New Beginnings

by Megan Keith

  Silence stretches between us and soon after I go to the counter to pay. I get caught up talking to Craig and Shirl but when I notice Jase heading in our direction, I give them both a quick goodbye so I can escape. Stupidly though, I look back before we leave the restaurant and catch him mouth ‘call me’ with his hand using that sign we all use. I think Seth catches it too, so as soon as we’re on the street I start prattling before he can say anything about it. The last thing I want from Seth is his encouragement to date someone other than him.

  “Where’d you park? I’ll walk you to your car. Where do you live anyway? I never asked.” I loop my arm through his and we start walking.

  “I’m only a couple of streets that way.” He points in the direction we’re walking.

  “Your car is? Or your apartment?”

  “Both. I walked.”

  “I walked too. I haven’t had a car for about a six months. I sold it because it was sitting in the street all dirty, sad and unused.”

  Seth

  “Do you wanna see it?” I ask.

  “Hmm? See what?”

  “My dog box apartment?” I was already ushering her in that direction but it felt appropriate to ask. Even if it’s not going the way I’d hoped, I don’t want this night to end just yet.

  “Sure.”

  It’s a mild night out so we take our time walking. It feels nice to have Bianca’s arm looped through mine, to have her by my side. There was a moment or two tonight where I thought I may have had a chance with her. She made it clear she’s not into Matt or that Jase guy. But my spark of hope faded when she also made it clear this wasn’t a date. She doesn’t see me that way. Just my luck. However, if friendship is all she wants I’ll take it.

  When we make it to my apartment building I slip my arm from hers so we can walk the two narrow flights of stairs. Pulling my keys from my pocket, I unlock the door before turning to face Bianca who’s standing behind me, leaning against the metal railing of the small walkway.

  “Are you ready?” I ask, suddenly feeling embarrassed about where I live.

  “Just open the door already,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “It can’t be that bad.”

  I hold the door open for Bianca to walk through then shut it and watch her slowly circle the small living and kitchen area.

  “Wow, you were right about it being small. But it’s not horrible Seth, it’s … cosy?”

  “That’s one word for it.”

  “If you hate it so much why are you living there?”

  “It came with the job.”

  “So?” She ducks her head into the bedroom before doing the same to the bathroom.

  “So, I don’t pay rent, it’s fully furnished and it’s clean,” I explain with a shrug. “I took one look at the place and figured it would do. I signed a lease.”

  “You’re on good money, right? If you wanted to break the lease and find something better, you could. I don’t understand why you-”

  “I wasn’t in a good place when I moved here,” I admit.

  “Oh. Why’s that?”

  “Tough break-up.”

  “You wanna talk about it?” Bianca asks carefully.

  “There’s not much to say,” I answer with a shrug, not sure if this is a topic I want to broach.

  “Did you love her?” She seems just as surprised by her question as I am.

  “Yeah, I did,” I answer honestly. Did being the operative word. Ask me a couple of weeks back and I may have said do but now I know with certainty that’s not the case.

  “How long were you together?” she asks.

  “A couple of months, give or take. I fell hard for Emma. Thought we were in for the long haul, you know? Marriage, kids, the works. Emma didn’t think so.” I shake my head at how wrong I’d been. “So yeah, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I signed for this place. It doesn’t matter, it’s only temporary anyway.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “When the job’s up so is the lease.”

  “Wait. What?” The look of confusion on her face is adorable.

  “I’m only here on a six month contract. It’s more than half over. Provided everything continues on schedule, I’ll only be working for KR for another ten weeks or so.”

  “Oh. And then what?”

  “Then … I guess I’ll move back to Melbourne.”

  A sense of sadness washes over the room, and I know it’s not only coming from me. Bianca can feel it too, I’m sure of it. We are on borrowed time. She sinks down into the small couch and I join her, both of us staring at the opposite wall.

