Too Bad, Baby.

1 TIA: HANGOVER

TIA
Track: You Don't Know Me (Ben Folds feat. Regina Spektor)
*lyrics available ath the end of the chapter

CHAPTER 1

HANGOVER

It was a rainy Friday afternoon in Toronto. The cold sent chills down my spine. The freezing cold was nearly too much for me to handle, but I've always loved the rain, no matter how it made my walks during fall almost unbearable.

I hated summers. I still do and always will, I guess. Even though the rain made it very hard for everyone, even for me, to go out running errands, I still looked forward to these days, and always longed for the murky skies. Ironically, the so-called gloomy weather always made me feel the opposite- I am most happy and comfy at this time of the year.

My hands fumbled inside my purse, hastily searching for my car keys. My grocer trunk was already soaking wet as I was and I silently prayed it wouldn't finally break apart today. Not today, as I have just impulsively purchased a brand new smartphone, which I hurriedly and uncarefully stuffed in the trunk just in the nick of time- a few seconds before the heavy downpour.

Upon finding my keys, I ran wildly towards my brother's car, which was ten yards away, clutching the heavy groceries with my purse. I threw them in the backseat hurriedly and slammed my door shut. I turned on the heat and started to squeeze the water off my long caramel brown hair.

My old phone rang as I started the engine. It was Calyx.

"What now, Calyx?" I asked irritably.

Calyx is my boss, technically. But we've become more than that a few months after I started working for him. We've become best friends.

He was a journalist-turned-soap-actor. Calyx was beautiful. I have come to New York a couple of years ago to be an intern and I was assigned to Calyx and his department. Back then, he only did flash interviews on the local news and morning segment for hotel/restaurant reviews. His morning show started to pick up viewers, and as for shorter version, he was scouted for a soap opera character, which paid so much more than the news gig.

It took three months after he left the network when he asked me to work for him instead. We were good friends then, well- I missed the charming bastard. He offered me more money, stable job and an apartment (we're room mates of course) rent free.

I became his assistant, a live-in one. Yeah, I'm a glorified nanny of a twenty something year old guy.

We came to Toronto as promised, for me to visit my folks. Originally, he was supposed to be visiting distant relatives and old friends as well and let me be, but just as our plane touched down, he announced that he's changed his mind and would be with me for the rest of the fortnight- and that he wouldn't bother me at all.

It was our fourth day here. He spent the previous nights partying, picking up girls and coming back to my place at five a.m. daily. At first it was fine, but then he mopes around the house during the day and then complains about his hangover all day long.

"What's with the yelling?" He demanded on the other line.

"I'm soaking wet in my car, because you won't stop until I got out to get tomato juice for your hangover!" I reminded him dangerously.

"Come on, Christianna. I wouldn't ask you if I could get one myself. You know that," he said. I could see him grinning sheepishly. "Don't be mad, sweetheart. I'll make it up to you."

"Oh please," I said, exasperated. "Be there in ten."

"Love you dear," he laughed.

"I hate you Calyx."