I stomped down the sidewalk with my heels in my hand. Did I care that I was probably ruining my stockings? No. Did I care that people were gawking at me? No. All I cared about was getting to my safe space.

I pushed open the door to the warm and inviting café and took a deep breathe.

"Abi?" A familiar voice called from behind the counter. "Thought you were on a date darlin?"

My steel grey eyes flicked over to the speaker. My best friend since middle school, Lucha McDonough. A tall girl with long Auburn hair with a pink streak and jade green eyes. She was standing behind the counter with a green apron on.

I made my way over and took a seat. I groaned letting my head hit against the countertop.

"What happened?" she asked pouring me a mug of coffee.

"Well... he picked me up at our place, but before I could get In the car he made me take my shoes off. Then he took me to this restaurant on the outskirts of town. We went in and the waitress went to give us menus but he told her that it wouldn't be necessary." I started wrapping my small hands around the warm black mug. "he ordered himself a bacon cheese burger and he ordered 'a salad for the lady' then winked at me!"

Lucha scrunched her nose up.

"Oh, it gets worse." I say placing my hands flat down on the table." I went to order a cup of coffee and you wanna know what he says to me?"

Trying not to smirk, Lucha asks what.

"He freaking went 'coffee stunts your growth and that's probably why you're short'!" I reply.

At this point Lucha is full on smiling. "Is that when you walked out?"
"Oh no. That comes later. So the food comes out. Waitress puts it on the table. Asks us if we need anything else then leaves once we don't need anything. Once she's out of sight he lifts his burger bun, reaches over and plucks a strand of my hair out of my freaking head and puts it on the burger!"

Lucha covers her mouth with her hands and gasps. "No!"

"Yes! It gets worse! So he calls the waitress over and demands to talk to a manager. At this point I'm like just kill me. A manager comes over and he explains what's wrong. The manager actually apologized and offered to either make a new one or give him an amount off his meal." I take a sip of my coffee as Lucha processes. "We left the restaurant and again I had to take my shoes off, and he told me we were going to a movie. I'm like alright maybe this night will get better. Boy was I mistaken."

I paused to take a sip of coffee.

"So we get to the cinema. He gives me a once over nods and we get out of the car. We go to the ticket booth and he orders.... Wait for it... an adult ticket and a child ticket!"

At this point Lucha burst out laughing. Her hands brace against the counter.

"That's when I put my foot down. I told him where he could shove his shitty date and left. Luckily the cinema was only a few blocks away from here."

"I'm sorry, Abi." Lucha finished giggling. "I get off in ten want me to take you home?"

"Yes please." I reply giving her a smile.

She smiles back and takes my mug and I slip a five dollar bill on the table. I pull out my phone. I have five missed calls from my date along with several texts. I delete them without reading and block his number. Thankfully I don't have him in any of my classes.

~~~

When Lucha gets off work we step outside and walk to her silver car. We get in and drive to our shared apartment. Lucha tells me about the slow day at the café.

Arriving home I make my way to my room and change into a pair of old sweatpants and a hoodie advertising mine and Lucha's favorite show- Steel Samurai. We were so upset when it ended. The whole scandal with Will Powers was so shocking.

I plopped on the couch next to Lucha who also changed into her lazy clothes. We turned on the first season of Steel Samurai and ate snack food until we both fell asleep.

~•~

I woke up to Lucha shaking me awake. I groan and bat beat her hands away, mumbling about five more minutes.

"No, Abi you need to see this! It's about Miles!"

My brain processes that name... name then it clicks and my eyes flash open. I sit straight up eyes glued to the screen.

"...to recap a suspect has been arrested for the murder that took place on Gourd Lake. Suspect's name is Miles Edgeworth." his mugshot flashed on screen, he appeared distraught.

The color drained from my face. My older brother of two years. I hadn't seen him in over five years, when he left to study law.

"Trial for Edgeworth will begin on December 26th. Back to you Tracey."

Lucha shuts off the TV and wraps her arm around my shoulder. " You gonna be alright darlin'?"

I shake my head. I knew my brother couldn't be a killer, he had worked too hard to get where he was now.

"Lucha.... If I got to the trial... will you be there with me?" I ask staring at my knees.

"You know it darling!" she grins.

"Thank you... I'm not strong enough to face him alone..."

Miles.... it's been five years since we last saw each other... there's no way you could've change that much in five years...