"Cassidy," TJ knocks on the bedroom door. "Someone is here for you."

I open my eyes, checking the clock sitting on my nightstand. It is 7:30 in the morning. Who is here at this time of the day? "Who is it?" I ask him, my head sinking on the pillow.

"Some freak. She said she is your boss," TJ whispers through the door.

Scarlet. I rub my eyes and do what any good employee does. Get up quickly and wear their clothes, make themselves presentable enough, brush their teeth, and wash their face before heading to the door to greet the supervisor. But to my surprise, her appearance is even more outstanding than mine. Scarlet is still in pajamas. Pinocchio Pajamas.

It is Wednesday. I worked double shifts at Sophie's from Sunday to Tuesday. Meggie and Jeff have yet to show up to their changes. They claimed to have the flu. Also, Meggie never answered the phone for not feeling well enough to talk. She only texted a few times to say she was doing okay and that Mike and her were over.

"' Hi," I say.

"You look like shit," Scarlet tells me bluntly. TJ raises his eyebrows as he finishes cooking his breakfast meal. It is his day off, too, and he is preparing to sit at the table. He likes his morning peaceful, but I guess Scarlet will not make my life easy. "I don't know why Mike wants you there."

"I was sleeping," I explain. I wonder what she wants and wishes to go back to bed.

"You should be at work today."

"I'm surprised, "Sylvia said I don't work today."

"Mike texted me and said you do." I can tell she is pissed off by how she looks at me. TJ sighs when he's ready for his first bite.

"I am tired," I admit.

"Tired? It would be best if you still started classes. How will you keep up with Sophie's classes at the same time this fall? Now, do yourself a favor and wear your uniform."

I don't know what to do. But I know I don't feel like working. An extra cash wouldn't hurt me, though. "Okay, I'm going to get my shirt."

"Don't step hard on the carpet before returning to your room."

"Excuse me?" I am starting to realize this girl has a severe issue on her head.

"I have sensitive ears, including sex moans and footsteps. When I'm not the one doing it, of course."

"Did I hear the word sex? Really? Who is the guy, Cassidy?" TJ sounds curious. He can keep to himself until something picks up his interest. The word sex played in his ears like a melody.

"No one," I defend myself.

"Not her," tells Scarlet. "I mean, in general. The girl before her used to do it all the time. But she has someone dying to do it with her. I heard he had already shown up at Sophie's this morning for a coffee and a muffin. He seemed disappointed you were not there. Mike is not happy about that. He told the guy to go away and leave you alone."

"Oh."

"Who is this guy?" TJ brings the scrambles to his plate and sits on the table. It smells tasteful, and I'm frustrated I have to go for an extra shift at Sophie's. Do I have to work with Mike again?

"Some hippie boy who fell madly in love with her. Don't worry. Mike put him in his place. He won't come back. ...and regarding the footsteps on my sensitive ears, I sometimes feel I'm dealing with a T-REX rather than a human living above my apartment. Even the water vibrates inside my cup whenever Cassidy or you step onto this carpet. "

"You make a pardon?" TJ looks up and down at her. He shoots her a long look.

She opens her hands to explain, "I don't mean to offend you, dude. I know you work hard most days, and you're never here. I don't know if Cassidy is exercising or what. Zumba class, maybe? Remember you live on the second floor. I live right below you."

TJ nods while forking his eggs, "Perhaps. But if she is a T-Rex, what are you then? A Godzilla?"

Scarlet frowns, and I want to laugh at his comment, but I do my best to keep my posture. Scarlet notices the grin curling on my lips, and I'm ready for her attack. I know Scarlet is offended by TJ's comment, and I can't help it.

Somehow, she apologizes to him, "I didn't mean..."

"I'm Theodore Junior," he says. "Not, dude."

"TJ, right?"

"Just for the closest people I know. You, dear boss, haven't earned the privilege," he says as he bites an apple.

"Okay, guess it is time to go to work," I interrupt. Things won't end up well between them if I don't say another word.

"I knew I could count on you, Cassidy." Scarlet's smile appears on the corner of her lips, even though she is still pissed off. Telling her I'm going to Sophie's is like telling a child you pick them up early from school. Her long, curly hair moves to the side, and she wears it in a ponytail. Before my supervisor disappears into the hallway, she looks up and down at me through the door, "Mike is waiting for you there...and remember... don't ever invite that boy again."

Scarlet is wholly gone, and I have a sense of relief.

"I want to hear details about this boy," he asks me. Only think about leaving this apartment after filling me in. I don't know what to tell TJ despite the name of my new stalker.

"Denver. I barely know him, despite the fact he ruined what would have been my first date."

"Is he that bad?"

"Kind of."

"And about this Mike guy?"

"I don't like him at all. Despite the fact he owns the place I work now. And he dates my new friend, Meggie."

"Meggie Lawrence? I know who she is."

I showed TJ a picture I'd taken with my phone last night at Sparrow. "This one. Blonde hair, black dress."

"Exactly. She's hot, but she's trouble. And you're right. His guy is a jerk. You're hanging out with the wrong crowd."

"Mike is an asshole."

TJ examines the picture. "Yes, he is. Wow, and that's a bright shirt for this poor guy," he refers to Denver. So... I'm assuming this is the one with the hots for you. He's good-looking but needs to change his style a little bit. Now go to work," TJ tells me one last time in his typical impatient tone, his mascara above his eyelashes so long I can barely see his eyeballs.

***

"You'll never be the employee of the month, Cassidy," Mike says as he quickly cleans the counter. I pray he goes away on to the next task. Otherwise, I must ignore him long enough or pretend he is not here.

"While we have someone like Jeff getting away with tasks he doesn't want to do all the time, like changing the garbage, for example, now I have you coming after his shift only to forget to stock one of the most important items. Napkins."

I apologize and move on to clean the following table to get away from him, but he follows me. The warm rag comforts the palm of my hands as I see him approaching slowly and analyzing me. I spray the counter with a cleaning product before rubbing it with a warm rag that quickly goes cold when it hits the table. I'm down below the central air conditioner, intense above our heads. The table becomes white and shining, free from spilled milk or coffee.

"I still see coffee spilled on the table. Have you ever cleaned anything in your life before?"

"All due respect, boss, but you are rude. You are lucky I'm here. This place would have fallen apart if it wasn't for me coming last week."

"That's quite a statement, Cassie." He knows how much I hate when people call me Cassie. As I'm about to say something, he continues, "Like the woman you spilled mocha on her brand new shirt?"

I am becoming impatient with this guy by the minute. I would have walked out of this place if it wasn't for Sylvia. She was nice enough to hire me. The only problem is that she has a jerk of a nephew. A world without Mike would have been a better world.

"By the way, Griffin came back looking for you. I told him to fuck off."

"What? Why?"

"You put a spell on him. He deserves better."

"I didn't put a spell on him. I'm not interested." Great. I must find something else to do instead of dealing with him for the next few hours. There isn't much to do. The place is empty. "I think I can handle alone if you're too busy and have other things to do outside," I suggest to him.

"Are you kicking me out of my own business?"

My face fell, and I knew I must fix what I said. "Of course not. I'm just trying to help."

After that, it took only a short time until Mike received a phone call. He seems unhappy with the ring, and I wonder why he is in trouble. I am not surprised. I keep pretending I'm busy, but I'm relieved when I hear the front door shutting and Mike is entirely off-site.