Being a broke-college student, you took on a job at the local gasoline station. Leon was a frequent visitor at the stop, filling up his tank during his patrols, or whenever in passing to casually grab a couple of snacks or a beer on the way home from the police station.

In the solid month or so you've been working there, you both became well acquainted, having established an amity from this little customary routine of yours. Along the way you ended up catching feelings, and you had suspicion he did too, since you both seemed to click.

Two weeks ago however, your manager hired another staff member to fill in the shift gaps that you were graciously working overtime for. She was small, petite and pretty. Small waisted, long brown hair and had a disposition as sweet as sugar. In other words, she was essentially everything you weren’t. You were considered taller than most girls, had a boisterous voice, not remotely girly in any sense, and a ‘big’ personality.

She ended up regularly manning the petrol pumps and carwash section outside, whilst you now mainly stayed within the actual convenience store, tending the register and handling the other behind-the-scenes intricacies. Meaning you saw and spoke with Leon less than usual. And honestly, it sucked.

In the midst of the morning, you'd been scanning some items for a customer, when you see out the window, a police-cruiser parking itself by the pumps. As expected, Leon exits the car in his uniform, and your bright co-worker skips over to help with the gas as usual. The both of them have become familiar with each other in the weeks she’s started here.

It fills you with a bitterness, seeing them talk and laugh in the way they did, considering that used to be you in her place. More often than not, insecurities sprouted themselves in your head, and you began doubting yourself and the feelings you initially thought Leon had for you. The more you looked at them, the more you realised that they complimented each other so well, looking like a convincing item.

Man.