1:30 AM TALKS

Chapter 3

MINERVA'S P.O.V

"You sure you don't want to go, sweetheart?"

"No mom I'm okay. Thanks for the offer."

"I have unused $40 in my pocket right now if that's what's you're worrying about. Just save your money this time."

"Please don't bother." I smiled. "Well yeah I'll take the $40 treat, for my next month's book shopping."

"But Elena says..."

"Whoa." I glared her. "What does she say?"

"You're a big fan of this Before You Exit band."

"She's so...done." I groaned. "That's a lie."

"Unless your wall is covered by their faces?" Mom smiled softly. "Honey, go get some life. You're 17. That's so normal."

"Yes, and about that, a lot of other 17-year-old girls spend their lives living in a cave reading novels. So don't you worry." I kissed her cheek.

"Oh where you going?"

"Work?" I looked around. "Right?"

"So your supervisor doesn't give you a week? Not even a day?"

"I ask him not to. Bye mom. Gonna be home for dinner."

"Take care!"

I took the car with me because Elena and her friends were out to the beach. Her friends picked her up this morning so the car was on me. I put a little twist on my usual route. I turned around to pick Shireen. We would deal with the same shift today. Instead of letting her go by herself, I beeped her this morning to let her know I would come over.

"Hello young lady." I smirked.

"Hey! Thanks for stopping by!"

"Not like your house is in New York though. Hah. Let's go."

I drove the car back to its route downtown. T minus 15 minutes before shift.

"So...you've decided not to go? Seriously?" She asked.

"To the concert? No I won't go. That's positive. Mom asked me that as well, if I'd like to go. But no I can't."

"Why? If I were you, I would go straight say yes."

"Probably yeah. Uh...I'm not sure I would enjoy that. We know $40 is a big deal. I don't want to spend it to purchase a ticket to concert where I think I wouldn't enjoy."

"Don't you love that Riley guy?"

"What?" I choked. "You sound like Elena."

"This, Mirv. You think what is this?" Shireen took my phone and unlocked it.

"That's just a wallpaper..."

"Of an artist you're dying to meet."

"Stop it." I shook my head. "You completely sound like Elena, gosh."

"Just telling the truth though." She elbowed me. "Oh Brad..."

"Brad? Brad, that The Vamps guy?"

"Yeah. He tweeted something about the tour this morning. Ugh I really wanted to meet him." Shireen's eyes went everywhere. She almost cried. "I should've not found that flyer yesterday. It gets me."

"Sorry..."

"No it's okay." She embraced herself. "Better work our butts off for that $40 huh? Got bills to pay."