Riza slid out of the booth, smoothing her shirt and grabbing her bag. "I'm going to the restroom. BRB," she said casually, flashing a quick smile.
"Have fun," I replied, leaning back and sipping the last of my milkshake.
"Of course," she said with a giggle, her ponytail swaying as she turned and walked off toward the restroom.
I watched her go for a moment, letting the silence settle, but it didn't last long. The door to the booth slid open, and in walked Lydia, humming a cheerful tune to herself as she balanced a tray in one hand. Her expression was as mischievous as ever, her sharp eyes immediately landing on me.
"Well, look who's been left all alone," she said with mock sympathy, collecting the empty plates from the table. "Abandoned at midnight, no less. What a tragedy."
I sighed, already feeling the heat rising to my face. "She's coming back," I muttered.
"Oh, I'm sure she is," Lydia replied, stacking the plates with practiced ease. "After all, who could resist such a devoted loverboy?"
I groaned softly, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Can you not?"
"Not what? State the obvious?" she quipped, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, it's written all over your face, hon."
I crossed my arms, trying to keep my composure. "You don't even know what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't I?" Lydia asked, her smirk growing. "You're blushing so hard you could light up the dark side of the moon. And don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at her when she left."
I clenched my jaw, trying to ignore the way her words dug under my skin. Lydia leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. "You've got it bad, don't you?"
"Alright, that's enough," I said, my tone sharper than I intended.
Lydia tilted her head, her smirk not wavering for a second. "Touchy, touchy. You're fun to mess with, you know that?"
As she turned to leave, tray balanced on her hip, something inside me snapped. Before I could think it through, I reached out and grabbed the corner of her apron. "Wait."
Lydia stopped, glancing down at my hand with exaggerated surprise before looking back at me, her smirk twisting into something more devious. "Well, well, well. This is new." Lydia's eyes widened briefly before she burst out laughing. "Oh, hon, you're adorable," she said, leaning down so her face was level with mine. "Look, while I do find you quite cute, I'm afraid I've already got a boyfriend. Sorry to break your heart."
"That's not what I—" I started, but my words caught in my throat as she leaned in closer, her tone suddenly dropping to a sultry whisper.
"Women love a bold, aggressive man," she said, her eyes gleaming. "Take my boyfriend, for example. The first time we met, he backed me into a wall in the elevator. Had me thinking he was going to ravage me right then and there."
I blinked, my brain struggling to process her words as she leaned even closer, effectively cornering me against the booth. "I was so flustered I could barely breathe," she continued, her voice turning wistful. "But you know what? It worked. Because he was confident. He knew what he wanted."
She straightened up abruptly, her smirk returning to its usual mischievous form. "Seriously, though," she said, her tone shifting back to casual. "There's zero chance she's not into you. Trust me on this one."
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, a sharp throat-clearing sound cut through the booth like a knife.
Lydia froze, her eyes widening in mock horror as she turned toward the door. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together in exaggerated surprise. "Caught red-handed!"
Riza stood in the doorway, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. "Jealous, are we?" Lydia teased, her voice dripping with playful innocence.
Riza's gaze didn't waver, though I could see the faintest twitch of a smirk at the corner of her lips. "Not in the slightest," she said coolly. "But I'd love to know what exactly I just walked in on."
Lydia glanced back at me, her smirk widening as she grabbed her tray. "Oh, nothing. Just giving your boy here some friendly advice." She turned back to Riza, winking. "Take good care of him, alright? He's a keeper."
With that, Lydia strolled out of the booth, humming to herself as if nothing had happened. The door slid shut behind her, leaving Riza and me in a thick, awkward silence.
Riza slid back into her seat, her eyes locked on me. "Well?" she said, leaning on the table with a knowing smile. "What was that about?"
I buried my face in my hands, groaning. "You don't want to know."
The warm hum of the diner enveloped the scene as Pepper handed over his payment at the front counter. The cashier offered a polite thank-you, and he glanced back over his shoulder toward Riza.
"I'll wait for you outside," he said casually, already heading toward the door.
"Go ahead," Riza replied, waving him off with a quick smile. "I just realized I forgot my phone at the booth."
"Alright," Pepper said with a shrug, pushing the door open and stepping out into the cool, quiet corridor.
The moment the door clicked shut behind him, Riza let out a shaky breath. Her heart pounded—not because she'd forgotten her phone, because she hadn't. Instead of heading back to the booth, she turned toward the service area, where Lydia stood stacking trays and chatting with another server. Her palms felt damp, and she wiped them nervously against her shirt before taking hesitant steps forward.
