is it that sweet, i guess so

Lydia rubbed her eyes, trying to hold back another yawn. She felt like she had already yawned twenty times this shift, and she hadn’t even been there for more than half of it. It was almost enough to make her regret going out last night. Almost.

It was one of those rare shifts without Suzie and Lydia was beginning to miss her. She didn’t have anyone to talk to during the slow periods and the boredom was eating at her. So far, she had sorted the till three times, wiped down the pastry display twice, and restocked the takeaway cups more times than she could count. It was the most effort she had ever put into this job, ever.

Lydia was filled with nervous energy. Every time the bell above the door chimed, her heart jumped. It was silly, incredibly high-school even, but Lydia kept wishing a certain blonde would walk through the door. So far, it had seemed like every person in Boston but Kori came through those doors.

She still didn’t give Kori her number, which sounded crazy in hindsight. Suzie teased her relentlessly for it, but when did she even have the chance? Between the soft touches Kori left on her? During the vulnerable, heartfelt conversations between them? After the explosive fight between Arrietty and Lana that left them being pulled in different directions? There just wasn’t the right moment.

The bell chimed and Lydia didn’t bother looking up, letting herself indulge in her moping instead. What? She deserved it.

“Damn girl, who hurt you?”

Lydia’s head snapped up, making eye contact with a tall, dark haired girl. Her face looked familiar to her — did she see her at the party? Recognition flashed through her head. Lana.

“Just this job,” Lydia sighed, straightening her ugly headband. She hid another yawn behind her hand. “Sorry, I'm so tired.”

Lana let out a groan. “Ugh, tell me about it. I woke up late and forgot to book our usual studio again. The squad is actually going to kill me.”

Lydia found out Lana came in to get the team ‘please forgive me’ coffees. It made Lydia smile, it seemed like Lana was a genuinely nice person. She wondered how the whole Lana vs Arrietty drama actually went down, if there was more to the story that she was missing. Arrietty hadn’t been completely foretelling.

Lydia decided to bring up the event as she worked the coffee machine. “So,” she started, trying for innocent curiosity. “I heard about you and Arrietty.”

Lana groaned again. “It was so bad, girl," she cringed. "I think she like, hates me now.”

Lydia cocked her head. “Would that upset you?”

Lana paused. “I mean, kind of,” she mustered. “I’m more upset that I hurt her — that totally wasn’t my intention.”

Lydia hummed, pouring coffee into the cups. “What was your intention? Did you know that she liked you?”

Lydia didn’t mean to interrogate her, but she couldn’t help being nosy. Arrietty was her friend after all.

“If I’m being honest, I didn’t even know we had a thing,” Lana confessed. “I didn’t date in high school, so this is all very new to me.”

It made Lydia smile. “Well, if you want any reassurance,” she told Lana, “Arrietty is pretty hot-headed but I think she would give you another chance if you tried.”

Lana seemed to ponder this. “Perhaps,” she said, but went to go change the topic. “I see that you and my girl Kori are getting pretty close.”

Lydia blushed. “Yes. Maybe.”

Lana laughed. “It’s cute! No, really,” she insisted as Lydia rubbed her arm self-consciously. “You two would made a really good pair. If you want any advice from me, I say that you should go for it.”

Lydia studied Lana but she looked like she was being completely sincere. Well, if her shift was going to turn into a therapy session between the two girls, she may as well indulge.

“You think?” Lydia asked. “I want to say something to her but I just don’t know how.”

She hoped Lana could offer her some advice. Kori was still all that she could think about and she was getting restless waiting for their next meeting. She wanted to be bolder about it but it was hard for her to overcome her shyness. It didn’t help that she became incredibly flustered every time Kori spoke to her.

“Listen.” Lana leaned in as if she was telling a secret. “Kori is loud and confident so people think that nothing gets to her, but we both know that’s not true.”

Lydia nodded in agreement.

“Basically,” Lana continued, “she’ll flirt with you all she can but she won’t make the real first move. She doesn’t want to get rejected.”

Huh. Looking back on the party, it made sense to Lydia. It was like Kori was waiting for something, which she knew now was Lydia making the first move. Her chest warmed.

Lydia tilted her head. “How do you know all this?”

Lana grinned, her perfect teeth looking sharp as a sharks. “I’m very good at reading people.”

Lydia didn’t hesitate to believe her.

The door chimed again and both girls looked over, heads drawn to the sound. In walked Kori, dressed in her cheer practice outfit with her duffle bag easily slung across her shoulder. Her high ponytail swayed behind her as she walked towards them, her whole body radiating under the coffee shops warm lights. Lydia’s heart jumped.

“Speaking of the devil,” greeted Lana, voice cheerful at the arrival of her friend.

Lydia felt her heartbeat race again like at the party, like at their first meeting only days before. She wondered if she would ever not feel so flustered when she was around her.

Kori noticed her then, eyes lightening up as she spotted her behind the counter. She gave her a smile and Lydia didn’t hesitate to return it. It felt like an instinct.

“Morning,” Kori winked, walking up to the girls as she did so. “I’ve got to say, I’m super thrilled I ran into you here.”

Lydia couldn’t help but feel her smile widen. She had hoped kori’s flirting from the party wasn’t going to be a once off thing, and she was glad to find out it wasn’t. “Likewise,” she replied, tucking a strand of her dyed hair behind her ear.

