Something Beyond

Chapter 1

"Amy, be honest with me."

My longtime barista at the coffee shop around the corner from my regular gym gave me a bewildered look. This wasn't a crazy scenario for us two. Usually I asked her for her opinion on a million things a week. But it was something in my tone that had her eyes shooting to me with question.

"I always am. What's up?"

I took the drink she handed to me. Exasperated, I pointed to my hair, "Does it look horrible? I mean am I embarrassing myself by being here without washing my hair after the gym. You'd tell me, right?"

Usually, I wouldn't bother caring if I looked like a hot mess. Especially not after the grueling workout I just went through. But it was for that precise reason that I knew I looked as bad as I felt. Amy's wide brown eyes took in my hair.

"No way! It looks like you used dry shampoo. Can barely tell."

She waved me off like I was insane, and I had to grin at her. Amy was loyal and a bit of a nut. She tends to walk around with her head in the clouds and a no shits given attitude.  Therefore, because she lived her life by those two guidelines, I took her word and ran with it. If anything it wouldn't hurt for me to let loose with a bad hair day. 

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

Amy, who I considered a friend and the main girl I got my daily coffee from, gave me an eye-roll. Her charcoal hair was up in a hazardous bun that flopped while she moved her head.

"Whatever. Just don't forget, if Bob from across the street comes over you're my lesbian lover."

I burst out laughing, remembering the deal we struck a few weeks ago when an employee at the barbershop across the street took a liking to Amy. A creepy liking.

"You got it."

With a wink, I started towards my regular table that was shoved up against the floor to length windows towards the front. The afternoon sun was hidden behind clouds per usual. The coffee shop was buzzing with anxious people. Some were glaring at Amy who was working as fast as humanly possible while others had their faces shoved into their phones. Names were called across the room when the order was ready. As busy as the shop was, I found peace in it while I took out my laptop and work phone. I rarely took phone calls, the majority of my work on my laptop. But just in case I pulled out my headphones with the built-in mic.

Freelance legal contracts were never what I imagine I'd do with my college degree, but once I had my first draft under my belt, I fell in love. I always wanted to be a lawyer, but the cards weren't dealt that way. Instead I took the path of freelance and worked my way up to the most sought after freelance legal and contract service in the city of Seattle. I was making my way into the outer parts of the city but with only 24 hours in a day and my body's demand for at least six of those for sleep I was at a career halt. I never thought I'd complain about being too successful, but some days it was exhausting.

Freelancing offered freedom that a corporate job never would, and I loved being able to dress down, sit at some coffee shop and enjoy gourmet coffee while working. My mother always called me the most controlling free spirit she'd ever met. I rolled my eyes when I realized she was right.

Soon enough, my coffee ran out. I stood intent on getting another cup when my phone rang. I sighed but answered anyways while sticking my headphones in so we could hear each other better. I had pulled up their contract and offered clarification to the customer when I heard a loud crash next to my table. Seconds later, ice-cold coffee and cubes went down the back and front of my light grey cardigan that just happened to have holes designed into the fabric. The chilled coffee slide along my skin. I silently cursed myself for only wearing a bralette under it. The shock of what happened had me shooting from my chair. My eyes darted to the face of an alarmed tech nerd who looked like he was about to be sick. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it turned into a grimace as ice slide into the band of my skinny black jeans. There was a bustle of active next to the nerd while I pulled my mic closer to my mouth.