Best Thing on the Internet

Elizabeth Tucker

"Oh he's cute. Swipe right," I hear my best friend and roommate Hailey pipe over my shoulder. I looked at the photo of the man as he came across my screen. I tap through his photos to see if I can find anything wrong with him.

"Lawyer," I say, finding the picture of him in a courtroom, shaking hands with somebody or other. I double checked his profile and see in his bio 'Fighting for your right to party', a classic young lawyer bio.

"You seriously need to get over Josh! Do I need to remind you what he did to those women?" She just reminded me anyway. I take a look at the ring on my left hand. My ex-fiance got me this ring after he proposed. He asked without a ring. When we were walking down the street right after, we passed a pawn shop and he pulled me in and bought me the cheapest ring they had. I know what he did to those women is awful and I now find him disgusting, but I can't get over the good memories we had.

"What if he didn't do it?" I ask, looking back at my friend. She just rolled her eyes and picked up my phone.

"They literally caught him in the act of killing her. You paid for the girl's funeral. I don't understand what is so hard about this. Now here. Swipe," she said to me, shoving my phone into my hand. The images of the poor girl flash through my head and I am automatically disgusted again.

"You're right," I muttered and took my phone back. "I still don't like lawyers."

"You should match with a cop, that would be so funny," Hailey said as she swiped left on the current guy. Being close to the capital, most of the men were either cops, lawyers, or worked in the government. I just turn off my phone, rolling onto my back.

"So funny," I reply in a monotone voice, just looking up at the ceiling.

"Okay, it is late and we have to work tomorrow, but we are continuing this as soon as we get back home," she said, hopping off of my bed. I don't move. "I love you, wake me up," she kisses me on the forehead and walks out of my room. I mutter a love you too and sit up, flopping the other way onto my pillow. I soon fell asleep.

I groan as I hear my alarm going off. I turn it off and check the time. 4:30. We have to be at work in half an hour. Both me and Hailey work at a little coffee shop just a few doors down from our apartment. We usually work the same shifts, so our morning routine is I get up, I get myself ready, I get both of our stuff ready, I go into Hailey's room, grab her clothes for her, and then wake her up as late as I can without making us late. I feel like it just works and I like doing it.

I roll out of bed and turn on my light. I found a work shirt that didn't smell and threw it on. I opened my drawer, grabbing a pair of leggings and throwing those on as well. I pulled out a pair of socks and walked over to my bed. I sat down and just sat there with my eyes closed, just trying to wake myself up. I eventually open my eyes and put on my socks. I slide on my slippers to warm up a little bit. I don't know why, but in the middle of the summer, it is still freezing in the morning. We live in a pretty old building, so whatever the weather is outside is the same inside. By the time we get off, our apartment will be too hot. I get up, finish getting myself ready, turn the fan on in my room and get Hailey up.

"I don't know why I still work the morning shift," Hailey says through a yawn. We made it to the front of the coffee shop and I am unlocking the door.

"Because you hated your 9-5 and like having the afternoons off," I remind her. She hits me with an oh yeah as I unlock the front door and open it. I walk in first and fast walk to the back to turn off the alarm. She starts turning on the lights and opening as I do the morning till. Hailey and I have been opening Monday through Friday for the past year, so we have a routine down pat. By the time 5:30 hits, we already have three people in the shop.

Everyday is about the same. 5:30-7: construction workers and cops, 7-9: government workers, 9-10: a few stragglers, but pretty empty, little rush from 10-1, then the afternoon shift comes in. It is the same pretty much most mornings. When we have a second, I make both of our morning coffees. I switch it up everyday, but as long as Hailey gets her caffeine, she doesn't care what's in it. I am usually a little more cheery in the morning, so I talk to most of the customers before the coffee, then she does the rest.

"What would I do without you?" Hailey asks, sipping her coffee. I just laugh as I do the same. We have a little lull with nobody in the shop, so Hailey grabs my phone that is playing the music and opens up Tinder, sitting on one of the stools. She pulls the other stool next to her and I take a seat. We do this for a while, stopping to help customers, until the government rush comes in.