Resisting The Playboy's Charm

ro

er as I slam my apartment door behind me, shucking of

not bothering to line them up neatly by the doormat,

, the customers today were ridiculous. It

ht of your struggles," he says in

until Thursday, so we had to strike a couple items

cchini

h. "So how were th

ularly. I talk to him like this most days. We were close when w

ally closing that deal with t

tter what kind you're dealing

long. And then, once we were finally close to wrapping the whole thi

that s

me abo

uit all that and get into the foodservice game,

l. You know you're not gonna be a server for long. You'

you're

ume all over the place. It's been hard to find jobs that line up ex

similar situations, who need someone to advocate for them. And if I can't f

atient. It

gh

idently. "Hey, weren't you going to h

h over to the coffee table for my

. I tab over to my email, and my breath catches when I see the new mess

from them! This is not a drill!" Nerves flutter

?" Noah sounds almos

et. I'm too ner

insists. "Read

lick on the message

the time to interview for this position. Unfortunatel

the bitter sting of dis

with our organization," I finish, my voice dull

says, "Do you want me to go over t

n Noah's jokes can't ch

ugh we're not related, we're practically siblings, and No

d the perfect job, and this is all going to seem like the blur before things

ks," I say, feeling a bit better. Still disappointed though. "I know so

kno

ally want to do

p other kids in rough situations. It's a noble goal." He pauses,

would be way worse right now. But it's been radio silence from her for a while. I

to talk more about my mother. She only appears in my life when she wants s

e the hint. "I

rstands how I'm feeling right now, it's Noah. I'm

't you come over to my new place on Sunday? I was planning to take the day

clutching my pearls. "Tak

ar

you've had a day off in, l

ic. Usually, when he has time to meet me, it's for coffee o

g, or what

r the past couple of weeks, I've been anticipating the post-interview ema

oah. "I can't w

e he

a beeping sound on the other end of the

, Noah. Take

't think too much about that interview. Those people

-lingering disappointmen

you l

couch. I stare at the open laptop screen and the rejection

ky. I was worried that I wasn't qualified for this one from the be

, stretching. Today has been long, and t

o get to bed. I'm exhausted, both physically and emotional

ouple of amendments to the shopping

s. Olive oi

k for a moment

cr

sappointment, I thin