"He laughed."

Nicole stared at her from behind the counter, leaning against the wall. Her hair was pulled back in two neat braids, yet some loose strands fell on her eyes, and she had to keep pushing them away. The uniform she wore was wrinkled because of a quick nap on the upstairs sofa during the dead time of the shift.

"Laughed?"

"Yes!" Jenny nodded, pacing from side to side. Neither of them was worried about the seven customers in each corner of the café. "I apologised for believing in Juliana so blindly and he thought I was joking. He told me to leave him alone."

"Then leave him alone."

Jenny couldn't do that. She knew Ana's lie didn't prove he wasn't the man she despised, but there had to be a reason for Nicole to like him. For Lúcia to be falling for him. And he had once been a friend. She wondered what would have happened if their relationship hadn't been destroyed.

"Why do you care?" Nicole asked, seeing her distraught face. "I thought your hatred was deeper than Ana's story."

Jenny sighed, staring at her fingers, tracing each black line with her eyes. "I hate liars. You know I do. I think I'm just upset because I know if it weren't for Juliana I would have never cared about his behaviour."

The blonde shrugged. She didn't really care if they made up or not. "I can talk to him. Although, I'm not sure what you want me to say."

Her friend didn't know either. She didn't know what to think of Miguel anymore.

"You know what? Don't tell him anything. I'm overthinking for no reason," she brushed it off. "I was feeling bad for being wrong for so long, but I already apologised. The problem is solved."

Nicole blinked, surprised at her change of heart, but didn't dwell on it. Miguel's business was Miguel's business, and she didn't need to get involved unless he brought it up. She was going to his place that night to watch a film, so maybe he would talk about it.

"If you say so."

Jenny nodded and went to check on the customers before the conversation could continue. Nicole walked upstairs to see how the rest of the clients were doing. There were two young girls reading in a corner, enjoying their drinks in silence, and comparing notes from time to time.

It was raining outside. The dark clouds in the grey sky could no longer handle the pressure and thick drops started falling, soaking the street, glueing to the windows in a slow race to the bottom. A sea of black umbrellas rose, moving in the street, some barging in the shop, some still outside.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked.

One girl, a strawberry blonde in a white dress despite the chill of early December, sat up almost as she heard Nicole's words. "Yes! Can you bring us more drinks, please?"

The other girl only nodded, offering her now empty cup without looking away from her book. It must've been an interesting story.

The waitress collected both cups and excused herself downstairs. Just as she got to the stairs, the bell rang, and she craned her neck to see the incomings. She sucked in a breath; her eyes glued on the soaked brown hair of the girl pulling an upset boy in.

He looked up, and his dark eyes found hers. There was no smile. No playful wink. Not even an acknowledging nod. Just an empty stare quickly diverted elsewhere.

Her legs were numb, but she forced herself to go back downstairs, straight to the kitchen. Jenny could be the one serving them. She wished they would be gone as quick as possible.

Her brain focused on preparing the drinks, shutting out any other thought. She could have done everything with her eyes closed. Her hands knew every recipe a lot better than she did and most of the time her mind wasn't even in her movements. It was still fascinating to her how she had never cut herself.

She made noise with the blender, drowning the voices of the people outside. That sound annoyed her. It was too loud, and it wasn't pleasant. But at that moment, she welcomed it, making it last longer than intended.

A whistle made her look at the door before pouring the drinks into the cups. Jenny's head was peeking into the kitchen, looking at her co-worker with an unreadable expression.

"Your sweetheart is here with his new girlfriend."

Nicole rolled her eyes, turning back to what she was doing. She heard Jenny's steps bringing her closer and the sound of the door closing, and yet she kept looking at the liquid rising inside the cups.

"He hasn't been here in a while," Jenny pointed out.

"I know."

"And now he brings a girl with him."

"I noticed."

Jenny leaned against the counter, fingers gripping the cold stone. Her eyes were cloudy, staring ahead but looking at nothing in particular. It wasn't hard to guess what she was thinking about, yet Nicole remained silent.

"I think he is trying to make you jealous," she broke the silence.

"Jealous," she repeated, putting the blender in the sink. "I think you're trying to create a romantic narrative that only exists in your head."

"Or maybe I'm right and you just don't want to admit you actually enjoy being with him."

Nicole grabbed the cubs and motioned to leave, meaning the conversation was over. However, Jenny didn't agree and followed her outside.

"I'm sure if you were to apologise for what you said last time, he would take you back with open arms."

The blonde stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned to face the girl only two steps away from her. She hoped the clients were too immersed in the story to notice the creaking of the stairs had stopped.

"First, I am going to apologise, but not when Laila is with him," she said, making Jenny smirk. The girl imagined it had something to do with not having forgotten the girl's name. "And if he accepts it, maybe we go back to normal, maybe we don't, but what it's definitely not going to happen is me in his arms."

"Under him, then?"

She heaved a deep, exasperated sigh, and turned around, making her way up the stairs still with the brunette on her heel. The girls were still reading, muttering a quick "Thank you" when she gave them their drinks.

