Fragile Hearts

“Whoa, look what the cat dragged in,” Tess whistles, taking in a frazzled looking Kasey with a worried eye as the waitress storms through the door.

Kasey’s head shoots up, eyes glaring. “Worst fucking day ever,” she spits. “I fucking hate people.”

“I hear you. I was working cash at the store today and-“

Kasey doesn’t even bother listening to her friend’s story of the day. All she wants to do is stomp off to her room like a teenage girl and not come out until tomorrow.

But sadly, she’s not fifteen anymore, she’s twenty six.

So she walks to her room and shuts the door quietly. She just wants to erase all the events from the day from her mind, but they keep coming back, one after another. The mother and the screaming baby had come back, she accidently spilled hot coffee on some poor old man’s pants, and the worst part, guys half her age from the rougher side of town started to hit on her rudely. Right in the diner.

Kasey groans, rubbing the lids of her eyes until they’re sore.

Soon enough, her stomach growls, reminding her how hungry she really is, having not eaten since breakfast. Kasey rummages through the pockets of her large hoodie, extracting the cell phone. Nine o’clock. Plus a missed phone call and a voice mail from an unknown number. She doesn’t even bother with it.

Suddenly, the landline rings, followed soon after by Tess calling out that she’ll get it.

Kasey peels off the dirty hoodie, saturated with the strong scent of coffee.

“Kase? It’s for you!”

Footsteps quickly climb up the stairs and the door flies open, revealing a wide-eyed room mate.

Kasey looks over, silently asking who it is.

“I think it’s that Brian guy!” Tess whispers excitedly, mouth clamped over the mouthpiece as she squeals. “Here!”

“H-hello?” Kasey manages. She hasn’t heard from him in two weeks; nor was she supposed to hear from him.

“Hey, Kasey?”

It is Brian. The guy just seems to have a knack for knowing when Kasey is down in the dumps. She can even feel her mouth spread into a small grin as her mind registers his voice, Tess giving her a silent thumbs up before leaving the room.

“This is her, but how’d you get this number?”

“Uhm, well. This is going to sound ridiculous, but I called, and you weren’t there. And I have something really important to ask you so I went down to the diner and they had told me you just left. So I asked them for your home phone. I had to tell them I was madly in love with you since I first saw you there. And that I couldn’t wait until tomorrow before they finally gave it to me, so. That’s my story.”

Kasey giggles, almost flattered. “How sweet. What was that something important you needed to ask me?”

“I was hoping I could ask you over coffee or something.”

Kasey glances at the time again, unsure. She knows what an invitation means. Something to soften the blow when said important question is asked. An idea already forms in her head of what it might be, and Kasey isn’t sure if she should be annoyed or happy.

“There any coffee shops open at nine thirty?”

“I know of a few. I’ll pick you up in ten?”

The escort is reluctant to agree, given her foul mood and the very short notice, but she picks herself up off the comfortable bed after Brian hangs up and starts getting ready anyway.

Tess bursts into her room not five seconds later as she’s changing into a pair of casual jeans and a t-shirt that doesn’t have ketchup stains on it.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“What did he have to say?”

“We’re just going out to coffee, Tess. Nothing big,” Kasey says quietly, brushing out the day’s worth of knots from her hair. “He needed to talk.”

“At nearly ten at night?”

The brunette lets out a sigh, trying to drain the annoyance from her body. “It’s nothing, trust me. I’ll tell you if anything does happen.”

“Promise?”

Kasey never has time to answer because Tess is off and running to answer the buzz at the door.

One last check in the mirror has Kasey groaning before she steps into the kitchen. Brian didn’t leave any room for her to attempt make-up.

“Oh- she’s right here,” Tess grins.

Kasey weasels herself between her friend and the doorway, earning a small smile from Brian.

“Hey, ready?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Kasey’s heart skips a beat when she sees the familiar motorcycle parked on the sidewalk again. Brian chuckles.

