Against the Odds

I woke up early for work the next morning, groaning as my alarm went off. I was the one that was opening the store so I was the first one there. I was cleaning the counters and making sure everything was set-up when Sadie walked in just before we officially opened.
“Hey,” I greeted her. She ignored me and continued walking to the back. “Why are you ignoring me?” I asked when she came back. Still no answer. “Is this about the whole Joe thing?” I asked.
“Yeah, it kinda is,” Sadie replied. At least she answered.
“Why are you making such a big deal out of this?” I asked.
“Because you don’t seem to get the fact that he might actually like you, and you’re being a complete bitch to him when he didn’t do anything wrong,” Sadie explained.
“Why are you bringing this up now? You never seemed to have a real problem with it before? Anyway, it’s my decision, not yours,” I reminded her.
“Honestly, I’m starting to get a little tired of it, you’re always complaining to me. But you’re right, it is your decision and I can’t make you do anything. Just remember, if you keep this up, you’re going to end up alone for the rest of your life,” Sadie said. Thanks for that lovely thought. With that she went and unlocked the front doors and soon people started coming in so I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to Sadie.
Before I knew it it was time for my break. I took off my apron so I wouldn’t be bothered by customers. I grabbed a soda and a muffin and sat down at one of the empty tables in the corner. It was nice to get off my feet, even if it was only for 15 minutes.
“Can I sit here?” someone asked already pulling out the chair across from me and started to sit.
“I have a feeling it doesn’t matter what my answer is,” I replied looking over at him.
“I see you’re starting to get to know me,” he said.
“Unfortunately,” I replied.
“So are you sure you haven’t lost my number?” Joe asked.
“I’m sure, it’s on my desk in my room,” I informed him. That was actually true.
“Your friend Sadie over there seems nice,” Joe commented.
“Then why don’t you go over and bother her then? She’s probably more willing to talk to you than I am and you would also leave me alone,” I said.
“Because maybe before I was wrong when I said there wasn’t always a winner and a loser,” Joe said.
“Ah, so you want me to crack, tell you my name, and talk to you so you can win this little game of ours?” I asked.
“Partially,” he replied.
“And the other part?” I asked.
“I find you interesting,” Joe said. Since when does being rude make you interesting?
“Well then. Can I ask you a question?” I asked.
“Of course. Now we’re getting somewhere,” Joe said with a smile.
“Don’t get too excited quite yet, you don’t know what I’m going to say yet,” I reminded him.
“Good point, knowing you it’s nothing to get excited about,” Joe agreed.
“Why do you keep trying to talk to me? You know you’re not going to get anywhere and that I’m just going to be rude to you,” I asked.
“Oh so you do know you’re being rude,” Joe commented.
“Haha, very funny. I do know what I’m saying and I am in control of my words. You think I’m stupid enough to think I don’t know I’m being rude?” I asked. I may have twisted his words just a bit, but oh well.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Joe defended. Yeah, like I said I’m not stupid, but I may start questioning your intelligence soon.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” I reminded him.
“I’m aware. To answer your question, I think you could use someone to vent to, someone who doesn’t know your situation or anyone else in it, someone who won’t judge you, and most of all someone to just listen,” Joe said.
“And you think you’re this person?” I asked skeptically.
“I believe I am,” he confidently replied.
“And what makes you so sure about that?” I asked.
“Because I know what it’s like to be in that situation, I know what it feels like,” Joe said.
“You have no idea what it’s like to be in my situation and you have absolutely no clue what it feels like,” I said angrily.
“I don’t claim to know exactly how you feel and I doubt I’ve been in your exact situation, but I do know how good it feels to have someone to vent to,” Joe said.
“Care to explain further?” I asked.
“I’ll take a page from your book and say no,” Joe replied. I had to figure he would say that.
“Fine, but I have to go, my break’s over,” I told him.
“Okay, but please just call me. Even if you don’t want to vent we could just talk to get your mind off things. I’ve noticed Sadie hasn’t been giving you the friendliest of looks,” Joe observed.
