"Love is a game that two can play and both win."

Alexa

"You bake me crazy!" I shout while I walk over to the bakery section of the grocery store.

Emma and I are at the grocery store because today is self care Sunday. We are currently having a pun battle and whoever loses has to buy dinner for the other.

"Don't even taco' bout that." Emma shoots back.

"Do you remember when you almost became a vegetarian? That would have been a big missed steak."

"How dare you say that? You are a peach of shit!" Emma snaps while purposely stabbing me with the shopping cart which made me fall onto an old woman. I quickly apologise and walk over to another aisle.

If anyone hears us or sees us right now they will think that we are going to kill each other. Little do they know that that is what best friends do: insult each other.

"Don't say that. You know I love you from my head tomatoes." I tease as I put a pack of tomatoes into the cart.

"Yeah, olive you too."

"Um. Um." Wait, why can't I think of a pun right now?

"I won!"

"No no." I deny but we all know that she won.

"Just accept it all-bread-y?"

"You're too egg-cited for winning this stupid game."

"Don't be a cab-bitch."

We continue making horrible puns although we already have a winner. As we approach the counter, Emma is rambling on and on about this new burger place that opened next to our favourite coffee shop: Caffeinated. The place is so aesthetically pleasing with coffee mugs hanging from the ceiling and an overall wooden, neutral feel. The coffee is super good too.

"Since I won, we will go there and you have to pay."

"Yeah, whatever."

"I heard it is pretty expensive though." I groan when I hear that.

"You idiot, don't you know i'm broke!" Yes that is true, ladies and gentlemen. I am lazy and broke. Not a good combination but that is life: unfair.

"We are still going there and buying coffee afterwards." Emma declares knowing that I have no choice but to agree to her idea.

"Okay, get in the car now. I'm driving by the way." You heard right. I have always loved to drive. From the time I turned 16 I enjoyed the thrill of being behind the wheels.

While I drive by, I see a tall white building to my left side, it towers over us and brings a whirlwind of memories with it. After refusing many times to celebrate my fifth birthday in a business building, dad still forced me to. With my parents by my side as I was showered with the most expensive gifts. Life was fun then. I wonder what my parents are doing now. There was a time when all I wanted was to make them happy. I would do anything to just make them proud, just to see them smile.

Times changed, dad abused my mum and he forcefully made me go to medical school but I quit it. My passion has always been teaching and I decided to pursue it no matter what. Dad was rich and he thought that meant that he could make us do anything. I left home the night he hit me for standing up for my mum. My older sister, who I barely communicate with now, had left the house a few months prior and I think that is what gave me the courage to do it.

Emma senses that I was thinking about my parents so she squeezes my hands reassuringly. Emma. She is everything to me. That night I went to Emma's house where she lived alone with her brother. Her parents died in a car crash and that's what I told my friends about my parents, that they died. It was around this time, when Emma's brother, Ethan, almost raped me. My life was a big joke then.

Living in my own apartment and making a decent income from teaching, I am in a much better place now. Emma has my back and I have her's. Life has been great lately, but I still feel like there is something missing. They say that life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8 color boxes, I am part of it, but I want my life to be the 64 color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. Wow. My brain needs to relax.

"Stop! It's right here, fool!" Emma shouts excitedly while practically drooling over the pictures of burgers on the walls of the place.

"Can you stop drooling in my car?"

"Ugh, I am not drooling for your information. My mouth was just crying from happiness because of what my eyes are witnessing."

"Sure," I tease while parking the car. Emma jumps out of the car before I even stop it. This girl is crazy. Absolutely crazy.

The burgers are placed in front of us by the waitress and she cheerfully says, "Enjoy your meal!"

Me, being the dumb ass I am, I blurt, "You too."

Emma immediately steps on my foot so I correct myself, "I meant, have a good day."

Before I can further mentally slap myself for saying stupid things, my attention is drawn to the burgers. My burger is a rich brown on the outside, a soft pink on the inside - and a ball of top-quality, butter-soft meat, not a thin, firm patty. Mine is oozing with cheese and topped with crisp streaky bacon, sandwiched between a lightly-toasted seeded brioche bun, with a generous slap of mayonnaise and some iceberg lettuce leaves for the tickle. When I take my first bite, the juicy flavours all burst in my mouth.

By the time I finish my burger, I went to heaven and returned. Emma and I barely talked because of how distractingly good the burger was. In short, I will be coming here every self care Sunday.

We are walking over to the coffee shop when Emma gushes, "Look at the brunette barista. Goddamn, he looks hot!"

"Oh calm down Emma. If you are going to drool over him then at least make a move. Ask him out on a date or something."

"He is already looking over at us. I guess my job is going to be easier now."

"Emma, act natural, ok?"

"Yeah. You know that this is not the first time I am doing this."

"Yes, I do know that this will not be the first time you have completely made a fool out of yourself in front of a guy you like."

"Just shut up and watch me handle this like a freaking boss."

"Whatever you say, Miss."

Emma walks over to the counter and I follow close behind. She starts off with a bang. An embarrassing bang. "What's cookin' good lookin', I am Emma and this is my life, Alexa-"

"Actually, Lexy." I interrupt because i don't want more mortifying moments because of my name (referring back to point number 1).

"Yes, Actually-Lexy and I would like an iced coffee. Please don't make it hot like you. ."

He is visibly uncomfortable when he finally responds, "Um yeah sure."

As we walk over to our table to wait for the coffee I whisper-shout into her ear, "You are such a fool. That definitely topped the list of The most embarrassing moments of Emma when she tries to flirt with a boy. I will do the talking next time."

"Oh puh-lease. As if you can do it better."

"I can."

"You can't."

"I ca-" I am very rudely interrupted by the guy. He calls out the coffee orders so I stand up and approach the counter.

He jokes, "There you go. Your friend is a little-"

"Weird?" I suggest hopefully.

He chuckles, "I wanted to say flirty but I guess weird works too."

He hands me the coffee and I see a little note written on mine that read,

Actually-Lexy,

Do you have some ten minutes to spare. I wanted to tell you something so please sit at table number 7.

~N

I look over to the guy and he smiles cheekily. Oh no!

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