“You didn’t seem to mind it that much last time.”

“No, I- I liked it.”

“Cool. I’m sorry it’s such short notice, but-” Kasey looks back for the end of the sentence, watching as Brian bites down on his bottom lip.

“Are you okay?”

Brian looks back up, startled almost. “Yeah. I think we should save everything for the coffee.”

Kasey nods, letting the subject drop.

“Thought you could use the extra practice.” Brian gestures to his mode of transportation. “You know, if some guy on a motorcycle ever wanted to take you out.”

“I’m sure,” Kasey laughs loudly.

The second time around is much easier between Kasey and Brian’s motorcycle. Until the engine comes to life, vibrating the seat beneath her legs. Kasey squeaks, wriggling her lower half in surprise and discomfort.

Brian lets out a short laugh. “Yeah, you definitely need the practice.”

The engine revs as Brian’s hands rest on Kasey’s, taking the motorcycle onto the main road.

Thankfully, the ride is much shorter than the one to Matt’s as Brian pulls to a stop beside a café Kasey’s never paid much attention to before.

“Open twenty-four, seven,” Brian breathes, holding the door open.

Kasey’s jaw drops as she feels like she’s just stepped into a little piece of Europe. The scents of Danish pastries and croissants assault her nose, and the coffee certainly smells stronger and better than the name brands they sell at the diner.

Her stomach rumbles and churns violently. This certainly beats Cheerios and questionable Chinese.

“You first,” Brian motions to the front counter.

He’s wearing the same skull pattern beanie Kasey first saw him in. The black hoodie and a different pair of board shorts. She wouldn’t pin someone with the amount of confidence he has in an outfit like that.

Kasey doesn’t feel awful when she orders two croissants and a vanilla latte all for herself even with the barista and Brian looking at her with both eyebrows raised.

“What?” She turns to her date while the barista grabs the desserts from the display case. “I’m hungry. Haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“Well why didn’t you say something?” Brian realizes. “I could’ve taken you to an actual restaurant. Where you can have an actual meal.”

“It’s fine, really. Thank you,” she grabs her order from the barista.

“Twelve seventy-five.”

“I’ll get that,” Brian lays down a twenty. “Just a coffee, black for me please.”

The girl behind the counter takes the bill before Kasey can protest. Brian just shrugs.

“My treat. For making you come on such short notice.”

“It’s fine, really.”

Brian reaches over her shoulder and grabs his coffee, leading her to a window table.

Kasey’s hunger finally gets the better of her now that she has food available and she starts scarfing the chocolate croissants down while Brian watches her intently.

“What?”

“I’ve never seen a girl eat like you before.” He chuckles.

“I’m hungry.”

“You got a little something-“ Brian motions to the corner of Kasey’s mouth as she tries to lick it off. “Yeah, you got it.”

The two lapse into a comfortable silence until Kasey’s stomach is finally content.

“So, what was that important question you wanted to ask me,” she asks, taking a sip from her latte.

Brian licks his lips, long tattooed fingers playing with the mug in front of him.

“Look, I know I said it would be only once but-“

“You need me again,” Kasey finishes off Brian’s sentence with a smirk.

“Kind of,” he sighs unhappily. “I’m sorry, I really thought it’d only be for one time, but everyone loved you. Even my ex,” is added slowly after.

Kasey frowns. “Seriously?”

“It’s complicated. She’s bringing her new boyfriend and…”

“Oh.”

“I mean, I’m not asking you to do this just because of that-” Brian adds quickly. “Everyone does like you.”

“I know, Leana told me. I bumped into her at the store the other week.”

“So, you’ll do it?” Brian bites down on his bottom lip.

Kasey sighs. She knows she shouldn’t. Especially because she feels for the guy and his situation. But something in the back of her mind nags her to say yes. Even though everything else screams no.

She watches as the rest of the steam gently rises from the cooling latte pushing and pulling herself back and forth between answers.

“Yeah. I’ll do it.”

