Old Me

4 - The Set Up

"Testa di cazzo," I mumbled into my pillow at the person tugging on my arm.

"Come on Bea," Si said giggling.

"Vaffanculo," I growled pulling my arm away and rolling over.

"Did you just tell me to fuck off?"

"Yes," I said.

She chuckled and jumped onto the bed so she was towering over my body. She lightly jumped making my body bounce.

"Okay, okay," I shouted throwing my pillow from underneath my head at her.

She collapsed onto the bed next to me chuckling.

"Bea it's already 1 pm. We've gotta go party shopping for this weekend. We can get coffee first," she sang, enticing me to get out of bed.

"Fine, let me get ready."

She smiled and climbed over me and off of the bed.

I unplugged my phone and sat up.

"Wow," I said seeing that she was right about the time.

I locked my phone and went into my closet to find something to wear. I slipped on a pair of distressed jeans and a lightweight sweater before coming out. I grabbed a pair of socks from my dresser and picked up my shoes I had thrown in the basket last night.

"You ready?" I asked, tying my laces.

"I've been ready for like 3 hours," she said dramatically.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my purse from the hook on the back of my door.

"I'll drive," she said racing down the stairs.

She put the address to a coffee shop I'd never heard of into her phone's map and connected it to the Bluetooth in my car.

Doja Cat's "Juicy" started playing as she reversed the car down the driveway.

After a while, I started to get curious about why we were driving so far from Party City.

"You know there's a Starbucks right by my house."

"I know," she said nonchalantly, "but Starbucks is gross and I found this nice coffee place on Broadway downtown."

She flicked on the turn signal and parallel parked right in front of what I assumed was the shop she was referring to.

"It looks cute I guess," I said, stepping out. "I mean it's got that industrial kind of vibe. Let's see if the coffee is any good."

We walked into The Hideout and approached the counter. There were high bar tables scattered around the room with bookshelves and brick walls. A staircase to the far left intrigued me, but there was a chain across with a sign that read "do not enter" blocking the way.

I focused my attention on the letter boards serving as the menu to figure out what I wanted. The couple in front of us in line stepped away from the til and I looked down to greet the barista.

"Hi-" Michael's green eyes met mine and I paused in shock.

"Hi," he said equally surprised.

"You're not stalking me are you?" He asked sarcastically jutting his pierced right eyebrow up so it disappeared behind the hair hanging across his forehead.

"What?" I laughed awkwardly. "No, I had no idea you worked here."

"Well she did," he said pointing to Si who stood next to me.

I turned my gaze towards Si and glared hard at her.

"Seriously, Siena? Liar. I thought he wasn't your type," I scoffed. "Dumbass."