“Yeah, she’s ignoring me. She’s not really liking the whole rudeness thing,” I said.
“Ah, well just seriously think about it,” Joe said.
“Fine, I might call you,” I replied.
“I’ll take it, it’s better than a flat out no,” Joe said as he walked out the door. Did I really say I might call him? I guess I was starting to consider it.

I stared at my phone, my finger hovering over the send button. I was having an internal debate with myself trying to figure out if I should press send. I had double checked that I had typed the number right several times, glancing from the paper back to my phone. I had been staring at my phone for at least 10 minutes and I still couldn’t decide.
My finger slipped accidentally hitting the send button making my decision for me. I held the phone up to my ear, but after two rings I panicked and hung up. I wondered if he was the type that would call back an unknown number. I waited a few minutes before my phone started to ring. I looked down at the caller ID: Joe. Yes, I had put his number into my phone, which surprised even myself. I hesitated before answering.
“Hello,” I answered nervously.
“Hi, you just called and I was wondering who this is,” Joe said.
“Um, it’s me, you kept bugging me to call you,” I replied nervously. I had no idea where this conversation was headed.
“Really? You’re the girl from the party and the coffee shop? You actually called?” Joe asked shocked.
“You seem surprised,” I observed.
“I am, I didn’t think you would actually call, I had almost given up,” Joe replied.
“Gasp, you almost gave up? That’s surprising,” I said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Yeah well, you can be pretty stubborn,” Joe commented.
“I am not stubborn!” I defended.
“Did you seriously just say that? You really don’t think you’re stubborn?” Joe questioned.
“Okay fine, I may be a bit stubborn,” I said giving in.
“That’s better, even though I might say you’re more than a bit stubborn,” Joe said.
“Don’t push your luck,” I said.
“Like I haven’t pushed it already?” Joe asked. That is a good point. “So why did you call anyway?”
“I don’t know, you told me to,” I replied.
“So you don’t know why you called me other than because I told you to?” Joe asked.
“Pretty much. Well that and the fact that I have absolutely nothing else to do, so you’re my last resort to keep me occupied,” I said.
“You really know how to make a guy feel special,” Joe commented.
“So I’ve been told,” I replied.
“So you have nothing you want to talk about?” he questioned.
“Nope, nothing at all,” I replied. Like I said I really had no idea why I called him, what I was going to say, or where this conversation was headed.
“Okay, well, how about you start by telling me your name,” Joe suggested.
“I guess I could do that, you’ve only been trying to get me to tell you for how long?” I said.
“4 days,” he replied automatically. Honestly it was a bit creepy how fast he answered that.
“Right. My name’s Maggie,” I informed him.
“So Maggie, now that I know your name it will be much easier to refer to you,” Joe said.
“Ah yes, the one reason I told you, because I was tired of being called the girl at the party or the girl from the coffee shop,” I replied.
“Still sarcastic as ever,” Joe commented.
“Don’t expect that to change anytime soon,” I informed him.  “Anyway just because I told you my name don’t expect me to tell you anything else.”
“Want to bet?” Joe asked confidently.  It seems like he’s used to getting his way and what he wants.
“If you want to lose go right ahead,” I replied.
“Who are you talking to?” my mom asked through my door and I could tell it had already started for the night.
“A friend,” I replied as I heard footsteps walk away from my door.
“Who was that?” Joe asked.
“Just my mom,” I told him.
“You called me your friend,” Joe said. No doubt he was smiling on the other end of the phone as he said that.
“Yeah, because it’s easier than saying it’s some guy I met on the beach that won’t leave me alone. Much quicker, so don’t flatter yourself,” I retorted. “Not like she listens to me anyway,” I mumbled to myself.
“What did you say?” Joe asked. Crap, I thought I said it soft enough so he wouldn’t hear.
“Nothing,” I replied.
“You definitely said something. What was it?” Joe persisted.
“It was nothing,” I snapped and hung up the phone. He just doesn’t know when to stop.