The afternoon is sunny and warm. I let the sun's rays hit my freckled face and take a deep breath. The day's events rush past my worried brain and I reach my phone and mechanically hover over Harry's number. The familiar tone rings for a few good seconds, but there is no answer. I type a quick message and wait eagerly for a reply that doesn't arrive.

With my mother's word echoing in my brain, I decide to text Emily instead and ask if she's around. I get an answer almost immediately with directions to this little place in the old town. Full of stressful energy swirling in my veins, I decide the shower can wait and make my way to my new impromptu friend.

Emily is in a quaint little corner pub. She's sitting outside surrounded by two rather tall men sharing a laughter and drinking a king-size pint. I approach them and hear one of them laughing. They sound American by the way they enunciate their r's.

"There she is! The working girl!" Emily chuckles the moment she sees me. She rises from her seat and greets me with a bear hug, as if we are long-lost friends. "Gentlemen, this is Natalie. Natalie, this is..." she stops and starts giggling.

Clearly, this is not her first beer.

"I forgot your names already!" She laughs at herself and clearly at them.

I can't stop myself from chuckling at her nonchalant mannerism. If she was English, she would apologise profusely for the omission. Drunk or not.

I raise my hand politely in a small greeting wave, which they return with open smiles. Both men stereotypically wear a jersey that belongs to some American football team. Also, the names don't help... Steve and Tom. Can it get more American than this?

I sit next to Emily and Tom gets up to buy us a round. I bask in the end-afternoon sun that still shines through.

"You're English?" Steve asks.

"Yes, from London. Where are you guys from?"

"Milwaukee."

I feign interest.

"I find English accent really sexy." Steve announces with a grin.

Oh, boy. Wish I could say the same... Steve.

"Where did you meet these guys?" I lean to Emily and whisper.

She drinks her beer giddily, "In a museum."

"You know I have a boyfriend. Remember the guy from the phone?" I politely remind her.

She giggles. "I know. Don't worry, I'm not setting you up for anything here... unless you want to." She winks mischievously at me, while Steve plasters a stupid smile on his face while looking at me as if I'm some piece of meat. Yuck, Steve.

I cringe and decide it is time for a bathroom break.

"Where's the loo?"

Emily points to the back, past the bar, and I make my way to get some relief... from Steve.

The place is crowded for a Monday night. The business of the pub reminds me of home and how we love a good after-work drink. My heart grows nostalgic. Can I be already this nostalgic when I only touchdown a measly 24 hours ago?

"Natalie?" I stop and turn around, disconcerted. Who might know me around here?

"Lukas?" My own freaking boss recognises me at a bar, after my first day at work. Great.

"Are you here by yourself?" he asks.

I shake my head. "No, with a friend. Came to meet her after work."

He smiles candidly. "You're fast at making friends, or is this an old friend?"

"I don't make friends fast. Trust me on that. In fact, hardly make friends at all."

Oh, shut up and stop running your mouth in front of your boss, Natalie...

"Somehow, me and this Kiwi girl hit off on my first night here, and she was kind enough to show me to the office this morning. I owed her a beer, at least."

"Haben sie Wi-Fi?" (Do you have Wi-Fi?)

I recognise that baritone voice. Daniel stands close to Lukas, holding his phone in his hands, and shoots me a warm smile when he sees me. My blood still boils, and I give him a firm and polite nod. Don't care to make friends with this man, but cannot also make him an enemy.

"Lukas?" someone calls from the back.

"Please excuse me. See you tomorrow." Lukas disappears into the crowd and leaves me alone with him.

He leans at the counter. "Would you like a beer?" he asks.

"I'm on my way to the bathroom." I respond, trying to circle around this irritating man.

"Are you upset with me?" Daniel perseveres.

I scoff. "What gives you that idea?"

He frowns and stares at me for a beat, as if he is examining my soul and deciding if he wants to capture it.

"You are an odd person," he finally says.

I gasp. "And you are obscenely rude, not to mention a spy to your boss!"

He chuckles. "A spy?"

"Yes, a spy! I heard you had some hiccups today..." I give him a defiant look to jog his memory. "I wonder who was the person to disclose my hurdles?" And cross my arms angrily.

"Lukas saw us arriving together from lunch. He asked me if I had a moment with you, and I shared our brief encounter." He stops for a moment, trying to examine my thoughts. "Clearly, this has upset you."

"What do you think? Goodnight, Mr Schmidt." I turn my back and walk back to the table where Emily awaits.

My return particularly excited Steve. No, Steve. It will not happen.

I decide to make up an excuse so I can return to the hostel.

