Chasing a Fox

Irene Foxe pushed her stray auburn hairs out her sweaty freckled face. Her straight hair was always falling out of whatever bun she tried to put it in. She was three hours into working her second shift and was already feeling a bit overwhelmed. Earlier that morning she had opened up the local coffee house Java Bean at five a.m. The coffee shop was a quaint little place and she loved the smell of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the bakery scents. Now she was waiting tables at Sal’s until closing at eleven. Her green eyes scanned her tables as she made mental notes on the drinks she needed to go refill. Heading over to the drink station she began making the drinks and her best friend Jade joined her there. Jade was tall, with golden curls and baby blue eyes. Men went crazy over her whole look generally. She was an amazing friend who partied a little bit more than Irene ever could. "Hey Irene. You never called me back last night, what happened to you?" Jade questioned. Jade had an hourglass figure and an ample chest that Irene was honestly slightly envious of. Irene herself was slightly thinner and more toned than her friend.  "I literally fell asleep with my phone in my hand" Irene said laughing. Jade shook her head, blonde curls bouncing  at Irene, smiling. "Girl, you work way too much. Sometimes I feel like I never see you outside of work. You need to go on a date sometime." Irene shook her head with a small smile. "No way. I'm not looking for anything or anyone. I work two jobs. I don't really have the time. I’m not overly anxious to repeat my last experience with dating either “Jade made a face, scrunching up her nose at Irene’s normal excuse for not wanting to date. "You know eventually you're going to have to let someone back into your heart and quit working yourself so hard." she said, "I better get back to my tables but you owe me a girls night! Let’s do something tonight.” She called out over her shoulder as she walked off towards her section of the diner. Irene felt a little guilty. She had been blowing Jade off a lot. She didn't really need two jobs but ever since her last breakup she liked staying busy. It keep her mind off of the hurt she had suffered. She still couldn't believe that she had only been engaged just two months ago only to come home and find her fiancé in bed with another woman. She had came early to surprise him with dinner from his favorite place. That night still played in her head sometimes. The moans coming from her bedroom. Her feeling of dread as approached the room they had once shared. She sighed, maybe she should go out tonight with Jade.  Jade meant well, in all honesty she felt like Jade was more like a sister than just a friend. That day she walked in on James in bed with another woman she felt like she had been stabbed in the heart. Jade’s place had been where she went to. They had stayed up all night because Irene could hardly get the words out of what had happened due to her crying so hard. Jade had just held her while she sobbed her heart out then made them a bowl of popcorn while they watched movies until they fell asleep. Even though James and been her fiancé there had been something off between the two of them. It was almost like he only proposed because that was what his family expected. There was never a burning passion but that didn’t mean his betrayal didn’t hurt. She had stayed with Jade for a whole week just because she couldn’t bare being alone in her apartment. Her first day back in her apartment she had thrown all of the belongings James left behind in bags and took it all to his brothers house. She got her landlord to change the locks as well. James had tried calling her a few times. Usually after he had been drinking. Always apologizing and saying it meant nothing to him. Begging her to come back. His empty words didn’t mean much especially since he seemed to need alcohol to apologize for his actions. His brother had been embarrassed by James and wrote Irene a letter about it. Irene shook her head of the memories and went back to her tables. “Here’s a fresh refill for you” she said laying down the drink in front of the woman at the table.  The table she was waiting on was a couple who looked around her age. The man was stroking his fingers on the back of his dates hand and they both seemed like they were lost in their own little world.  Smiling and laughing together in quiet conversation. What she wouldn’t give to have a connection like that. Where everything and everyone else just faded away. She gave the couple their bill and went back to the kitchen to pick up another tables order  On her way to the kitchen a hand suddenly pinched her behind. She whirled around angrily and saw the culprit was a guy at the bar. “Hey sweetheart “ he slurred drunkenly. “You should give me your number on your way back “ Irene glared at him and spat out “I’ll pass on that thank you.” Storming off to the kitchen. What a jerk! She looked over and saw her manager asking him to leave. The man almost fell off the stool as he stood to stumble out of the door. Thank goodness her boss looked after things like that and didn’t put up with anyone getting disrespectful to staff. Jade had joined her at the counter to pick up her own tables order. “Some guys are just jerks! Glad we don’t have to deal with him anymore tonight.” Irene nodded her head in agreement. "I'm glad Jess puts a quick stop to behavior like that." she responded.