Tom awoke to Maureen and Benny talking.

"So?"

"So what?"

"How are you going to act? What are you going to say? You have to win her over some how." Maureen helped Benny into his overcoat.

"Oh, I thought that I would just seduce her with my good looks, and see where it went from there." Maureen stopped and glared at Benny. "I'm kidding. God Maureen, I'm not that bad. I know how to win a new boss over. Leave me alone." Benny slipped on a hat and opened the door. "Come one, let's go." Maureen followed him out, still nagging him about the interview.

Tom sat up. His back was sore from sleeping on a hard surface. He rubbed his eyes. His eyes still felt stiff and swollen. He squinted at the window. There was something outside, but he couldn't make it out. He rubbed his eyes again and looked harder. It was a girl staring back at him. She smiled.

She looked down to the lock on the window door, and then looked back at him. Without even thinking about it, Tom stood up and walked to the window. There was a key sitting on the window seat, and used it to unlock the window.

The girl stepped in, followed by a gust of cold wind. Tom shut it quickly.

"Hello." the girl said. Her voice was a little lower than a usual girls voice. Her eyes sparkled at Tom, and at first he didn't know what to say. Her face intrigued him. She looked like she could be around 16 to 20. So he wasn't sure how old she was.

She was wearing a black dress that was way too short for a 16 year old, so he decided to go with 20. Her black hair fell across her face, but he could still see the red of her cheeks from being outside.

"Hi." The girl held out her hand. "I'm Mimi. And you are..."

"Um- Collins- Tom. sorry. Tom"

"What is it, Tom or Collins?" Mimi laughed.

"My name is Tom Collins." Tom felt a blush rise to his cheeks and he turned to the refrigerator. "Would you like a coke or something?"

"A beer would be great." Mimi laid down on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table. Tom looked at her.

"Um. How old are you?"

Mimi laughed. "Old enough. and besides, who ever followed that rule anyways?" Tom didn't say anything. Instead he grabbed 2 beers and closed the refrigerator door. He sat down next to Mimi and handed her the beer. Mimi twisted the cap off and took a drink. "So what are you doing here anyways?"

"What?" Tom was confused.

"Well you don't live here." Mimi set down her drink on the table.

"Oh. I am staying here for a little while. Maureen invited me."

"Oh. Maureen is too nice for her own good. Soon she will start taking bums off the street and having them stay here." Mimi laughed again. Tom didn't mention that he had been that such bum off the street.

"So, Tom. How did you end up living with these people?" Mimi pointed behind her at the apartment. Tom thought. He didnt especially want to get into the conversation about his life story with a complete stranger.

"Just needed a place to stay that's all."

"Really? What happened to your old home?" Tom realized that this woman was not the kind of person who was going to be polite and not ask personal questions. He couldn't keep anything from her. He liked that. This was the start to a great friendship