when a heart breaks no it dont break even

The bells tinkled as the door swung open. Rusty old door that badly needs repairing, really. Raye grumbed as he slipped to the counter and ordered the usual.

It was then that someone caught his eye. Fiercely red hair, decked in black and thick heavy makeup, she was chatting animately with three guys, sorry prey to her charms. It took a moment for Raye to recall the name of the woman...

"Bri." She had made her away across in an instant with an air of grace Elsie would never have accomplished and extended her hand, with nails surprisingly chipped, despite her emaculate dressing.

"Ah yes, hi. Raye."

Raye watched as she acknowledged him with a nod and unceremoniously took the seat next to him, then went back to his drinking.

She was staring at his glass. "Does Elsie know you drink?"

"Well does she know you hook up guys at the rate of four per minute?" Raye snapped back, annoyed at his weakness being pinned down by someone he barely knew.

Bri laughed, low for a woman, almost bitter and the silence resumed until she looked him in the eye "You know guys are normally the ones to chat me up, not the other way round." Her voice was coy but with an edge of impatience. "So, you're Elsie's boyfriend?"

Raye kept quiet and Bri laughed again. "Ah, so she's not given a status yet? Some kind of man you are here, drinking alone and then lecturing me about my social circle?"

"Well, you never gave her one." Raye replied back coldly. Bri's unstretched arm reaching for a glass she just ordered, froze. Was it just him, Raye thought, or had the chatter in the background died down?

"She told you." She stared ahead, her voice flat and quiet for a change. "How much do you know about us?"

"Enough." Raye placed a few dollar notes on the counter and without waiting for his change, left.