Watch the world come crumblin' down

 Oh, it was over all right. Holden kept telling himself, "Good riddance! For sure." Still, Magz was on his mind and he hated it. He hated the idea of living in a chunk of iced of memories especially when it wasn't above zero outside. Yet, he'd walked around trying to get his mind off the whole ordeal with Magz.

It was never what he hoped it would be. Sure, he did his best to be understanding. To have that hope that it would grow into something. Instead, it was one argument after another. And he was beginning to think Magz was just mad. He smiled at the thought as he passed the neon pink-lit convenience store. It looked like something tropical and fun. Oh, he needed a coffee anyway, even if it was late. 

He didn't remember it from the daylight. Really, it was just down the street from where he lived. Of course, he should have known better than to be out in these fridged conditions. He walked around to see just what the place had to offer. There were tacos under the warming lamp, packaged and ready for the taking. Holden thought about the late-night snack and was definitely against it until he looked over and saw the girl by the window with the earphones on.  That's what she was having.

Didn't he know her? From someplace. He pondered for a second or two as he went to get his coffee. He turned back thinking it was all a figment of his imagination, but she was still there.

"You look familiar," he said when he walked up to her. But she didn't look up. It was like she was in her own world with her own tunes. Finally, he tapped at the gear that looked as if she might be ready for space, or maybe she was just a little spacey.

"Hey?"

"Huh?" She looked at him then. There was no music coming from the headgear. She finally smiled and said. "I'm not Delia."

"Who?" He winced then.

"You know, the one you talked to. At the yoga place," she said as she went back to the tacos.

"Delia?" Holden didn't think he caught her name while she was selling him the membership. "Maybe she was talking, but I was looking at you."

She kind of laughed. He saw her teeth then. Immediately, he imagined she was a baby. But she was irresistibly cute and the total opposite of mad Magz.

"How come you're wearing those things?" He wanted to know.

"It keeps my ears warm," she said they didn't work anymore, but she liked them.

"So you're not Delia," he shrugged.

"She's my roommate," she looked over at him. 

"Is she home?" He wanted to know. She shook her head, no. She was out with some guy.

"And you're not."

"I like to stay home when I can." She shrugged and finished up her taco.

"But you came for tacos this late." He couldn't help but smile. So many questions he wanted to ask her. Like was this her real hair? Was she always this cute all the time?

"So you know, Delia likes you." 

"Um, but she's out with somebody." Holden shook his head.

"I think he's just somebody she goes out with when there is nobody to go out with." She was even-lipped.

"So if you're not Delia, who are you?" He practically laughed.

"Dora."

"Dora," he nodded. "I used to watch the show when I was a kid."

"Yeah, people remember me that way." Dora looked away as if he'd done it this time. She picked up her trash.

"But you aren't that Dora," he said. "You're a hard worker..and..and.."

"Are you wanting me to come work for you?" She asked as if it was just a joke, but her joke. Not his.

"No." He watched her walk away. "I just want to go out with you."

She waited for him then as if he could walk her home if he asked nicely.