Agatha did not come here for an interrogation.
She came here for drinks.
She had specifically mentally prepared for a normal, uneventful evening—just casual conversation, mild gossip, and the usual complaints about work.
Instead, she walked straight into a trap.
A trap disguised as a friendly night out.
Two pairs of eyes locked onto her like heat-seeking missiles.
Two pairs of eyes filled with far too much interest.
Agatha felt it immediately.
That specific kind of silence.
The kind where people were waiting.
The kind where they were about to say something she did not want to hear.
She slowly set her drink down. Narrowed her eyes.
“…What.”
Jen, ever the most tactless of the group, leaned forward. “Okay, what the hell is going on with you and the Tetris girl?”
Agatha blinked.
Then squinted. “What?”
Alice, the only one with an ounce of restraint, sighed. “What she means is… what’s going on with you and Rio?”
Agatha stared.
Then, very flatly, she said, “Nothing.”
Silence.
Silence that felt like a loaded gun.
Then—
Jen laughed.
Not just a chuckle.
Not just a smirk.
A full, actual laugh.
Like Agatha had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.
Agatha scowled. “What the hell is so funny?”
Jen shook her head, still grinning like she knew something Agatha didn’t.
“Oh my God,” she said, shaking her head. “You actually believe that.”
Agatha’s eye twitched. “Because it’s true.”
Alice sighed, looking genuinely apologetic about what was happening here.
“Agatha…” she said carefully. “You do realize that you and Rio basically act like a couple, right?”
Agatha choked.
On air.
She barely managed to recover, slamming her drink down as she coughed.
“I—what—excuse me?”
Jen leaned forward. Pounced on that reaction like a shark smelling blood.
“See? See?! That’s a reaction. That’s the reaction of someone in deep denial.”
Agatha pointed a very aggressive finger at her. “That’s the reaction of someone being blindsided by nonsense.”
Jen ignored her. “Let’s break it down, shall we?”
“No, let’s not—”
“First of all, you spend all your free time with her.”
“I don’t—”
“Second, you talk about her constantly.”
“That’s a lie—”
“Third, you get real weird anytime someone brings her up.”
Agatha opened her mouth.
Then snapped it shut.
Because damn it, she had no immediate rebuttal.
Alice, gentler but no less insistent, said, “We’re just saying… it’s kind of obvious.”
Agatha exhaled sharply. Ran a hand through her hair.
Okay. Fine.
If they were going to be this annoying about it—
She straightened, looked both of them dead in the eye, and delivered the facts.
“Rio and I are not dating.”
She let that sit.
Made sure they absorbed it.
Then, just for good measure—
“Not now. Not ever. Case closed.”
Silence.
Silence that stretched just long enough for Agatha to feel smug.
And then—
Jen grinned even wider.
“Not now, huh?”
Agatha froze.
Her stomach dropped.
Shit.
Agatha was not panicking.
Not even a little.
Sure, she’d just accidentally implied something.
Sure, she’d worded it in a way that left room for misinterpretation.
Sure, Jen was still grinning like she’d just won a prize.
But none of that mattered.
Because this was not a crisis.
It was just a minor slip-up.
That’s all.
Nothing to see here.
She took a slow, measured sip of her drink, carefully schooling her expression.
Alice raised an eyebrow. “You’re spiraling.”
Agatha lowered her drink. “I’m not spiraling.”
Jen smirked. “You so are.”
Agatha scoffed. “I’m sitting here, drinking like a normal person, and you two are the ones obsessing over something that doesn’t even exist.”
She gestured vaguely. “If anything, you two are spiraling.”
Alice and Jen exchanged a deeply unimpressed look.
Agatha crossed her arms.
Leaned back.
And doubled down.
“I mean, seriously,” she continued. “Rio and I are just—”
She paused.
Just what?
What was the right word here?
Friends?
…No.
That didn’t feel right.
Acquaintances?
God, that felt even more wrong.
Rivals?
No. Jesus. Not that.
Agatha’s brain glitched.
Alice gave her a knowing look. “Go on.”
Agatha clenched her jaw. “We’re just—”
Nothing.
Nothing came out.
Because nothing fit.
Which was infuriating.
Jen tilted her head, looking deeply entertained. “Huh. That’s interesting.”
Agatha’s eye twitched.
No. No, it’s not interesting. It means nothing.
She straightened, took another sip of her drink, and tried again.
“Look, you two are getting worked up over nothing. Rio and I just hang out. That’s it.”
Jen grinned. “All the time.”
Agatha exhaled sharply. “So?”
