

She tells me it’s fine, because she doesn’t even like women so there will be no messy complications. That moment of weakness causes me to agree to do something I never would have done under normal circumstances: date her. Tenley pours her heart out to me and, for the first time, I see her as a person and not just the woman who annoys me every day. Turns out her boyfriend dumped her and all wants to do is try and get him back.

I make the massive mistake of asking her what’s wrong. Then one day she comes in and she’s a total wreck. The most popular girl from high school always seemed to harass me and try to get a free latte and was more infuriatingly pretty than ever.

I never looked forward to coming into work at the Common Grounds coffee shop and seeing Tenley Hill sitting at her usual table with her laptop.
