I walked into the food court at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Washington. My ears were almost deafened at the cacophony of noise from the various employees, guests, and customers grabbing a bite to eat or completing various other mundane activities on their lunch break. I walked to one of the buffets, lined my plate with food and started to look for a place to sit.

Just as I started panning my gaze over the crowd to find an empty table in the sea of business casual, my text tone sounded from my pocket. I quickly pulled it from my pocket, still balancing the tray with my food as I read the message. It was my girlfriend Carmen

" Hey Xander, I'm really sorry to do this over text but i just couldn't bring myself to tell you otherwise. We have had a lot of fun over the last few months, but I really don't know if I want to be this serious right now. I really need to focus on my career right now. I think we need to take a break."

As I finished reading the message, another popped in.

" Don't worry about messaging back, I'll be blocking your number. I don't want the drama of you trying to get me back."

As I stood there stunned, someone walked past me and bumped into the tray in my hand. Of course, my food went flying and landed all over the floor. I just stood there as the person tried to apologize and offer to clean up the mess. I didn't even register what he was saying. 

"Breathe deeply and focus on what's important," I repeated the mantra in my head that I had used for a few years when life got to be overwhelming.

After standing there for a few moments to get my head straight, I finally focused on the world around me again. 

"Xander, hey Xander, you in there man?" 

I turned towards the person speaking to find Rob, one of the software engineers that was working on the same project as me. He was technically my boss, but he and his girlfriend were closer to friends as far as we were concerned. 

"Dude, sucks about the food. Kate and I were about to go grab a bite. You look a bit rough right now, how about joining us?" He said.

" You got this, or you need some help?" Rob looked at the man who'd knocked over my lunch.

"I'm good, it was totally my bad man. I'm horrible about looking where I'm going when I'm hungry. Really sorry." The guy replied, looking to me at the end.

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"It's fine" I said looking to the man diligently cleaning my food from the tile. "You sure you don't want us to help?"

"Nah, you're fine. I was the one who ruined your lunch. Hehe." He said sheepishly.

"And who said it's ruined, huh? Now he gets to eat with me, and I'm even paying. Sounds like a win to me! Am I right." Rob shamelessly boasted.

As i rolled my eyes at Rob's antics, as the guy on the floor replied, "Sure, you guys go ahead. I'll get this done and get some food of my own. Sorry again. I'm Drew by the way," he offered his hand, and we both shook it.

"Xander" I said.

"And I'm Rob. It's nice to meet you. But if we don't get going, my girlfriend is gonna kill me. You know how she gets when she's hungry Xander, some scary shit right there, huh?"

We took our leave and mingled back into the crowd. As we passed through the throng, all I could think about was "What happened, why would she end things over text, did she find another guy?" And finally, "why did that guy have to wreck my damn food. I could really go for some stress eating right about now."

Once again lost in my own world, I didn't realize that we jad reached our destination, and I had a little 5'2 firecracker staring at me impatiently. Tapping her foot and everything.

Kate was her normal ball of sass as she looked at Rob. "What's up with him. He looks like someone just kicked his cat or something."

"I dunno, I just found him like this after some guy made his lunch do a swan dive." He replied.

"So, are you really that pissed about your food Xander?" She said looking towards me.

I shook my head a but before replying,  "Huh... oh, no, I had just grabbed my lunch when I got a text from Carmen. She broke up with me. Said she doesn't want to be in a serious relationship, or something. I'm just still trying to process a bit."

She looked shocked. "Wait, are you serious? Let me see the message." She said, pointing at my phone, which I hadn't realized was still sitting in my left hand. I unlocked it and handed it over wordlessly.

She took it, and stared at the screen for a moment, muttering to herself. "Seriously, 'not ready for something this serious,' are you kidding me? Over text, really, and then you block him. How much of a bitch can you be..."

She handed me back my phone and looked at Rob. "Why didn't you tell me before I gave him shit?" As she hit his arm playfully. "You trying to make me piss off our friend so you can have him all to yourself, huh?" She glared at him

"Huh, what, no babe, its not like that" Rob backpeddaled, " I didn't know until he just said something." He looked at he sheepishly before turning to me. "You okay man?"

"Of course he's not okay, you dimwit." Kate scolded him. "You haven't had lunch yet, right? Let's grab some food and go talk, alright Xander?"

"You guys really don't have to." I replied, "I don't know how good of company I'm gonna be right now. Why don't you guys just eat without me"

"Nonsense, you're having lunch with us, amd that's final." Kate confidently stated, "right Rob?"

" Yeah man, I'm even more glad I invited you now. Let's grab some grub and talk shit about your ex!"

"Not helping doofus!" Kate said, rolling her eyes.

With that, Kate grabbed my arm and practically dragged me over to the food line. Not that I was protesting too much, but the tiny girl was surprisingly strong.

We all got our food and prepared for our next adventure... finding a damn place to sit.