Grace was momentarily taken aback but quickly hid her surprise, taking a closer look at him. His transformation was striking—he looked older, more confident, his stance exuding a maturity that had been missing just a week ago.
' It's that kid Eve hangs out with at the park,' she thought, studying him with fresh eyes.
' In just a week, he's gone from looking like a boy to… well, a total hunk. '
"Oh, I know you," she said, tilting her head with a slight smile. "You're here for Eve, right? Let me go get her."
Just as she turned to head to the back, the door swung open, and Odette walked in with a guy named Tukku, the two of them in a lively debate.
"I'm telling you, Odette, Pennywise is terrifying!" Tukku insisted, throwing his hands up for emphasis.
Odette rolled her eyes, smirking as she countered, "How can a dumb clown who only goes after kids be scary? Doesn't make any sense."
"He embodies your biggest fears, Odette! Think about that," Tukku replied, shuddering.
Odette shot him a teasing grin. "All I'm imagining is you running from a giant vagina—that's probably scarier for you than Pennywise." She turned her gaze toward the counter, finally noticing Travis standing there beside Grace.
Her brows rose in surprise, eyes darting between them with a curious smile. "Well, well, this is new. Didn't know you took customers this late, Grace… or is he your secret lover?" she teased, stepping closer to get a better look.
Standing beside Grace, she let her eyes sweep over Travis, taking in his sharp jawline, his confident stance. A blush crept across her cheeks as she met his eyes.
"You know what," she added with a smirk, "I totally get it. If I had someone like him around, I'd probably keep him to myself too."
"No, he's not my secret lover. He's here to see Eve," Grace said with a playful eye-roll, her tone dry but amused. "You remember, we saw him with her last time?"
Odette's eyes sparkled with recognition. "Ohhh, so this is him, in HD," she purred, stepping closer with a mischievous smile. "Hey, handsome."
Grace quickly grabbed her by the arm, gently pulling her back. "Odette, go get Eve, would you?"
Odette smirked, glancing back at Grace with a raised eyebrow. "Why don't you get her?" But her question was met with a sharp glare from Grace, which made her shudder slightly. Sighing in mock defeat, she turned and disappeared through the door to find Eve, leaving Travis and Grace alone.
Tuuku sidled up to Travis, extending a hand with a friendly grin. "So, what's your name, bro?"
"Travis," he replied, shaking his hand firmly before glancing at Grace with a hint of a smile. "And you must be Grace, right?"
She looked slightly surprised but nodded, accepting his handshake. "Yeah, that's me. Did Eve tell you about me?"
"She did," he said, his eyes meeting hers with a confident, playful glint. "Nothing but good things. Eve really admires you, you know."
For a moment, Grace felt her cheeks heat up, momentarily thrown by his intense gaze and charming smirk. She realized she was still holding his hand and quickly let go, giving a small, flustered laugh.
"Oh, that's… that's nice to know," she replied, running a hand through her hair. "Do you… do you want some water? I can grab some for you if you'd like."
He shook his head, his expression relaxed. "No, I'm good, but thanks. Actually," he added, turning to Tuuku, "I didn't catch your name?"
"It's Tuuku," he replied with a grin, folding his arms casually. "I'm a resident here."
"Nice, man," Travis replied with a chuckle. "Just as long as none of these residents are evil," he added, a light-hearted grin on his face.
Tuuku laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Oh, don't worry about that. Though you might want to watch out for Odette. She's a vampire."
"Noted," Travis replied, grinning. "Guess I'll be extra careful about bleeding around Odette, then."
They all laughed, the sound echoing warmly through the shop, and for a moment, Travis felt a comfortable ease with this new group.
"Hey, what did I do?" Odette asked, a teasing tone in her voice as she returned, Eve following behind her.
Grace stepped forward and pulled Odette aside with a firm grip on her arm. "You better not say anything dumb, or you're sleeping outside tonight," she warned, her voice low and threatening.
Odette, unfazed, nodded. "Don't worry. I wouldn't want to ruin my little Eve's chance to get laid. Even if I find her new friend… fuckable." She grinned at Travis, a cheeky look in her eyes.
"Good," Grace replied coldly, her eyes narrowing. "Now don't talk."
Odette smirked but fell silent as Grace turned to Eve, who was already chatting with Travis. It was clear to Grace that the two of them were already close—something that made her heart swell with pride. Eve had found someone, and it made Grace happy to see her friend bonding with someone so… confident.
"Eve," Grace said, stepping forward, "why don't you give Travis a full tour of the place? Me and Odette will close up."
Eve's eyes lit up as she grabbed Travis's hand, giving him a playful tug. "Um, sure! Let's go, Travis."
The two of them walked outside, leaving Grace and Odette behind.
As soon as they were gone, Odette broke the silence with a smirk. "Man, Eve is so lucky. She gets to fuck such a guy for her first time."
Grace rolled her eyes, but curiosity got the better of her. "Who took your first time?" she asked, a slightly annoyed tone creeping into her voice.
Odette shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't remember. Woke up one day, and I wasn't a virgin anymore," she said with a carefree chuckle.
Both Grace and Tuuku looked at her in disgust, unable to hide their reactions.
"What? I'm joking," Odette added quickly, laughing at their expressions. "It was my crush back in middle school. I'm a slut, but I know damn well I'm not that easy."
Grace let out a deep breath, clearly relieved. "Jesus, Odette. Don't scare us like that."
Odette just shrugged again, a playful glint in her eyes. "What can I say? I'm just being honest."
TO BE CONTINUED