It was getting late and I needed to get going to catch the bus. The cafe I worked in on evenings was slowing down, with less and less customers straggling in. I looked at the clock, anxious and waiting for it to finally become 10 o’clock. My shift would finally be over then and I would need to run to catch the bus around the corner. It would be the last bus of the evening and I needed to get back to my dorm. Why the hell did I agree to do this late shift tonight? I thought to myself. I had a short story for my Lit 101 class due the next day that I hadn’t been able to start yet.
“It’s pretty dead in here, Morgan. Why don’t you head home and I’ll close up for the night?” said Mike, one of the older guys busing tables. “I know you’ve got that paper that you’ve been griping about. I don’t know how you can manage full time college and working this job at night…”
“Listen Mike, I’d love to chat about how bullshit college tuition is, but I’ve really got to run. Thanks for closing!” I hurried to the back room and grabbed my purse. I ran out the door and down the block. As I turned the corner, I saw the bus pulling away.
“God damn it!” I said loudly. I sighed and slowed down and walked over to the bus stop and sat down on the bench. I searched through my purse for my phone. I pulled it out and leaned back, laying out on the bench. No signal. Just my luck I thought. I sighed, wondering who would even be available and willing to come and pick me up this late. I groaned and started looking through my purse again, to try and find something to write with and something to write on. Maybe I could find some inspiration to write about for my assignment.
“Hey, you look pretty down. What’s up?” I looked around to find out where the voice was coming from. “I’m up above you,” a vaguely familiar voice said. I looked up and saw a girl that I vaguely recognized from my Lit class.
“Uh, don’t I know you from my Lit class? With Ms. Mayer?” I asked. The girl smiled at me. Whoa she’s really cute when she smiles… I thought to myself. Gah! She’s saying something! What is she saying? Focus, Morgan!
“... and so yeah I saw you out here and was like ‘Whoa I sorta know her and she looks kinda sad and like she could use someone to talk to’ so here I am, doing that. Talking to you. Yeah…” She looked a little sheepish.
“Sorry, what was your name again?” I asked.
“It’s Kayley,” she said. “And your name is Morgan, yeah?” I nodded. “So what are you doing out here, Morgan?” she asked.
“I missed the bus and it’s the last one tonight. And my damn phone has no signal so I can’t get someone to pick me up!” I said, exasperated. I was tired and as much as I enjoyed talking with a cute girl, I really just wanted to get home and finish my homework.
“Umm I could give you a ride if you want? My roommate has a car and it’d be no problem if I borrowed it,” she offered. I smiled at her.
“Yeah, thanks! That’d be great!” I replied. She told me to wait and after a couple minutes came around front in a blue VW Beetle. I hopped in, gave her directions to my dorm, and we chatted the whole way home. Upon arriving, I got out and she handed me a piece of paper and said I forgot it. I took it from her, thanked her, and she drove away. I looked at the paper in my hands. It said ‘Call Me!” and had her phone number. I smiled and walked into my dorm.
