Never Again

Chapter 28: Surprise

'Oh, you do,' Elsa replied, 'and he likes you too.'

'He doesn't!' Keira yelled and a few of the customers looked at her in surprise. Maybe that had came out a bit louder than she had intended. She couldn't help it, because Elsa was making absurd assumptions, Seb certainly wouldn't like a girl like her. Especially when he could get any girl he wanted, so he never would want to be more than just friends. He had said it himself, he liked having a friend he could talk to about more than just his racing.

'You're blind, you really are,' Elsa shook her head and disbelief was audible in her voice. 'I mean, you should have seen him when you weren't here. He looked lost sitting at his table.'

'Because we're friends,' Keira tried to clear up the situation for her colleague.

'It would be a lost opportunity if you stay just friends, because it's so obvious you both like each other,' Elsa said in a sad tone. She stacked the last few mugs and sighed when she caught Keira's eyes, trying to convince her colleague was not easy at all.

'I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to be more than friends. Besides, I just broke up with my boyfriend with whom I lived together, so I'm not ready for someone else yet.'

'Stupid reasons,' this time Elsa sounded disappointed.

'Why do you care so much?' Keira asked suspiciously. She leaned against the counter and folded her arms.

'Because you deserve to be happy. I have seen you change from when you started working here to who you are now. Believe me when I say that you have been much happier since Seb started to come in every day.'

Keira thought these words over for a second, there was some truth in it. Seb really had helped her getting over David and he had been a great distraction from her pain and fear. She wouldn't want to think about how she was doing right now if she hadn't met Seb.

'You're thinking about him again, aren't you?' a knowing smile played on Elsa's lips and she had planted her hands on her hips. Her blonde hair was hanging loosely over her shoulders and she blew a lock out of her face.

Keira gasped in annoyance and shot her a deadly glare. 'Can't you give it a rest?' she said through clenched teeth.

'OK, but please know that you're stupid if you don't do anything about it,' with a shake of the head Elsa pushed a cloth into Keira's hands. 'Your turn to clean the tables.'

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When she had fed herself and put her clothes into the washing machine she decided to try reaching Tom again. If he wasn't at some party, he should be home right now and she really needed to talk to him. She crashed down on her bed and almost broke her laptop that was apparently laying under her pillow. She pushed away some clean clothes that still needed to be folded and tried to find Tom's number.

'Hey Keir, long time no speak!' he answered the phone happily after only a few rings.

'How are you doing?' she asked. With her free hand she tried to fix the pillow to make herself more comfortable.

'Alright, work is really busy, but I still find time to go out luckily,' he grinned.

'How's work?'

'I still love it, I have learned loads and everyone is so nice!' he said excitedly. A few voices in the background were audible and he yelled something back at them.

'You're with friends?' she asked in surprise. If he was with friends, she didn't want to be rude and make him speak to her.

'Yes, wait,' he said and he put his hand over the microphone. 'Guys, calm it down, I'm on the phone!' he yelled.