Work was just that, work.

I worked for a small warehouse downtown as their payroll specialist, along with Tracy, a human recourses representative who loved to bend her own rules that she made. She was a few years older than I, but much prettier, in my opinion. She was short, but you could hardly tell in her tall heels she wore every day. She also had bright blonde hair and was, by any definition, pretty.

I wanted to hate her, but she was very kind and genuine. "I brought donuts!" she sang as she walked into our shared office.

I looked up at her as I typed and smiled. I had arrived an hour early to print out checks for pay day, but also because I needed to leave earlier on Friday.

Tracy looked over at me, enthusiastic as always, a little hope in her eyes that today would be the day that I indulged her in some conversation. "Thanks, Tracy, I'll have one on my break."

I could see her smile deflate a bit, and a weird pang of sadness hit me. The man at the store came back to my mind. Was I just a cold-hearted bitch, or was I afraid to make friends because all good things leave me?

Jesus, Zamora...

She sat at her desk and began signing into her computer, about to put her headphones on and start on scheduling as she usually did. It must be hard to be coworkers with me when I gave her nothing to talk about. We had worked together in close distance for over a year when our boss put us together as the back-office staff. She had tried on multiple occasions to bring up topics and ask me questions, that I would give very brief answers to.

I stopped typing and sighed looking up towards her. "So...are you doing anything this weekend?"

Her head snapped in my direction, and she looked as if she was about to combust from shock. I had never asked her about her weekend.

"Oh, my go- yeah actually." It was as if I had set off fireworks, one thing after the other she spoke about her plans of going to get a tan, her date with Jack the forklift operator, and their constant flirting when she went to the break room for her afternoon 'cup of joe'. It hit me at that moment how much I had missed talking- or in this case listening to girls. We always had so much to say. "...anyways, it's just dinner, but I'm excited."

"Sounds exciting, I hope it goes well." I smile at her.

She sits back against her chair and rolls over towards me, around the wall that divided us and to my desk, stopping a few inches away from me. "So, what about you? Are you seeing anyone?"

A laugh escapes my mouth and I shake my head. "No." I state simply. "I don't really get out much." I shrug.

She looks around as if to make sure no one is around. "But you've dated before?"

"Yeah sure, I had a boyfriend in high school for two years, and I've been on some dates. It's just...after my mom passed away, I had a lot on my plate, then my dad lost his leg in a truck accident, my brother stopped talking to me, I moved thirteen hundred miles from home, and I am in school chasing a degree I don't even want."

Like a bomb building up pressure, I exploded.

Tracy looked worried.

"Lots to unpack here, Zamora. Do you want to get drinks with me tomorrow after work?"

I didn't scare her off with my words. "I can't I have to go see my dad."

She nods and looks around thinking to herself. "How about Saturday? After my date, we can talk. You know outside of the office."

I took a deep breath and nodded, ready for this.