I frown. What’s he doing?
“Nineteen hundred euros.”
Christopher winces. “Ouch.”
I tap him on the leg. He doesn’t have the money for this. “What are you doing?” I whisper.
“He saved for two years for his phone,” he whispers. “I broke it.”
“How?”
“He dropped it when I passed it back to him.”
I try to make him feel better. “Then you didn’t break it.”
“Yeah, but I feel like shit. I can’t stop thinking about it.” He points to the phone through the glass. “I’ll take that one, please.”
“Okay.” The guy begins to bundle it up, and I look up at him in shock. He’s flat broke, and here he is buying a new phone for a kid he doesn’t even know.
“Chris,” I whisper. “You can’t afford this.”
“It’s okay, I’ll transfer it out of my savings,” he whispers. “I’ll get another job this week, don’t worry.”
But I do worry because I know that underneath all that player bullshit is a good, kind man . . . who people take advantage of.
He and the shop attendant go through the warranty and instructions. “I’ll wait outside,” I say.
“Okay.”
I walk out and hear someone call my name. “Hayden.”
I turn to see a guy I met last night. He’s staying at a backpackers’ hostel down the road from ours. “Hi, Zack.” We spoke for over an hour. He seems really nice.
“I’ve been thinking about you all day.” He smiles.
“Really?” My stomach does a little flip.
“What are you doing here?” he asks.
“Waiting for my friend, my roommate. He’s buying a phone.”
“Oh, right.” He smiles over at me.
I smile right back as the air crackles between us.
Christopher walks out the door with his phone in a shopping bag. He looks between Zack and me.
I introduce them. “Christopher, this is Zack.”
“Hello,” he says as they shake hands.
“So you get to share a room with her?” Zack says with a huge smile. “Lucky prick.”
Christopher’s chin tilts to the sky as if he’s annoyed. “Where are you staying?” he asks in a clipped tone.
“In Rubens Backpackers.” Zack turns his attention to me. “Hayden, do you want to go out tonight . . . like on a date?”
“She has plans,” Christopher replies before I have a chance to even open my mouth to reply.
“Oh.” Zack’s eyes flick between Christopher and me.
“But you could meet us out if you wanted to?” I offer.
Zack smiles broadly. “That sounds great.” He digs his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll give you my number. Text me where you are.”
“Okay.”
I give him my number as Christopher glares at him. What is his problem?
“See you tonight?” I ask.
“Can’t wait.” Zack smiles.
“Goodbye,” Christopher snaps as he grabs my hand. “We have to go, Hayden.”
I frown. That’s the first time I can remember that he’s ever said my name.