  “Wow. This place is depressing. You know what we need?” A broad smile spreads across Bianca’s face and she bounces on the spot. “We need a drink.” She jumps from the couch and claps her hands together. “Let’s go to the pub. There’s one not far from here. The Frog ‘n’ Toad Hotel is about halfway between both our places, in fact. We can drink until we’re drunk and easily walk home.”

  “The Frog ‘n’ Toad, huh?” Her perkiness is contagious and I find myself smiling and standing beside her in no time. “Okay.”

  ***

  “You know, you’re not as nerdy as you think, Seth,” Bianca chides as I place our fourth round of beers down on the square table and sit back in my chair opposite her.

  “No? Why’s that?”

  “Because here you are, out on a school night, getting drunk!” She laughs.

  “Who said anything about me being drunk?” I ask with a grin.

  “I did.”

  “Hey! You’re knocking them back just as quickly as I am!”

  “True, but I’m no lightweight. I reckon I could drink you under the table any day.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yep.”

  Now that was a challenge I was in the mood to test. I stand back up and head to the bar.

  “Hey where are you going?” Bianca calls after me but I ignore her.

  I order a couple of shots and wait. I’m not usually one to write myself off with alcohol but I’m having fun with B and the idea of forgetting everything for a while sounds good, so why the hell not? When I turn from the bar, two clear liquid-filled shot glasses in hand, Bianca’s eyes light up.

  “Oh no, you didn’t!” She giggles.

  “What do you say, Bianca? You want a Quick Fuck?” Her cheeks instantly redden and she looks like she’s choking on air. I have to laugh. I struggle through my laughter to explain, “The drinks! That’s what they’re called.”

  “I knew that!”

  “You did not!”

  “Did too! I just never expected to hear those words come from your mouth.” She recovers and reaches for her glass. “Okay, Seth. Let’s do this. A Quick Fuck on the count of three.” She winks.

  Then we count together, “One. Two. Three!” and down our glasses of liquid fire. I squeeze my eyes shut and shudder before reaching for my beer and sculling it to remove the horrid taste from my mouth. Bianca does the same.

  “Oh my god! That was horrible!” she exclaims.

  “It really was,” I agree.

  Bianca

  “She’s the owner? No way!” Seth bellows, thumping his hand on the table. “How old is she?”

  “Twenty-eight. I know right, that’s young to be a business owner. Scar’s pretty amazing!” She really is. I was surprised to find out she was the owner of the café when I first started working there too.

  “She barely looks twenty-one!” Seth shakes his head again. The shocked look on his face is quite comical, along with the slight slur when he speaks, I can’t help but notice how adorable he looks.

  “Another round?” I ask as I stand and wobble slightly. “Hey, I’m sick of beer. Let’s have something sweet.”

  “You know mixing too many drinks is not a good idea!”

  “So we’ll stick with the sweet.”

  “Stick with the sweet,” Seth repeats, blinking up at me with his chocolate brown eyes and a crooked smile. “Mmm-kay.” The look he’s giving
me, and his tongue that pokes out to give a quick lick to his lips, sends a wave of desire through my body. I have to shake my head to clear it.

  We drink white rum and cokes from that moment on. A few hours later I have no idea how many we’ve consumed while we’ve been at The Frog, but I do know I’ve been having a blast. I think I’ve learned all there is to know about Seth’s childhood - the guy can talk after he’s had a few. He’s spoken fondly of his parents and his sister Tahlia, who apparently is a tomboy who loves to colour her hair just like Scar does. He’s made me laugh with anecdotes of his boss, Jim, and I got a secret thrill when he told me how horrible he thought Barbie’s collagen lips were.

  I watch him bump into an empty table and apologise to it on his way back from the bathroom and I’m doubled over by the time he reaches me.

  “Whaasssofunny?” he slurs before falling into the chair.

  “You,” I manage to breathe out through fits of laughter.

  When I’m finally calm, the guy behind the bar announces last call and Seth tells me to “drink up.”

  We both drain our glasses and stumble out the door onto the empty street. Seth starts walking, or more like swaying, in the wrong direction.

