Heartless

Chapter 1

"Julia, get out here! We have customers waiting!"

"I'm coming Danielle, calm down!"

I slipped my phone into my back pocket and took a deep breath before joining her behind the bar.

I guess that's my break over.

Danielle is my closest friend and we currently work together at our local bar. It's actually the only bar around here for miles.

We live in a small town called Maple Creek, it's in the suburbs of Philadelphia and nobody has ever heard of it.

It's dull and nothing even remotely interesting ever happens here, everyday is pretty much the same. We all work off our own repetitive routine. Though, I suppose it's not the worst place to live.

I was born here and will most likely die here. That's just the way it is. I have no reason to leave.

I don't have enough money to travel and it's not like I have a reason to move. Everything I've ever known is right here in this boring old town.

I grew up here as an orphan, both of my parents passed away just after I was born. It was a car crash, quite a sad way to go really. All I had left of them was a picture in a golden locket that I kept in my jewellery box.

Most people I've met try and show me pity, but that's the last thing I want. Everyone assumes that I'm some innocent, damaged girl with a sad past, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

I know I never had a real family but I wasn't sad. I never cried myself to sleep or felt utterly alone. How can you miss people that you never truly knew in the first place?

I grew up in a large orphanage with many other children to keep me company and I was truly happy. Although I was never adopted, I never felt like I needed a family, I've always been fine on my own and I liked it that way.

"Are you coming to the club tonight?" Danielle asked me, whilst wiping down the, now empty, bar.

"Yeah, of course." I replied as she brought me back to reality.

I've been friends with Danielle since high school and honestly she's the only real friend I have. She's sassy and can be a little mean sometimes but she's still my best friend nevertheless.

Most of the time I don't mind having a small inner circle, I quite enjoy my alone time. I'd say that I'm pretty antisocial, I don't enjoy meeting new people so I usually just stick with the people that I already know.

"What are you thinking of wearing? Are you dressing up or are we staying casual?" she asked.

"Anything...as long as it's not too revealing."

"Not revealing? You're no fun!" she said, rolling her eyes at me.

"Well Logan doesn't like it when I wear-"

"Tell me you're joking!" she cut me off. "When are you going to stop letting him control you?"

"He doesn't control me, he's just...protective and I'd rather stay on his good side." I mumbled.

Logan has been my boyfriend for a couple of years now, we met in university but Danielle is constantly telling me to cut it off. He's okay, he has a few issues with his anger control, but it's nothing I can't handle.

In all honesty, I don't think I really love him but staying with him is just...easier, I guess.

That may make me sound extremely selfish, but if I try to leave him then he'll make my life even more difficult than it already is and I don't have the effort to deal with that. So I just put up with him for the time being.