Lydia spotted her immediately, her sharp eyes lighting up with recognition. A knowing smirk tugged at her lips as Riza approached. Before Riza could say a word, Lydia leaned casually against the counter and spoke first.
"Well, well," Lydia began, her voice dripping with amusement. "If you're here to stake your claim, don't worry—I promise your boyfriend is safe. Hands off."
The teasing words made Riza's cheeks flush, but instead of bristling, she shifted awkwardly, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I-it's not like that," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lydia's smirk faltered slightly, her brows knitting together in mild curiosity. "Oh? Then what brings you back, sweetie?"
Riza fidgeted, pushing her index fingers together as if willing them to form the right words. "I-it's… I'm not worried," she stammered, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "I just… I…"
Lydia tilted her head, her playful demeanor softening as she leaned forward. "Hey, it's alright. Take your time."
"I'm worried," Riza blurted out suddenly, her words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm worried I'll miss my chance."
Lydia blinked, momentarily stunned. Then her expression softened into something kinder, almost maternal. She reached out, placing a gentle hand on Riza's shoulder. "Oh, honey," she said softly. "What chance are you worried about missing?"
Riza's face burned as she twisted her fingers nervously. "I—I don't know if he even notices me like that. And I don't know what to do to… to make him look my way."
Lydia's eyes widened slightly before she let out a soft laugh. "Sweetheart," she said, shaking her head gently, "you think he doesn't notice you? That boy is absolutely smitten."
Riza's eyes snapped up to meet hers, disbelief written all over her face. "W-what? No, he's not! He's just… nice to me because we're friends."
"Oh, please," Lydia replied, her smirk returning. "I've seen the way he looks at you. The way he lights up when you laugh, the way he hangs on every word you say. That's not just 'friends.' That's someone who's already fallen—hard."
Riza opened her mouth to argue, but Lydia raised a hand to stop her. "Trust me. You don't have to do anything special to get his attention. You've already got it. Just be you."
"But what if I'm wrong?" Riza asked softly, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "What if he doesn't…"
"You're not wrong," Lydia said firmly, her gaze steady and full of certainty. "I've been in the business of reading people for years, and trust me—he's yours. He just hasn't figured it out yet."
Riza swallowed hard, her throat tight as she processed Lydia's words. "You really think so?"
"I know so," Lydia said with a wink, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Now go on. Don't overthink it."
Riza took a deep breath, Lydia's words still echoing in her mind as she made her way back toward the front of the diner. Her heart felt like it was racing, and she tried to steady herself, brushing her hands against her sides as if to wipe away the nervous energy.
"Don't overthink it."
Easier said than done, she thought. She reached the front of the diner, where Pepper stood near the entrance, leaning casually against the wall. He looked up as she approached, a small, easy smile tugging at his lips.
"Find your phone?" I ask, my tone light and teasing.
"Uh, yeah," she said quickly, her voice a little too high. She cleared her throat, forcing herself to calm down. "I left it in the booth. Good thing I remembered."
I raised an eyebrow, it sounded kind of fishy, but I didn't press the issue. "Ready to head out?" I asked, pushing myself off the wall.
"Yep," she replied, nodding a little too eagerly. She fell into step beside him as they exited the diner, the cool air of the corridor washing over her. It felt grounding, helping to settle the flurry of thoughts swirling in her head.
As they walked side by side, Riza found herself glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He was relaxed, his hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze ahead as if the weight of the world wasn't pressing on him like it was on her. She envied his calm.
"So," I said after a beat, breaking the silence, "what's next? Still up for that late-night movie marathon, or do you want to call it a night?"
Riza hesitated, her mind flashing back to Lydia's words. "You've already got his attention. Just be you."
She bit her lip, her heart hammering. Maybe Lydia was right. Maybe she didn't need to do anything special. Maybe she just needed to let things happen naturally.
"Actually," she began, her voice tentative, "how about we grab some dessert? There's that place on Deck 7 that does those crazy ice cream sundaes."
I turned to her, a surprised but pleased look on my face. "All that food and a milkshake, and now ice cream at this hour? You're really living on the edge, huh?"
She laughed, the sound easing some of her tension. "Hey, if you can handle midnight burgers, I think I can handle a sundae."
"Fair point," I said with a grin. "Alright, lead the way."
As they walked toward the lift, Riza felt a small spark of confidence. Lydia's words lingered in her mind, but for the first time, they didn't feel overwhelming. She glanced at Pepper again, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
Maybe Lydia was right. Maybe she didn't need to overthink it. For now, she'd just enjoy the moment.