Alice smiled. “So… you don’t do that.”
Agatha frowned. “Do what?”
Alice leaned forward slightly. “Casually spend this much time with someone.”
Jen nodded. “Yeah. Like, no offense, but you’re not exactly the most social person.”
Agatha rolled her eyes. “I have friends.”
Jen smirked. “Yeah. Us. And we had to wear you down over the years.”
Alice nodded. “It took actual effort to make you tolerate us.”
Agatha scowled. “That is not—”
Jen held up a finger. “And yet, with Rio, you just—did.”
Agatha froze.
Jen’s grin widened. “You didn’t even hesitate.”
Agatha’s stomach lurched.
She opened her mouth—
Then closed it.
Because she had nothing.
No comeback.
No rebuttal.
No snarky remark to shut this down.
Because… they were right.
She had never even thought about it before.
With Jen and Alice, it had taken years before she let them in. Before she let them get close.
But with Rio?
With Rio, it had just happened.
No second-guessing. No hesitation.
Just… natural.
Like some part of her had already made the decision before she even realized it.
She cleared her throat.
Straightened. Recovered.
“Okay. Fine. Maybe we hang out a lot,” she admitted. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
Jen nodded sagely. “Sure. Sure. Makes total sense.”
Alice smiled. “Mmhmm.”
Agatha narrowed her eyes. “Why do you both look like you know something?”
Jen and Alice just exchanged a look.
Agatha’s suspicion increased.
And then, before she could press them—
Jen casually reached for her phone.
“…So, if I called Rio right now and asked her what you two are—”
Agatha slammed her glass down. “You will not.”
Jen smirked. “Why? Afraid of the answer?”
Agatha pointed at her. “Afraid of you getting drop-kicked into next week.”
Jen cackled.
Alice sighed. Shook her head.
Agatha should have left five minutes ago.
That would have been the smart move.
The only move.
Instead, she was still sitting here, finishing her drink, while Jen and Alice watched her like they were waiting for her to crack.
She exhaled slowly. Casually.
“…You’re both wrong.”
Alice sighed. “Agatha.”
Agatha lifted her chin. “I’m serious.”
Jen grinned. “Oh, I know you are. That’s what makes this so funny.”
Agatha rolled her eyes. “There’s nothing happening.”
Alice rested her chin on her hand. “You know, you’re spending a lot of energy convincing us.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you weren’t so wrong.”
Alice raised an eyebrow.
Jen took another sip of her drink, looking entirely too smug. “You’re saying nothing’s happening? Like, at all?”
Agatha folded her arms. “Correct.”
Jen tilted her head. “Okay. Let’s test that.”
Agatha frowned. “Test what?”
Jen grinned. “Say one nice thing about Rio.”
Agatha blinked. “What?”
Alice smiled. “Come on. Just one.”
Agatha stared.
Then huffed. “Fine. She’s… good at Tetris.”
Jen snorted. “Yeah, no shit. Try again.”
Agatha scowled. “What is this, a lie detector test?”
“Yep.”
Alice gestured encouragingly. “Come on, Agatha. One genuine compliment.”
Agatha narrowed her eyes. Took a slow sip of her drink.
“…She’s smart.”
Jen smirked. “That was easy.”
Agatha set her glass down. “Not really.”
Alice rested her chin on her hand. “What else?”
Agatha sighed. “What, am I supposed to make a list?”
Jen leaned forward. “You could.”
Agatha scowled. “I won’t.”
Jen shrugged. “Fine. We’ll do it for you.”
Agatha frowned. “Wait, what—”
Alice smiled. “She’s thoughtful.”
Jen nodded. “Direct.”
“Logical.”
“Really focused.”
“Unexpectedly funny.”
Agatha paused.
Because all of those were true.
Which was annoying.
Jen tapped her fingers on the table. “She’s also, like… kinda hot.”
Agatha choked.
Alice snorted. “Jen.”
Jen shrugged. “What? She is.”
Agatha slammed her glass down. “We are not talking about this.”
Jen smirked. “Touched a nerve?”
“No.”
Alice sipped her drink. “You’re blushing.”
“I am not.”
Jen grinned wider. “Okay, but—”
Agatha stood up so fast her chair scraped the floor. “We are done here.”
Jen cackled.
Alice sighed, smiling slightly.
And Agatha?
Agatha grabbed her coat, ignored the suspiciously knowing looks being thrown her way, and marched toward the exit like she had not just made everything worse for herself.
Because this was not a thing.
Nope.
Not at all.
Not even a little.
(Right?)