"I can't believe I lived with you!" he said.

Alex gave me a scornful look and took a step back, as if he was disgusted to be standing next to me.

"You shouldn't have lived." You should have left as soon as you found Diana! – I shouted angrily and continued on my way.

– I'm lucky I didn't marry you, or I'd have to take a DNA test for all my kids.

I felt like I'd hit a wall. I mean, I hit a wall. In my mind, I knew he'd said all that to hurt, but I couldn't help but react. Turning around, I was ready to claw his eyes out. Alex took a quick step to the car and drove off, tires screeching.

I stood on the street, breathing heavily, and feeling like I'd been doused in slop. I clenched my fists, but I went to the store instead of running home to cry. I just decided to buy a bottle of wine in addition to the candy bar.

A walk around the store did me good: I forgot about my problems with Alex, and I couldn't resist the financial ones. I had some savings (goodbye, Turkey!), but I couldn't live on them for long. It was urgent to find a new job. However, I didn't know which school would hire me with such a reputation. I can imagine what they will write in the characterization from the last place of work!

Having taken the most necessary things (I especially needed tangerines and wine), I went to the cash register and immediately, by the law of meanness, got in a huge line. I've noticed many times that while walking along the aisles, the cash registers are free, but as soon as you head towards them, the crowd comes.

After standing behind four people with huge shopping carts, without looking around, I began to take out products from the basket. Then I looked for a discount card for a long time and when I turned to the terminal, I found someone else's card paying for my purchases. Blinking, I looked up and almost groaned. Today was definitely a day of meetings: after Alex I decided to visit Andrew, in person!

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Helping you store,"

Andrew brazenly took my bag. I frowned and didn't let him grab me.

"I don't need anything from you!" I'll go back to the store and…

“I already appreciate your dramatic talent. Do you want to be an actress? I'll buy you a role.”

Confused, I hesitated, and he grabbed my hand.

“This is my girlfriend, we had a little fight.”

I was completely confused, not understanding what he was saying. And then it hit me when the salesperson started trying hard to force a smile out of himself. The whole line snickered, trying not to laugh so obviously. Angrily twitching, I ran into his grin. No one was in a hurry to help me; on the contrary, everyone was looking at the scene with interest, as if it had been ripped out of a melodrama with a comedic twist. Even the guard and the policeman standing in the next line were laughing. People would not react even if he dragged me to the car by my hair: you bet, a tall handsome brunette in a dark suit, white shirt, strict black coat, well-groomed (even his hands were in order), calmly approached and paid for my purchases with his card. The sympathy of all present instantly shifted to his side. Feeling my hesitation, Andrew led me out of the store. At the car, I tried again to free myself.

"Do you want to be filmed again?" he asked, moving closer.

I shrank back in fear, which he took advantage of, by pushing me into the car.

"Don't tell me you want to talk too," I said venomously.

“What, did Alex come crawling back? So what are you?”

“And you have options!” I snorted angrily.

Andrew glanced at me and turned the ignition key.

“I have one, but I see you were smarter than Diana.”

“Did she take it back?” I asked in a strangled voice.

I was so hurt, I felt like drowning or, more effectively, jumping out of the car at full speed right now! I could see it all written on my face. Andrew grinned sarcastically. I immediately tried to pull myself together.

“However, I have more important problems now!” I muttered.

“I wondered what they were. “

“I'm getting fired from my job.”

“For what?! “

“Do you think a school would keep a teacher with a reputation like that? You saw the video!”

“Oh, right, you're a teacher.”

“Uh-huh, Russian language and literature.”

“I liked the video. I even downloaded it.”

I sniffled, wishing I could fall through the ground and never see it again!

“Well, if it's such a problem, Russian language and literature are good education. You could work at some magazine. I know a couple of people, I'll call them today and take them to an interview tomorrow.”

“Work for what?” I was confused.

“Editor, of course. Not as an editor-in-chief, of course, not yet, because that would require experience, but as a staff member. “

Suddenly I felt like Winnie the Pooh, when you want honey, but also "zh-zh-zh" for a reason!

“Why would you do that?”

“My plans haven't changed. I'm gonna get Diana away from Alex.”

“And you need me to do it. Are you going to make me look like an even bigger idiot than I already am?”

“I'm going to take you to the campground and introduce you as my girlfriend. I kind of like you, so I thought I'd clear the territory first.”

The man's smugness was off the charts! With a hiss, I turned toward him. I wasn't afraid to hit him now, since we were stopped at the curb.

“Let's go into the coffee shop and talk. You girls seem to like places like this – lattes and pastries. Or do you prefer champagne?”

He caught my upturned hand and yanked it toward him.

"How much passion you have in you!"

The phrase was not ambiguous, but very definite. I pulled away from him hastily.

"All right, let's go in. On one condition: Keep your hands to yourself!"

"Hands? Well, all right," Andrew grinned.

There was a subtext in that, too, but this time I didn't understand it. Andrew walked out, and I hurried after him, slipping immediately. When I managed to grab the handle of the car door, I straightened up and found him standing across from me, grinning. I was embarrassed. I slammed the door shut and walked past him, heading for the coffee shop.

The first thing that caught my eye was a huge palm tree. It was on a table and was too lush for its assigned corner, so I had to circle around it. Additionally, someone with a great sense of humor had decorated it with garland and Christmas tinsel and forgot to take it down! Or was that the plan?

I took my eyes off the palm tree and looked at the girl in the long apron.

"We need a quieter place," Andrew said, taking me under his arm.

The girl smiled at him, gave me a strange look, and led me to the far table. I frowned once again. It looked like she had rated my appearance a C, and his a solid 10. And now she was wondering what we had in common. If I were her, I would be wondering the same thing.

“I'll have an Americano.”

Andrew looked at me expectantly. I mentally counted all the cash I had left and, deciding that I could splurge a little, ordered a “latte.”

"And a cheesecake, the freshest," Andrew added.

The waitress left, leaving the two of us, but for some reason Andrew kept silent and stared at me. His scrutiny was embarrassing and infuriating.

"Why did we come here? I have a lot more to do today."

"To go to the store and finish watching the show, yeah!"

“Really? I wonder what they are? “

Andrew smiled at me, and I realized with annoyance that I had almost answered his smile. What is this?! I'm a grown, independent woman who knows how to control her emotions. Especially these days, I'm getting better at it.