  “This way!” I call out to him. He turns to face me, his brow scrunched before he looks back over his shoulder in confusion. “You said you’d walk me home.” I pout until he drudges back to me.

  Slinging his arm over my shoulder, he says with a smile, “So I did.”

  Somehow we manage to stagger the four blocks back from The Frog to my house. With his arm around my neck and mine around his waist, we probably make the walk harder than it needs to be. I fumble with my keys and when I push the door open I turn to face Seth. He’s leaning against the pole of my front porch with his eyes closed. I bite my lip in contemplation. It’s almost three in the morning and his flat is eight or nine blocks from here. He’s not familiar with this city and he’s pissed as a fart. Never mind the fact he’s practically sleeping on his feet. There’s no way I can let him walk home. I shake his forearm to rouse him.

  “Hey! Come inside.”

  He startles and stares me down, his eyes all glassy. “Nah, I should go.”

  “Seth, come in and call a cab.”

  “S’okay, I can walk.”

  “No, you can’t. Get inside.”

  When he doesn’t budge I step behind him and start shoving him on the back. He’s all hard muscle and not easily moved.

  “Get. In. Side!” I grunt, using all of my force until he eventually budges.

  “So bossy, B!” he laughs and I fly into a fit of giggles when he stumbles over the doorstep then hits his arm on the wall near the lounge room door. “Ow! Stop laughing.”

  “Stop making me.”

  “Do you … have a …?” He sits on the couch and pulls his phone from his pocket. He’s swaying on the spot and staring unseeingly at his phone. It takes me a second to realise what he’s waiting for.

  “Taxi. Right.” I remember the magnet for a local taxi company I have on my fridge and go to the kitchen to retrieve it. By the time I’m back, Seth is lying on my couch with his eyes closed. “Seth?”

  “Sleepy,” he mumbles.

  I know I should wake him but he looks so peaceful. He’ll have to be at work in a few short hours and he needs his rest. Shit! I guess he’s staying the night. I pull the blanket from the side of the couch and drape it over him.

  “Thanks,” he says sleepily, blinking up at me. “So pretty Bianca.”

  I straighten up like I’ve been shocked. Pretty? Did he really say that? No, he couldn’t have. I’ve had way too much to drink and I’m hearing things. He closes his eyes again and I attempt to sneak from the room. Yet again, his words stop me.

  “Wish I met you first.”

  My heart stops. Literally stops for a beat. What does he mean first? Before what? Emma?

  Seth’s words repeat in my head while I ready myself for bed. By the time I crawl under the covers I feel completely sober. Tonight, when he spoke of Emma and their break up he seemed haunted by it. It led me to believe he still wished he was with her. But his parting comment? Shit! I don’t know what to think anymore.

  When I wake with my alarm after barely any sleep, the couch is empty and Seth is gone.

  ***

  “What’s with all the customers today? Don’t they know I’m hungover?” I grumble, leaning my elbows on the counter and hiding my head in my hands, thankful for the lull between people to serve. We’ve been run off our feet since opening. Scar and I have barely said two words to each other – I think she said ‘good morning’ and I said ‘shut up’.

  “Hungover, huh? So that’s your problem?” Scar asks.

  “Uh-huh.” I make the mistake of nodding and I wince.

  “What did you do last night?”

  “Seth.”

  When Scar doesn’t say anything more I lift my head because I can feel her eyes drilling into me and realise what I just said.

  “Oh fuck! I didn’t mean that. I meant I hung out with Seth.” When she continues to stare at me, I argue, “Not like that!”

  “Suuurre.” She nods at me condescendingly.

  “I’m serious Scar! We went out to dinner and then we went to The Frog.” I shrug casually. “We had a few, no, a lot of drinks, as friends. Nothing more.”

  “Uh-huh.” She smirks at me like a know-it-all.

