How am I supposed to face her? I can't. Not after all that happened last night. I can't lie to her. I'm just not ready yet. Mikey tells himself as he watches Cheyenne walk into the office. She must think I'm a coward. A bastard. Maybe I am. She regards him coldly when she greets him. I deserve it. But what more could I say? I have no clue what to say. I only just met her. Mikey continues to reread his last minute report as Cheyenne and Jamaal chat about their work.

First Chrissy last night. Then my mother this morning. Adding Cheyenne would be too much for me. As Mikey sips his chocolate mocha, he recalls the torturous morning he had. He had finished his report around 5:30, which he could not believe; then proceeded to make breakfast for himself and Chrissy. She woke at around 6:30. By this time Mikey was already showered and getting ready.

"Hey" she said in her raspy morning tone. He turned to look at her, unsure of what to say. The sun was just coming up over the horizon. Its luminescence gave her yellow orange aura through the bedroom window.

"Morning. How did you sleep?" he asked as he buttoned his choice of a grey shirt.

"Better than I have in a while."

"Good." The room fills with silence.

"I made breakfast. Cheesy scrambled eggs with ham and toast. There's hot water if you want to make a cup of tea." Chrissy smiles.

"Thank you. That was... really sweet." She paused. "Mikey, about last night, I uh... I don't know what happened. It was good. I'm glad we..."

"It shouldn't have happened." Mikey interrupted.

"What do you mean it shouldn't have happened?" Chrissy asked confused. " I thought you wanted...". Mikey walked into the living room and cuts her off. He returned a few seconds later, tossed a dark blue Samsung on the bed and said coldly.

"Matt keeps calling." His expression giving away nothing.

"Mikey, it's nothing. He must have been worried about me. He doesn't know where I am."

"What happened between you and him?" Mikey asked through gritted teeth.

" I.. uh... I can't talk about this right now." She wrapped the sheet around her waist and walked into the bathroom. Tears threatening once more.

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"Please Chrissy I need to know." He pleaded. She turned to see him standing in the doorway, his light blue tie hanging loosely around his neck. His head hung low as if he was about to be defeated. The tears finally come.

" We uh, had a fight. *sniff* He was drunk. I thought he was cheating. *sniff* He walked out. I didn't want to be alone, so I came out and started driving. I remembered where Raquel said you lived and I just ended up here. I never intended for this to happen."

Mikey felt the rush of heat to his face; signifying the anger that still dwelled within him. Calm down Mikey. She is in pain. You were simply just a comforter for the night. I should not have. This means nothing. Incredulously, the thought that he was being used doesn't comfort him. Instead he becomes unsettled fidgeting with his tie while she looks at him with tearful eyes, waiting for a response. Mikey sighs. All hope of them possibly getting back together was lost. Hope he didn't know he had until now.

"Do you love him?"

"Mikey, I can't do this." She shook her head.

"Answer me Christina." He said sternly. She would have been surprised at his sudden tone. He is usually calm and laid- back but he changed since his father died. So much so that she didn't know how to help him. She looked at him and swallowed.

" I do, but I..." Mikey turns and walks out. He starts to put his things together to leave. She follows him out, stopping to grab her T-shirt.

"You can have breakfast and shower, whatever you need, but I have to go to work." He turned to leave. He could hear her loud sobs as he walked down the hall. He proceeded to fix his tie at the mirror near the front door. He looked a little ghostly, with faint dark circles below his eyes. As he unlocked it, Chrissy walked out in the T shirt she wore last night and his bedsheet covered the rest. "Mikey, I love you. I still love you."

He stood there stunned; unsure of what to think. What to say. Right then his phone began to ring. Shoot its Caroline. They haven't spoken since Sunday. She will want to know how his first day went. At this moment he didn't know what to say to either of them.

"Chrissy, I um have to go. You can lock the door when you leave." He cleared his throat before answering the phone.

"Morning Caroline..."

...

The conversation with Caroline was long and exhausting. Mikey had to endure a full bus ride of her reprimanding him for not calling her before and after work. She asked what his reasons for avoiding her were. He didn't lie to her completely. He told her about Chrissy's surprise visit and the fact that he had work to do. Of course she was more interested in Chrissy. His mother always liked Chrissy, even after the break up. She found some way to make Mikey feel as if the break-up was his fault; defended her even after she learned about the cheating. The conversation ended in Mikey promising to have dinner with her at the new house she bought. He still couldn't believe she sold his father's house. But of course Caroline always does what she wants.

At work, Mikey could barely concentrate. It's almost lunch time. I need to get this draft done before the day ends. He rubbed his eyes. The only two persons in the office were himself and Jamaal. He had overheard Cheyenne getting a call from Mrs. Hibberts for a site visit. He was happy she had left. Her presence made it hard for him to breathe. He knew he had to talk to her eventually, but he had nothing to say. For now, he would have to deal with the death stares that pierced him whenever they made eye contact.

"Yo I know we are supposed to be in competition and whatever but I need some info" Jamaal called from his desk.

"Yea sure what do you need?"

Jamaal gets up from his desk to show Mikey the work on his laptop. " Its this remodel he has me working on, man, this person wants a fourth bedroom, a bigger kitchen, a third bathroom and family room, but there's no room to expand outward. Property Line."

Mikey looks at the floor plan and begins his evaluation. "If you extend towards the front, you might be able give them a family room, though they would be losing yard space, they would have enough at the back. And maybe the new bedroom and bath can be added behind the garage. Take out this hall to expand the kitchen."

"DAAAMN!!! I have been laboring over this all morning, and you get all that in under a minute. Shit! Thanks though, whenever you need help with Cheyenne I got you". Mikey's head shoots up.

"Why would I need help with Cheyenne?" he asks nervously.

"Please, I see the way she be looking at you and you at her. Personally I thought she would be all over me but whatever, I guess she likes them mixed."

Mikey shakes his head. "I just met the girl yesterday, like you"

"A lot can happen in 24 hours." Jamaal says returning to his seat.

"You got that right" Mikey murmurs. His phone buzzes.

Johny Boy: We need to talk brother to brother. What time do you have lunch?

Mikey: In ten minutes. Roscoe's Yard?

Johny Boy: Cool see you in 20.