The Deal...

The Deal...Goodbyes

Izabella

It was the last day of June and I decided that I would head back to Starbucks. When I woke up it was already past nine in the morning. The drive to Albany was a couple of hours and I was burning daylight. The application had been filled out for the past day now and I needed the money. I should also start packing. But I had all the time in the world for that. I showered then put on a black skirt with a white crop top and paired it with my black vans.

I ate breakfast as quickly as possible, trying to save time but then remembered my mom was home and I should probably inform that I would probably be out for the duration of the day.

"Hey, mom!" I called. No response. "Mom?" I heard shuffling coming from upstairs. "Mom, is that you?" I started to climb the stairs and the shuffling gets louder. I also started to hear my mom's whispers. Along with a stranger's voice. Thinking my mom was in danger, I dashed up the stairs and burst into my parents' room.

Biggest. Mistake. Ever.

I immediately averted my eyes so I wouldn't be any more petrified than I already was. Seeing my mom naked was definitely not on my bucket list. Why would it?

There on the bed was my mom having s*x with a man. A man who wasn’t my father.

"OH. MY, GOD!" I slammed the door shut in pure anger and confusion. I ran back down the stairs and out the house, slamming that door too. I hopped into my car and slammed that as well. I just needed to get away from my house. Driving angry wasn’t a great idea, but it’s not like I had a choice. There was no way I was staying there a second longer. I drove to my apartment that I was renting for the stay at ALS.

Hours later, I was opening the door to Starbucks and slamming down in the same spot from last time. I groaned out loud, not caring who heard me. I heard a chair pull out in front of me. I still didn’t care.

"Rough morning?" a familiar voice wondered and I looked up.

"Hi, Benji." I do my best to smile, but I failed. It just turned into tears.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"I caught my mom cheating on my d-dad," I stuttered out.

"Well, did you tell him?"

"No. And I don't know if I should or not," I sigh. "Break not only my dad's heart but mine and my mother's as well or keep it a secret and never be able to look at my mom the way I used to, knowing she doesn't love my dad anymore like the way she used to? She probably doesn't even love me anymore."

"Don't say that. She will always love you and your father."

"Then why would she cheat?" I demanded.

"I don't know. I'm not her, so you'll have to ask if you want answers."

"No. No way. There's no way I'm ever going back there."

"You have to go back. Isn't that where you lived? Unless you have a secret hiding place or something where you can get away." I felt my eyes glow up and Benji realized this and he paused. "What? You have a secret hiding spot, don't you?" Benji guessed and I nodded my head in excitement.

"Are you free?" I wondered. “I just don’t trust myself right now.”

"Let me ask my boss if I can have an extended break," Benji said as he got up and heads into the back room. I jump out of my seat and gather my things and Benji comes back with a smile on his face.

"So?"

"He said ok. If I make up the hours later."

"Thank you," I said as I give him a hug. He slowly returned it and I immediately regret it. "Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"It's ok. So, where to?"

"My secret hiding spot," I smiled. We walked to my car and drove to my apartment.

A few minutes later, I pulled up to a brick building.

"What's this?" Benji wondered.

"My apartment," I said as I unbuckled my seat belt and exited the car.

"No way," Benji breathed out, copying my actions. I giggled and we walked up to the driveway to the front door.

"Welcome to Izzy's place," I said as I unlocked the door and opened it. I haven't been here since I bought this place when I got my acceptance letter. It felt weird but good to be back. Benji scans the place with a hand on his chin with a serious face on.

"I like it." He nodded in approval. "Except, you're here," he added and I burst out laughing. "Can I get a tour so I can evaluate more?"

"I don't know. Will your evaluations be positive?"

"Aren't they always?" I laughed again and gave Benji his tour, starting with the living/dining room, through the kitchen and into the guest bath and bedroom. After that, was the washroom and ending with the full bath and master bedroom.

"And that's the end of the tour," I finished and went to jump on my bed. Benji followed and we laughed as we got comfortable.

"I like it. I got to say, this has to be my favorite room,” Benji announced.

"Why?" I giggled. "We've literally been here for like a whole minute."

"It just is."

"Hey. I totally forgot to give this to you," I said as I handed him my application.

"Oh right. I'll give this to my boss later. That reminds me, why are you even applying for Starbucks if you have all of this? You must be rich or something."