Brian breathes a sigh of relief and Kasey feels like she’s just signed something of herself over, unsure of whether it’s good or bad.

“Thank you so much. It’ll only be for a couple of months, then I can say we broke it off.”

“That’s perfect. I only have one condition though.”

“Anything. I’ll buy you croissants every day if I have to.”

“Don’t pay me,” Kasey giggles. “Got it?”

“Yes ma’am,” Brian grins.

“I’m serious. I don’t need the money.”

The two lapse into small talk, and Brian somehow finds himself telling Kasey the whole story about how he went off on tour with his band only to come back to find his wife gone. Then find out she had been cheating on him with another guy, a mechanic at that. And that she wanted a divorce.

“That’s awful,” Kasey frowns. She can feel her heart going out to Brian even further. She would still be a wreck if her husband did that to her. If she had one.

“Yeah,” Brian smiles dryly. “Dating and marrying the best friend of your twin’s fiancé for fun. Only to find it’s not so fun anymore. I’m sorry, you didn’t need to listen to that. What’s your story?”

Kasey shakes her head, mind still on Michelle. She could tell by the way Brian talked about her they still cared deeply for each other. Only Michelle cared a bit differently for him now.

“It’s nothing special.”

“Hey, I told you my sob story,” Brian tries to grin. “It’s only fair.”

Kasey takes a deep breath. “Well, you know what I used to do. Between escorting and my day job at the diner, I really didn’t have time for a guy. Plus, the business kind of turns you off from them, you see them for who they really are, and then you just begin to realize that they’re all the same.”

Brian frowns. “Well that’s not very fair.”

“It’s true though,” Kasey points out. “No offense. And then after what happened to Tess…”

“Is she your room mate?”

“Yeah, that’s her. She went and got her heart ripped to pieces. And I had to pick her back up. I decided the male population wasn’t worth it then.”

“I can see that.”

Suddenly, Kasey’s pocket vibrates and she pulls out her phone.

Kase, I know you must be having a blast with cute guy but don’t you have work tomorrow morning?

She’s just about to send Tess a snappy reply when she checks the time, realizing that it’s eleven thirty and she should be sleeping right now. And the latte is going to keep her up until she’s supposed to be up the next morning.

“Shit.”

“What?”

“I’m really sorry but I need to be home right now.”

Brian nods. “That’s fine, I’ll take you back."

“I just didn’t realize it was so late,” Kasey rambles, scrambling to get her hoodie back on. “I’m going to be a zombie tomorrow.”

The guitarist just smiles, following the rattled waitress outside.

“Thanks again for dinner,” Kasey says when the motorcycle brushes up against the curb in front of her apartment. “I had a really good time again, and that’s saying something.”

“It was no problem really. I should be thanking you.”

Kasey is just about to walk back into her apartment when Brian’s arm catches her elbow gently. “Sorry, um- you know about the dinner Friday, right?”

Kasey licks over her lips. “Yeah.”

“You can make it?”

She smiles. “Definitely.”

“Great. I’ll be here around five.”

Brian watches as the girl scampers up the steps and through the door, a calm feeling settling in his stomach. She was right, about them both having a good time. It felt good to talk to someone who could relate in some kind of weird way.

“Oh my God,” Tess gushes when Kasey pushes open the front door of their apartment. “Spill.”

“It was nothing,” Kasey reassures her. “He just asked if I could work for him a bit longer.”

Tess sighs, frowning. “If I didn’t think he was so cute I’d be furious with you right now. Plus, it doesn’t take two and a half hours to ask an escort to escort.”

“Depends how nervous you are, I guess,” Kasey winks mischievously, patting Tex on her way through the kitchen, Tess hot on her heels.

“Yeah but something-” Kasey frowns thoughtfully to herself as Tess continues to natter in her ear about Brian, realizing something. Even after Prince Charming dumped her, she still managed to have a little faith in love. How she did it? Kasey wouldn’t know.