Lana looked between the two of them, focusing back on Kori. “Wow,” she stated. “Good morning, Lana. Nice to see you, Lana.” She gave Kori a playful shove. “Whatever happened to sisters over baristas?”

Kori let out a loud laugh, shrugging half-apologetically at her friend. “You know me, girl,” she explained. “I can’t help but get side-tracked when I’ve met a cute girl.”

Lydia blushed, cheeks warming at the compliment. She suddenly felt exposed in front of Lana, almost wanted to hide under the counter to have her reaction in private. She couldn’t help it, every time Kori complimented her, she turned into total mush.

Lana let out a fake gag. “Girl, save it,” she said, turning to gather the coffee’s Lydia had finished making. “Thank you for the drinks, girl, but I’m going to leave you two alone before Kori makes me sick.”

“Bitch!” Kori exclaimed, making Lana tip her head back in laughter as she left the shop. The bell chimed as the door closed behind her and Kori turned back to Lydia with regard. Lydia was thrilled that it was just the two of them now, and she felt that familiar fluttering feeling at being the sole focus of Kori’s attention.

“So,” Kori began, a surprising pinkness rising to her cheeks. “I heard that Lana booked the studio across the road and I knew I just had to see if you were here.” Kori gave her a sweet smile. “And here you are.”

Lydia ducked her head. “Here I am,” she confirmed softly, peering back up at Kori. “I’m happy you came,” she confessed. “I’ve kind of been hoping that you would.”

“Oh, really?” Kori replied, lips still firmly turned into a smile. “Hope I didn’t leave you waiting too long.”

Lydia quickly shook her head. “Not at all,” she replied. “It was perfect timing.”

Kori nodded approvingly. “Almost like it was meant to happen,” she mussed. “Like it was set up by some divine…” she searched for the word. “Thing.”

Lydia laughed. “Maybe!” She fiddled with her headband and cleared her throat. “But really, thank you for coming to see me.”

Kori’s eyes softened. “Of course,” she replied. “Couldn’t leave a girl like you hanging.”

Lydia wanted to melt. More truthfully, she wanted to reach out to her—hold her hand, touch her arm—but she felt like she was trapped behind the counter. Not for the first time, she wanted to curse her stupid job. But it led her to this moment, didn’t it?

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she said instead, hand tapping the counter, looking up at Kori earnestly. “I had a good time last night.”

Kori beamed. “Me too.” She began to say something else but paused, stopping herself. Lydia waited for her to continue but it seemed like Kori changed her mind on what she was going to say.

Lydia studied her — the hesitation on her lips, the light blush still on her cheeks, the way she seemed to be holding herself back. Lana’s advice ran through her head. The ball was in her court.

Lydia puffed her chest. “Can I have your phone,” she asked, somewhat abruptly and awkwardly but she tried not to think about it.

Kori tilted her head. “Huh?”

Lydia committed to it. “Your phone,” she repeated, then softened her voice. “Can I please have it? I need to do something.”

“Ominous,” Kori laughed, but unlocked it and handed her phone over to Lydia. “Are you setting up a virus because I’m distracting you from your job?”

Lydia let a chuckle escape. “Trust me, I’m all for wasting company time.” She pulled up Kori’s contacts and created a new entry, adding her name with a blue heart. “I’m giving you my number.”

She made herself look up, waiting for the other girl’s reaction. Kori’s lips were parted slightly, but she turned it into a smirk when she noticed Lydia was looking. She took her phone from Lydia’s outreached hand and looked at the new listing. Lydia wondered what she thought about the heart.

“You keep surprising me, Lydia,” Kori expressed teasingly. “No one told me you were going to be so forward.”

Lydia was surprised by herself, too. There was just something about being around Kori that made her want to be bolder. If she didn’t have anything holding her back, Lydia would be gripping Kori’s shoulders, shaking them and saying, “please notice how much I like you!” She was almost tempted to climb over the counter and do it herself, social anxiety be damned.

Kori’s phone beeped, a sound that Lydia was pretty sure was the Kim Possible theme, and the blonde looked down at the screen with a curse. She looked back up and gave Lydia an apologetic look.

“Cheer team?” Lydia guessed. She knew Kori had to leave the store sometime soon.

Kori nodded regretfully. “Isn’t it always,” she sighed, looking like she was debating going.

The bell behind them chimed again. Lydia watched the cafe flood with the last yoga class of the morning, already lining up for their dirty chai lattes. She fought the urge to bang her head against the counter. “I’ll see you soon, yeah?” She asked Kori, already knowing the answer.

Kori smiled. “Definitely.”

She watched the cheerleader adjust the strap on her shoulder, turning to leave. Lydia ignored her heart racing and stood on her tiptoes, peering over the line. “Keep getting to know me!” She called out to Kori’s retreating form. “I might continue to surprise you!”

The first lady in line gave her a judgmental look, but Lydia didn’t care. She got a glimpse of that blonde ponytail leaving the store and watched as Kori paused on the sidewalk. She stood there, typing something on her phone, before she looked up and gave Lydia a wink goodbye.

Lydia felt her own phone buzz in her pocket. She peaked at the screen, ignoring the lady’s exasperated huff, and saw a text from a new number.

Unknown: I’ll hold you to it <3

Lydia smiled, saving the number instantly. She couldn't get the flush off her face for the remainder of her shift.