"Just drop it," she said, looking at Andrew and his friend sitting close to the window. He was playing with a glass of Coca-Cola, staring at the liquid move, as Laila talked about something.

"Yeah, you're right," Jenny said, looking at them too. "You already lost your chance."

The blonde sighed in exasperation and turned around, going straight downstairs. She was sick of people sowing uncertainty in her mind. There was nothing for her to pursue, nothing she wanted to pursue. She told herself she knew better and shut any doubt out of her mind.

Her feet took her downstairs, and she went back to the routine that kept her from standing there with nothing to do. She grabbed a washcloth and started cleaning already spotless tables, checking if someone wanted a refill or anything else.

She spun around, under Jenny's gaze. Getting more drinks and food for clients deep in conversation with each other, for the lonely clients studying, for the clients bored out of their minds. Everything so she wouldn't have to admit that he was there again, but not in the way she wanted. Until it no longer worked.

"Excuse me, miss!" Laila called with an annoying snap of her fingers.

Nicole looked for Jenny, but she was still upstairs. Leaning on the banister with an amused expression. She was curious to see what would happen next.

Putting on the usual work smile, Nicole walked to their table and stopped beside them. The washcloth was small in her hand, squeezed between her fingers. She didn't look at him. He didn't look at her.

"Drew told me you make the best muffins here. I was wondering if you could make me a batch of strawberry muffins to take home."

An excuse to stay in the kitchen had arrived, but she wasn't happy as she thought. It was supposed to be a relief, but it wasn't. Her eyes wanted to find him, but she forced herself still.

"Yes, I can. It'll take a while for them to cook, though."

"That's ok," Laila said. "We're staying here until the rain stops."

Nicole nodded and turned around, her eyes on him for a split second. Yet, he didn't notice it. He was looking at her hands and the cloth between them. She averted her eyes before he could see her, and he looked back to the glass once he could only see her back.

"Why are you so quiet today?" he heard the girl ask.

"I'm not. I just have stuff to do at home."

She bought it, but Nicole knew better than anyone else how much he despised the emptiness of the mansion. There was a lot of stuff she knew now she wished to forget. Things that proved she cared for him.

The door of the kitchen closed behind her, and she went back to work. A mess took form. Ingredients flying to the counter, bowls and spoons and whatnot clinked against each other. She stirred some and chopped others until everything was mixed. When it was all in the oven, she busied herself cleaning the mess and cursing herself for being so quick.

Despite being done, she stayed there, waiting. If anyone needed anything, Jenny was outside. Nicole would just stay inside, staring at the walls and thinking about life.

"What are you doing?" The brunette peeked through the door again. "Do you mind covering for me while I go outside to smoke?"

She scowled at the girl. "I mind. Do your fucking job, Jenny."

The girl rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Okay, okay. I was just asking."

She left her alone again, and Nicole kept pacing until the muffins were cooked and ready to be put in a pretty package. It didn't take long, but when she left with the box in hand, it was no longer raining, so she assumed they were leaving.

They were both by the register and Jenny typed fast in it. They paid for everything and Nicole handed her the box.

"Here are your muffins." The fake grin was back on, dashing as usual.

"Thank you!" Laila beamed, grabbing it firmly against her chest. "We'll be going now."

Nicole stared at Andrew's grey dressed back. Her gaze didn't waver when he was opening the door, nor when he was outside. The glass was wet, but she could still see his shape.

"There he goes," Jenny sing-sang. "It's quite sad. I really thought he was going to be the one getting you out of the shelf. Time to say goodbye."

He put the hood on his head, probably because there were still raining very thin drops. She had never seen him wearing a hoodie, but he looked cute. Casual and comfortable. More boyish and less serious.

"They're probably going back to his place. Cuddle on his sofa and watch a movie," she kept going. "I guess he was just sick of your mood swings. You should've shot your shot earlier. Unless you want to go running after him now."

His hands were inside the hoodie's pockets as they always were when there was no keyboard in sight. He was looking at her and she was laughing at something he said. They were having fun, the two of them.

"He's still leaving, you know? And you're going to miss your chance to make things right. Your chance to be with a man that makes you smile without other intentions. But it's okay, I'm sure Laila will cherish what you didn't."

The window was about to end, and he kept walking out of her sight. Her heart was pounding at Jenny's words, jumping to her throat. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so anxious, so fidgety.

"I guess we have no other chance but accept it and move on, since you're too lazy to go tell him you fancy him. I'm sure he'll understand your reasons. You would hurt a friend by telling him."

His shadow disappeared past the wall, and her eyes stopped there. The shy sun shone through the window, printing on the wall the pattern of drops still running down the glass. The café's logo was inverted on the brick wall in a dark grey shadow surrounded by that asymmetrical design.

She felt that way too. Inverted. And all because of a boy in the past who had no business ruining her present life.

"And he is gone. Congratulations, you just blew it. Do you want to drink margaritas at my place?"

Nicole's gaze was still glued to the wall. Her friend's voice was far from her, as if she was speaking inside a jar.

"Fuck it." She snapped, going around the counter, straight to the glass doors under Jenny's surprised gaze.

"Wow! I didn't think you would."

