Chapter 1
The start of school had come far, far too quick. The dregs of summer seemed ever-present, making itself known in the thin sheen of sweat on Betty’s face as she left her high school. The first day had been…bearable. She had been dreading this day for months, begrudgingly counting down the days and feeling the knots in her stomach twist and grow with each passing day.
As soon as she could Betty had arranged to switch homerooms. There was no way in hell she could take seeing the girl who had treated her like that every day for the rest of the year. She walked to her classes as soon as the bell rang, startling her friend Inez when she practically leapt from her seat. She refused to eat in the lunchroom despite Inez insisting that she should, going on about showing James how little she was affected. But she couldn’t do it, so they ate in an empty classroom instead. The day inched by with Betty watching the clock like it was her lifeline which, in an appropriately sordid way, made the time pass even slower. When the final bell rang at last, Betty was the first one out the door.
But now she was away from the building that seemed to have trapped her past behind glass and put it on display at every turn. She was reminded of all of the sickly sweet stolen glances and nervous hands longing to hold each other but too scared to move. The chaste touches turning into kisses under bleachers. Getting to school extra early to sit in James’ car and talk about nothing and everything mixed with the feeling of James’ lips on hers. She felt like she was going to vomit. But now she was out, feeling the overbearing heat on her skin as she made her way to her new job.
Her new job. Her fresh start. A place untainted with the memories of the girl who shattered her heart. It was the reason she was able to make it through the day and hopefully a way for her to escape her heartbreak, even for just a little bit - that would be enough, it would have to be.
A new coffee shop had opened just a few weeks ago, offering the best pay a high school student scrounging for college money could ask for. Not only that but she was able to get a schedule that would work great with her classes and was only a 20 minute walk from her school. After months of misery, something had finally gone right for Betty and she would treasure it. She was slightly nervous James would come in one day, but she would be able to ignore any attempt she made to talk with the excuse of doing her job. She could handle that.
So she put her headphones on and listened to music, drowning out the thoughts of James shooting around like pinballs in her mind, instead focusing on the future for the first time in months.
The shop, a quaint place with a homely feel that Betty couldn’t help but be comforted by, came into view like a mirage, filling her with hope. She took her headphones off and opened the door, ready for this needed change. As the cool air hit her she stopped in her tracks, eyes falling on a figure working behind the counter. She felt her blood run cold and had the strongest urge to just turn around and leave. They made eye contact and watched as the other girl's face dropped. Betty was going to be working with Augustine. The very same Augustine that James had cheated on her with.