Audrey — Chapter 5: Weekend

Three days left until the weekend. Three. Days. Left. Might as well be three decades. I won’t lie, I’m excited. It’s been a few weeks since me and Evans started… whatever this is. And honestly? It’s been good for me. I feel lighter. Happier. Even Miller’s doesn’t feel as hellish anymore.

Of course, the universe hates me, so I get interrupted.

“What’s with the face?” Mindy asks, leaning across the counter.

“What face?” I ask back.

“The dreamy one. Like you’re thinking about your little drunkie.”

“God, shut up, Mindy. If I start doodling hearts on napkins, you have permission to kill me.” My cheeks go hot.

I start polishing glasses way faster than necessary.

“You have been happier, though,” she says. “Since Evans showed up.”

“Have I?”

“You have.”

“Whatever.”

She grins, smug like she just won something. And I hate to admit it, but she’s right.

~

Two days left. The wait is killing me. Evans barely texts back, but since I’ll see him soon, I let it slide. It’s not like he’s my boyfriend.

Work helps distract me for a while, but every few minutes my brain circles back to the same word: weekend.

~

One more day. God, time is cruel. I want tomorrow right now.

I’ve been moving through work like I’m on fast-forward, which is ridiculous because I’m a bartender. What am I doing, making drinks extra fast? Still, I can’t help it.

The weird part? Max keeps watching me. Not saying anything. Just… watching.

Evans is still mostly MIA. He answers sometimes, short replies, nothing like before. Finally I give in and text him, ask if he’s okay. No reply yet.

But tomorrow we leave. I already cleared the day off with Max. Shockingly, he didn’t fight me on it. So I’m ready.

Travel, food that doesn’t come with grease stains, somewhere that isn’t this dump. And yes, sex. I think about it, alright? And with Evans, it’s good. Really good.

So yeah. I’m looking forward to it. Probably too much.
Come on, Saturday. Hurry up.

~

Finally. Weekend. Yes, finally, it’s here.

But… now what?

I’m up early, already showered, dressed, ate breakfast, even made extra like some housewife out of a commercial. And where’s Evans? Nowhere.

Hold up, when did we even plan to leave? We didn’t book a hotel. Didn’t set a time. Nothing. He just said, “We should go,” and I, genius that I am, left it all to him.

Am I overthinking? Probably. Okay, no. Definitely not.

I check the clock. Eight. Of course it’s too early for him. Why did I even wake up so early? It’s my day off. I could’ve slept in. But nope, I’m here bouncing around like an idiot. Evans, hurry the hell up.

An hour passes. Pure torture. I pace, scroll through YouTube, flop on the couch, get back up again. At this point I’m just a stalker refreshing a dead chat box.

Finally, at 9:30, I cave. I text him: Hey Evans, you there?

And now I just sit here, staring at my phone like a lunatic, refreshing the chat over and over, waiting for those three little dots.

By 10:30, patience is dead. Irritation is alive and thriving. Where the hell is he? No text. No call. Nothing. I hover over his contact and finally hit dial.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Nothing.

“Pick up, Evans,” I mutter at my screen. He doesn’t.

Noon. I call again. Same result. Now I’m mad. We were supposed to leave today. Sure, we didn’t pick an exact time, but come on. A heads-up? Anything? He’s been busy all week, barely texting, and now this.

I try one more time around two, ready to explode.

Ring. Ring. Then, click. He picks up.

“Evans? You there?”

“Mhm.”

What?

“Evans?”

“Hmmm.”

Is he… asleep?

“Evans, we had to leave today!”

“Mmm? Mhmm.”

And then the line cuts.

I just sit there, phone in hand, staring like an idiot. Did this man seriously answer half-asleep, mumble at me, and hang up?

“The fuck?” I yell at the empty room. Did he just purr at me? Is he a boyfriend or a cat?

He’s sleeping. Sleeping. While I’m here ready to go, all dressed, and this jerk is drooling on his pillow.

I try calling again, fuming, but he doesn’t pick up. Probably for the best.

By four I’m still fuming. Took the whole damn day off for this. For Evans. And what’s he doing? Probably passed out, hugging a pillow. I can’t even eat. The TV’s blaring, some reporter going on about politics or crime or whatever. I don’t care.

Then my phone rings.

Evans. Of course.

I should let it go to voicemail. I should. But nope, my dumb ass picks up.

“Audrey! Audrey, I’m so, so sorry.” His voice is rushed, like saying it three times makes it believable.

I lean back on the couch. “Yeah?”

“I had work, then I crashed, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I swear.”

“Mm.”

“You’re mad. I know you’re mad.”

“Why would I be mad? It’s not like I wasted a whole Saturday waiting around.”

He groans. “Audrey, come on. I messed up. Let me make it up to you.”

“How?”

“We can still go tomorrow. I had this whole place planned,”

“Evans.”

“Yeah?”

Click. I hang up.

And that’s it. Hope dies right there. My whole Saturday, wasted. Poof. Gone in a single hang-up tone.

I hate that I even had it in the first place. Sitting here dressed up, like some rom-com extra waiting for a guy who can’t set an alarm.

I grab my phone again, hit a different number.

“Max, I’m coming in,” I say.

Beep.

~

I worked yesterday. Not much, just a few hours. The whole time nobody dared to say anything to me. They knew better. Mindy tried once and got the look. Max stayed quiet. Even the guys who usually flirt with me kept their mouths shut. One of them blinked at me too long and I swear he aged five years on the spot.

Evans kept calling. I didn’t pick up. He can screw himself.

And now it’s today. Still stuck at Miller’s. Sad little life, Audrey. Same uniform, same bar, still in a foul mood.

“What happened?” Mindy asks for the millionth time.

“Nothing, Mindy. Drop it.”

“Nope.”

I glare, but she doesn’t budge. My sarcasm always triples when I’m pissed, but of course she doesn’t take the hint.

“Come on, I know it’s about Evans.”

“Mhm.” I wipe the counter.

“So tell me.”

“You really wanna know? He planned a weekend trip, then slept through the whole thing.”

“Oh.”

“That’s it? Just oh?”

“Hey, give me a second. Maybe he really had work?”

“That’s exactly what he said.”

“So? Maybe he did.”

“Then maybe he should’ve told me. Instead of passing out like a frat boy.”

“Well… at least he’s here now.”

“What?”

Mindy smirks. “Look behind you.”

I turn. And yep, Evans, standing at the entrance. He rushes in like a golden retriever who knows he’s in trouble.

“Audrey, I’m sorry!”

On the phone I can hold a grudge. In person? Harder. Still, focus. Stay mad.

“Mm-hm,” I say flatly.

“Please, let me make it up to you. We can leave today. Right now.”

“I can’t. Look around.” I point at my uniform.

“Oh. You’re working.”

“Sharp observation, Einstein.”

Mindy’s laughing into her hand.

“Hang on,” Evans says, already walking toward Max.

“Wait, Evans, where are you going?” But he ignores me.

Mindy leans in, grinning. “Told you. You can’t stay mad at him.”

“Shut up, Mindy.”

I watch, ready for Max to bite his head off. But no. They’re actually talking. Smiling, even. Did hell freeze over?

Evans comes back smug. “You’re free. Today and tomorrow.”

I blink. “What? How the hell did you manage that?”

He smirks. “Let’s just say Max and I came to… an understanding.”

I sigh, already caving. “Fine. Let me change.”

“Why? You look good like this.”

“Shut up, Evans.”

He’s still grinning as I walk away.

To be Continued