Emily gets up and drowns the rest of the drink before announcing to the Americans that she had a lovely time and that if she's ever in 'Milwaukee', enunciating it in the most American pronunciation that she could conjure, she will look for Steve and Tom.

I don't think she even knows their surname. I also think she doesn't care to ask for it.

I chuckle at her demeanour but mostly at their faces. She loops her arm around mine and we make our way out to the street, leaving Steve and Tom behind.

"So you're just leaving them?"

She shrugs while humming happily. "Rather spend my evening with someone a bit more interesting."

When we go around the corner, I see Lukas and Marie engaged in a conversation while she smokes a cigarette. Lukas raises his hand and waves goodbye, while Marie eyes me with suspicion.

"What's her problem?" Emily asks, but I just shrug in response.

"Natalie!" I hear my name being called, the second time in one night.

Daniel looks at Emily awkwardly. "Hallo."

Emily returns the gaze as if he is a piece of meat. "Hallo, to you too."

He coughs awkwardly and returns his eyes to me, pleading for a private moment.

"Give me a sec, Emily." I request.

Emily walks a few steps away and starts playing with her phone, but clearly still in earshot of our conversation. I have to say that her lack of shame is hilarious.

"Yes?" I cross my arms once again.

"Do you always cross your arms when you're angry?" Daniel asks amusedly.

His question throws me off and I unclench my arms.

"I'm sorry. If I upset you. I'm truly sorry," he says.

"Okay." I respond.

He looks at me hesitantly, but eventually gives me a curt nod. "Have a good night" and walks away to Lukas.

I walk over to an amused Emily that lifts her eyes from the phone. "He's cute."

"He's kind of my boss."

Emily wraps her arm around mine. "But, still cute."

I chuckle and shake my head. Emily turns her head around and steals another peek at Daniel.

"And, sexy... If only there wasn't a boyfriend."

We giggle silly at her remark, and continue our walk down the road.

Once we reach the hostel, I immediately make my way to my room. I need a shower desperately, and to dispose of the attire that is killing me. My body is begging for my comfy jeans and a loose t-shirt.

We agree to meet each other in half an hour for dinner and make our way up the stairs. My room is near the staircase and once I reach the top of the staircase, I notice the door is slightly ajar.

I do share the room with two girls, which might have left it slightly open while going to the shared comfort station.

I enter the room and suddenly my world collapses and my heart leaps at the surroundings. My clothes are on the floor, scattered around the room. I run towards my suitcase to retrieve my precious belongings, only to be greeted by nothingness. Tears start running down my face and I release an involuntary scream that must have been loud enough to awaken the neighbours from the next room, and Emily.

"Oh, no," Emily's voice echoes behind me. "I'm so sorry."

Two hours later, I'm presenting my statement to the German police, with the receptionist of the hostel mediating as a translator. The police checks the cameras and concludes that the two girls staying in the same room committed the act.

The time stamp reads 6.45 p.m. I curse myself mentally for texting Emily and going to the pub. If I had gone straight to the hostel, this wouldn't have happened. Or maybe it would. My head is pounding.

The hostel owner is very apologetic and offers two-nights for free as compensation. I take it, it's not really I can afford anything right now.

"How much did you lose?" the police officer asks.

"Around 1200 euros, give or take. I was going to use it for a deposit for a bedroom."

Emily rubs my back compassionately.

"Shit, how am I going to afford to even staying here now?" I get up. "I need to make a phone call." The police officer nods and I walk outside.

My first thought is to call my mom but I know the result, she will send me money, god knows how. I can't do that to her. My brain tries to process the information and I end up dialling Harry, but once again he doesn't pick up the phone.

Emily walks out. "Any luck with your call?"

I shake my head, tears prickling my eyes once again.

"Why don't you stay with me tonight? I berated the owner. And he has to agree to give us a room with two beds for us. Tomorrow, in the clear of a new day, you can think about what you're going to do next."

I nod and make my way back inside. Once the police leaves, Emily helps me sort out my room, gather my things and move to a double room, with a private bathroom, on the second floor. Maybe there is a silver lining after all.

Funny enough, sleep comes to me easily, but the dawn of a new day brings with it the bitter taste of yesterday. I get up and take a shower, and get ready for work. Emily is also awake.

"I can't stay here." I say when I exit the bathroom.

Emily nods and understands that I mean the hostel. "I'm here one more day. Maybe we can hunt for some apartments? I'll do some research today while you're at work. What time will you leave?"

"At 5," I respond mechanically.

"I'll be outside the building. We can go directly from there to see some places."

I smile gratefully. "Thank you. That would be great."

It turns out that the kiwi is becoming my greatest ally in this German tragedy. An ally that is about to move to greener pastures. This sucks.