  “It’s not going to happen.” I turn around and lean against the counter, arms folded. “We spoke about it and it seems he’s not over the ex he left back in Melbourne.” I don’t tell her about his parting comment about wishing he met me first. I want to keep that to myself. Besides, he was drunk, and sleepy, and probably didn’t mean it.

  “Really?” Scar’s smug smile drops from her face instantly. She steps closer to rub a consoling hand over my arm.

  “It’s fine. We’re mates and-”

  “I’m sorry, B.”

  I shrug her and her pitying gaze off of me. “Yeah, well, what can you do?” I turn to serve the next customer who just walked in, hopefully putting an end to the conversation.

  Seth

  Bianca: What do you get when you cross a nerd boy with an awesome chick and a super stupid drinking challenge?

  I laugh at Bianca’s text message before I remember I’m alone in my office, with the door closed and a massive headache, and the sound is way too loud.

  Seth: A killer hangover

  Bianca: Got it in one! You didn’t come in for your morning coffee…

  Seth: No time

  Bianca: When did you leave my place?

  Seth: Around seven. Walking took longer than I figured, slow to shower, you get the picture…

  Bianca: No, I didn’t get the picture. Did you send it to me? ;)

  Seth: Har-de-har. I meant it took me a while to get motivated and I was a little late to work

  Bianca: I knew what you meant Nerd Boy

  Seth: I know you did Awesome Chick ;)

  Bianca: See you for lunch?

  Seth: Wouldn’t miss it

  ***

  By the time lunch rolls around I’m desperate for coffee and something to eat. I successfully dodge Lisa by making a quick dash for the elevator when I hear her heels clicking along the corridor in my direction. I find myself walking faster than a hungover person should to get to the café.

  “Hey Seth!” Scar greets me with a big smile and an even bigger voice. “Are you as hungover as my mate here?” She smiles at me knowingly when I flinch from her unnecessarily harsh loudness.

  “Why you gotta be so loud?” B whines from the other end of the counter. “You’re so mean, Scar.”

  I can’t help but laugh at the scrunched up look on Bianca’s face. “Not feeling so good B?” I tease.

  “No,” she says, when I reach her. “You?”

  “I will feel a lot better after one of your fabulous coffees and the greasiest food you have.”

  “Bacon and egg roll, barbeque sauce, side o
f chips? That’s my go to post night out food.”

  “Sounds perfect. Wait. You don’t have those items on the menu.” In fact, I don’t recall any fried food available here at all.

  “Shh,” she leans forward, “Top secret special order.” She gives me a wink that has me salivating, and maybe not just for the food. “Take a seat and I’ll bring it over soon.”

  “Thanks.”

  While Bianca is busy making my special order, Scar brings over my coffee, then lingers with a thoughtful expression.

  “Yes?” I say when it seems apparent she wants to say something.

  “You coming tonight?” she asks, not at all what I expected.

  “Yeah.” I take a sip of my coffee. Mmm, heaven. “Why?”

  “No reason.”

  She pulls a rag from the side of her apron and wipes down the already clean table.

  “What’s up Scar?”

  “Nothing.”

  “You’re lurking. You got something you want to say? It’s not like you to beat about the bush.”

  “True.” She gives me a smile. “You and Bianca seem to be getting along well.”

  “Yeah.” I don’t know what she’s expecting me to say but by the look on her face she’s expecting something. Luckily, I don’t have to say anything more because Bianca appears with my lunch, causing Scar to shake her head.

  “You’re lucky I like you Seth, B knows the fryer we have out back is only for our personal use.” She gives B a fake scowl before she scuttles off.

  “Enjoy!” Bianca says with a flourish, placing the meal in front of me.

  “Thanks. This looks so good.”

  “Hopefully it will make you feel a little better.”

  “What about you?”

  “Oh, I made myself a plate too. I’m gonna eat it while I work.”

  “Smart thinking.”

  “Speaking of, I better get back.” I look behind her to see a queue forming. “Catch ya!”

  I’m halfway through my lunch, daydreaming, when someone stands beside the table and clears his throat. I look up to see Jim holding a plate.