HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

NINE

n i n e
" i don't do breakfast "
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Cora sighed as she sat up, rubbing her head. It was only when she noticed the sleeping body of Will beside her that she forced herself to get up. If he wasn't there, she would've stayed in bed until the evening.

They didn't get many customers in the day anyway. It was only at night that the bar really came to life. Vibrant and volatile in every aspect, bustling with people all looking for different things.

A groan from her right made her curse herself. She hadn't been quick enough. Now she'd have to engage in polite small talk and hung over attempts at flirting, which she really didn't want to deal with first thing in the morning.

"Morning," He grumbled, squinting his eyes through the sunlight pouring through the gap in the blinds right onto his face. His hair was a mess, partly bed hair, partly Cora's fault, and his neck was decorated with splotches of purple from his jawline to his collarbone.

"You know where the door is, right?" She asked as she scooted forward, not looking at him while she put her bra back on. "I have things to do today and I need to get going now. I'm already late, so if you could be on your way..."

"Yeah, yeah," Will replied, frowning with obvious disappointment. Whether that was because he wanted round three or for some other reason. Either way, Cora didn't care. This wasn't unusual for her. And if she appeared as if she were flustered or about to cry, they tended to leave. "Sure. But didn't you want to get breakfast or something?"

Cora put on a smile as she fastened the buttons of her jeans. "I would, but I have important stuff to do. I'm sorry." She didn't look at him, but the movement behind her told her he was finally getting himself together.

"That's ok, maybe some other time?" He asked, pulling his shirt back over his head.

God, why were they always so hopeful?

"Maybe," Cora replied, lying through her shiny, white teeth.

When she came back from refreshing herself in the bathroom, he was gone. She sighed with relief and sauntered through to the kitchen where Rosa sat perched on the breakfast bar stool.

"You didn't come back down last night. I'm guessing that lad who just left with a frown on his face was the reason why?" She smirked, not looking up from her cereal.

Cora sucked in her bottom lip, pulling open the fridge and grabbing the orange juice. "We've been living together for almost two years now and you still feel the need to question my choices."

"He was cute," Rosa defended. "You didn't happen to get his number did you?"

"I was a little preoccupied with his face betwe-"

"I'm eating!" Rosa whined.

"Sorry, but no I didn't get his number and I don't intend on ever talking to him again," Cora said and took a sip of her orange juice. "Besides, you know how it works. I'm not a relationship kind of person."

"Of course you're not if you don't actually try. You should've let him take you for breakfast at least," Rosa told her, her blue eyes shining with optimism and innocence. "The worst that would happen is you'd get a free breakfast and never have to see him again."

"Breakfast only makes them think of one of two things. One, that there's a chance we're going to be friends with benefits, or two, there's a future for us and honestly I'm not about that, which is why I don't do breakfast."

"Whatever, Cora, but you're going to have to give up sooner or later."

"Preferably later."

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"Back again, then?" Cora said as she unlocked the doors to the bar, opening the door for Chris, dressed in his usual ensemble of a football shirt and sweatpants.

"What took you so long?" He grumbled as he walked in, laptop under his arm as usual. "Too busy with that guy, hm?"

"What can I say?" She lets the door fall closed and walks with him towards the bar, ignoring his obviously frustrated demeanour. "A girl has needs."

"Right," He muttered as he sat down in his usual spot at the bar, where the wifi was best, and instantly pulled open his laptop.

"So, what can I get you today?" She flirted, shamelessly, her eyelashes fluttering.

He paid no attention. Absorbed in his work immediately. Although it meant nothing to her, it was still frustrating that her action went completely unnoticed.

"Um, just a regular coffee, thanks," He replied, his fingers flitting across the keyboard.

She rolled her eyes at his unresponsiveness. Surely, he would warm up eventually and if he got worse, she could just kick him out, right?

She'd thought about it many times in the week he'd been turning up at the bar. Using her wifi, barely ordering any drinks or food, and hardly even acknowledging her presence. But there was something about his grouchy morning presence that made her feel less alone in the morning shift where he more often than not ended up being her only customer.

Having him sat there was better than having no one at all.

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It was lunch and Chris hadn't moved from his spot, or bought any more drinks. Cora finally decided that enough was enough. She'd been waiting and waiting for him to order something out of guilt, staring right at him with a steely glare, but, nothing.

So, she dropped her cleaning rag and strolled right over to him, slipping into the bar stool beside him.

"So," Cora began. "Are you going to order something else or am I finally going to have to kick your ass out of here?" Her eyes were already scanning over the screen of his laptop before she'd finished her sentence, her hand catching it before he could slam it shut.

His cheeks instantly flamed, almost as red as his shirt.

"This is what you've been using my wifi for? A shitty dating website?" She exclaimed, holding the screen despite his attempts to shut it continuing.

Finally, he gave up, his hands dropping into his lap. "Yeah, so?"

"What do you mean 'yeah, so'? Chris, there's so many better ways to find someone than these websites. Don't tell me you're actually paying for them."

"You can hardly talk. I bet you've never even been in a serious relationship," He remarked. Cora looked at him for a second, her lips pressing together. Her eyes that once dripped like honey and gleamed like autumn sun were now cold and rusted.

"I have. Even if I hadn't been, I would still know that this is not the way to go. Especially for you, you're young," She said, dismissing his comment. Swept under the rug with the rest of those memories.

"What does that have to do with anything?" He frowned.

"It means you need to get the hell out of my bar and find yourself someone in the real world, Chris." She smiled at him with that exact smile she'd had last night. It wasn't so much as a seductive smile, but it was a challenge.

He smiled right back at her, knowing she was right and not even being able to be mad about it.

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