"No, I'm sadly not rich. I earned not only this but half the things I own. Including my car."

"No way. Are you sure you're not rich?" he joked and I laughed with my head shaking. "You still haven't answered my question. Why are you applying for a Starbucks?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere," Benji assured me and he propped his head on one of my many throw pillows.

"Fine. All my high school years, I worked at this diner. At first, I wasn't making a lot. I asked my boss if there was any way if I could get a raise, even though I just started working there. He said yes, surprisingly, after he looked me over. The following week, he had 'accidentally' brushed his hand against my butt," I blushed as I explained this to him.

"'Accidently?'"

"At first I thought it was an accident. It happens," I shrugged.

"But?"

"It would happen countless times a day. And every time he did, his hand would linger more than the last time," I explained with a shiver.

"What did you do?" Benji wondered.

"Nothing. I still had a very young mind at the time and every time I would just either ignore it or he would apologize. But as I got older, he would do worse things."

"Like what?"

"The most he has ever done was make out with him aggressively. As in groping and the usage of his tongue should have been illegal.” Somehow, I still managed to make jokes out of the situation.

"Damn. And you never told the cops or something?"

"My best friend knows. And I quitted a few weeks ago and that's why I'm applying."

"Don't you have a lot of cash left somewhere? I know I would have."

"Did. I don't anymore. I also got mugged that same night I quit, making it even worse," I told him and his brows furrowed.

"You were mugged?"

"Yeah," I shyly admitted. It wasn’t something I was proud of, but in the end, I hoped I made the right decision.

"When?"

"I don't know. A few weeks ago, maybe?" Why did he want to know what date I was mugged? Unless he was in on it or something?

"Was it June 18, perhaps?" Benji guessed. "And please tell me not by identical twins either."

"Yeah," I agreed after thinking about it. "A pair of twins mugged me on June 18th."

"Twins?! Oh, my God," Benji groaned out loud.

"I'm going to assume that you're groaning because you feel sorry for me," I chuckled nervously.

Now that I thought about it, maybe he didn't feel sympathy for me. He knew when I got mugged, and who mugged me. He must have been the one to send them. How else could he have known?

"Wow, fate must be on my side this time huh?" Benji said without any humor laced in his voice, which honestly scared me. What did he know? What did he do? What could he do? Suddenly, I became very afraid of the cute barista boy that I came to know as Benji. Then I realized that I invited him over to my apartment. For the next four years, I was supposed to live here. Now I couldn’t because a potential knew where I lived.

"Benji, what are you talking about? And how do you know who mugged me and when?"

"Lucky guess?" Liar.

"Tell. Me," I demanded.

"Sorry, it's a secret."

"Huh. I love how I tell you like the major things in my life, but you can't even tell me how you're somehow connected and involved with my mugging."

"I'm not con-, I'm not in-, I'm, look, it's complicated."

"So, you admit you know something about that night?"

"If I say yes, will you drop it?"

"No. I thought we were friends Benji. Friends don't lie to friends, they lie for them," I whispered and he sighed.

"I know."

"So answer this one simple question, and it'll prove if we're friends or not: Are you, or are you not, connected to the muggers that mugged me on June 18?"

"Yes, sadly I am."

I sighed and sat back, ignoring him. I told him about my mom cheating on my dad, my boss sexually abusing me, where my secret hiding spot was, and this was how he repaid me. Sure, I wanted to know, but for the words to come out his mouth, just made me want to cry even more.

"Izzy?"

"I should take you back to the cafe. It's getting late. I’m sure your boss will say something for being out on break this long," I said as I got off the bed.

"Yeah, I guess," I heard Benji murmured. "You can just take me back to the store."

We walked silently out the house, into my car, and on the way to Starbucks. The sun was just about setting and I knew that if I wanted to get home before nine I would have to leave now. The Starbucks was neared empty and the lights were dimmed in the shop. I didn’t realize the day just flew by like that.

"You sure you don't want me to drop you off at home or something?" Benji opened his mouth to say something but he just shook his head instead. He opened the car door and stepped out.

"Bye Izabella."

"Goodbye Benjamin."

My heart snapped in half as we both use each other's full name. People wondered all the time why I didn’t have a boyfriend. After all, that happened today...

That's why.