to the sink. I shook my head and walked away.