She pulled the doors to herself and stepped outside, staring at Andrew and Laila walking down the street. Collecting all her courage, she called out for him. He stopped and stared at her. She stared at him.

He said something to Laila, to which she nodded and kept walking. Hands still inside his pockets, he walked back to Nicole. She got annoyed about how long he was taking to get there.

"What?" he asked once he was in front of her. But she didn't know.

Her mind was blank, and she didn't know what to say. There was for sure something she wanted to say, something she wanted him to know. But words were lacking. Her voice didn't come out, her mind was a mess, her heart was still racing.

"I-I wanted to apologise," she said, locking eyes with him, "for what I said the other day. I didn't mean any of it."

Andrew kept quiet, his face void of emotion. It was making her uneasy, so she looked away and took a deep breath to regain her posture. The situation wasn't one for her to be so nervous about. She wanted him to see the vulnerability of the apology, but not to see her break.

"You are a friend and I enjoy your company. If I knew I was putting our friendship in jeopardy, I would have never said it, but I wasn't thinking." Her voice was now steady, and the words flew easily. "I was rude to you because I was upset, and I know it is no excuse, but I hope you can forgive me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you."

His lips parted in surprise, but he was still silent. Still processing the information. It was messing with her how he could react so coldly to a heartfelt sorry.

"Are you not going to say a word?"

"I wasn't expecting it," he answered. "I can't believe you're apologising."

She gritted her teeth, looking at his amused smile. He ran his hand through his hair and paced a few steps away, then back to her. Every time he glanced at her his grin widened. She felt like a joke, and she didn't like it.

"It's funny to you?"

"Yes, actually." He stopped, looking at her. The hood had fallen off his head a while ago. "I can't believe you're apologising. It must be Christmas."

"Give it a few weeks," she said coldly. "And you said that already."

"I didn't think you could biologically do so. And it was so cute. I'm pretty sure no one has ever said sorry to me in such a heartfelt way."

Nicole crossed her arms over her chest, getting irked up. This was not what she wanted when she called him. She didn't like to be portrayed as a heartless woman incapable of seeing her mistakes.

"So, we're good?"

He nodded. "Yeah. But you must tell me what you were upset about."

"That's prying into my life!" she complained.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "But we're friends."

She exhaled in exasperation and gripped the door handle. There was no way she was sharing why she was distraught that day with him or anyone else. Some things were just too personal to disclose like that.

"It's not something I'm ready to talk about."

He nodded once more. She was glad he didn't push it further like on the day they had lunched together. It seemed so far away now, but she had it printed on her mind.

"Glad we figured this out, but if that's it, I have to go," he said, walking backwards.

She watched, waiting until he hit a light post, and then called him again, saying she wasn't done. The rest was harder to say and being vexed at him again wasn't helping. Saying the next words out loud made her stomach turn in a stupid dance that made her insides cold and weird.

"What's up?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.

She stared at the creeks on the floor, convincing herself she could say what she wanted to say. Her eyes met his again, and she said, "Don't go back to Laila."

He blinked. "What?"

She bit her lip, feeling her cheeks heating. "I know I have no right to ask you this, but please don't go. I wanted... I wanted to say yes to the dinner invitation, if it's still up, so don't go back to her."

Perhaps those were too many shocks for him in one day since he kept staring at her without knowing what to say. He was confused and she would've found it cute if she wasn't afraid of rejection.

"I'm not ready to dive into a relationship so quick again, and I know I can't ask you to wait, so if you prefer to be with her, I understand. But I'm still asking you to choose me, because I like you and I know you like me," Nicole told him. "I don't know what I want right now, and that's not fair to you, but if you're willing to take it slow with me, please say you choose me and not her."

She assumed the smile on his face was because he wanted her and not Laila. He looked amused once more, and she gave him a shy smile too. She was far from knowing he thought it was funny for an entirely different reason.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble," he started, and her smile fell, "but I'm not interested in Laila."

It was her time to be confused. She cursed herself for listening to Jenny's blabbering. However, relief washed over her concerns now that she knew he wouldn't start dating another random girl.

"I thought-"

"You thought wrong," he interrupted. "But I still want to have dinner with you. And I'll wait all the time you need."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "But you have to promise you'll stop seeing other men."

That wasn't even hard. She hadn't slept with anyone in ages because of her short temper and their inability to keep quiet. And if she was going to be with him, she wouldn't betray that trust.

"I wasn't planning to see anyone but you," she said, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Okay, I-" he started but her eyes moved to the girl walking towards them.

A brunette in a heavy coat stopped next to them, looking between them. They stared back at her. Andrew was back to his confused state and Nicole gave her a sheepish smile.

"Nicole, what are you doing outside?"

She licked her lips. "Just giving some directions to a client, boss."

The woman eyed Andrew up and down and then looked back at Nicole. "Where's Eliza?"

Nicole blinked. "What?"

Hey guys! I hope you're doing well.

What did you think of this chapter?

I'm struggling with major block, nothing I write feels right and I just can't force myself to write anything lately so this might be the last chapter you get in a while. I promise I'll try to have something by next monday but I don't know if I can.

Thank you so much for reading, please vote and comment x