Olivia

I sigh as I slump onto the chair behind the counter. I stretch and try to shake off the tiredness that school always leaves me with.

"Tough day?" Nick asks from where he stands at the till.

I nod, already too tired for words.

He grins. "You know what will cheer you up?"

"What?" I mumble. I place my chin in my hand.

He pulls out his phone. Technically we aren't supposed to have our phones on us, but when the bakery is dead and there's nothing else to do we go on them. It's not like mom catches any of us.

"Some cat pictures," he says with a smug grin.

I jolt up in my seat. "Yes please!"

He pulls up some pictures of his tabby cat, Chole. "Aw!" I exclaim, melting at her big eyes staring up at the camera. "She's so cute." He keeps swiping until he's run out of new cat pictures to show me.

"She's been so cute lately," he says with a fond smile on his face. "And super excitable and playful."

"That's a good thing, right?"

He nods. "Especially after how ill she was a little while again."

I smile softly. "I'm glad she's doing better."

He grins down at me. "Me too."

I stare up at him. At his ocean blue eyes. If they were an actual sea I think I would drown in them. Lose my way from shore and swim too far out. Somehow, as I'm getting lost in those dark eyes darkness takes me. I lean forward and something tickles my face.

This isn't right.

I lean farther until something grazes my lips.

What about Charlie?

What about him? I'm here with Nick.

Our lips touch.

But it's not like how I always thought it would be. There's no fireworks going off, or sparks flying everywhere. There's not even a need for passion or a wanting to go further. It's just his rough dry lips on mine. His face too close and his breath tickling my face. He doesn't even reach up to cup my face.

I pull back, not opening my eyes right away. I don't want to see the disappointment on his face.

Am I disappointed?

Why wasn't this kiss everything I thought it would be? It was supposed to be this perfect thing. This moment where I knew he was my future. But I didn't see any of that. I didn't feel anything like that.

I open my eyes.

There's no disappointment on his face. There's just... understanding. We stare at each other for a moment. This time it isn't filled with secret longings or leaning closer to each other. Were we never meant for one another after all?

"That was..." Nick starts.

"Pretty bad," I finish.

He chuckles. "I wouldn't say that."

I frown. Does he think we're meant for each other after all? It wasn't a passionate kiss, or even one that was decent. It was just... it just, there were no emotions behind it.

"It wasn't us though," he says. He averts his gaze.

"There wasn't anything to it."

He nods.

A bark of laughter jumps out of me. I can't help it. It was a horrible kiss and here we are, two sort of adults who can't even describe how bad it was.

Nick startles and looks at me with wide eyes.

It makes me laugh more. And soon enough he's joining in. Our laughter fills the empty bakery. Tears start to form in my eyes from laughing for so long. My stomach starts to ache. I try to take deep breaths to calm myself down but then I look at Nick and I'm laughing again.

It takes us about twenty minutes before we stop laughing and can look at each other without starting again.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I had so much hope for us. I had the biggest crush on you!" I laugh at the thought.

He chuckles and shakes his head. "You weren't really good at hiding it."

My face warms a little. I duck my head and grab a strand of my hair. I twirl it between my fingers. "So... you knew then?"

He nods. "I like you too."

There's no thrill when he says it. No jolt of excitement that goes through my body. I crinkle my nose. "If that kiss is any indication I don't think it's going to work."

His eyes seem to droop a little at the idea. He sighs and runs a hand through his wavy hair. "You're right. I know you are."

I nod, unsure of what to say now.

"I hope this doesn't mess anything up between us," Nick says. He still won't look at me, instead he stares at the door.

I reach out and touch his arm. It's then that he looks at me. "It doesn't."

He smiles. "I'm glad to hear that."

I smile.

"Is there something between you and Charlie?" he blurts.

My eyes widen. "No? Why would you ask that?" But the no doesn't sound convincing to me.

And by the way Nick's looking at me he's not convinced either. "That guy came in everyday for a week straight whether you were here or not. And he bought your favorite fudge every time he came in.

My face gets hot. I duck my head and try to hide behind my hair. "Charlie did that?"

"He did."

Maybe everyone is right. Maybe everyone but me sees it. Maybe I'm lying to myself about Charlie. But... could we actually work? We were only working together for a short while, and then we were going to go our separate ways. There was never going to be anything between us.

But that's changed. Or, at least, that's what everyone around me is saying. So who's really lying? Myself? Or them?

"You like him, don't you?"

"I don't know," I whisper.

Nick reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"I hope so." Because it feels like I'm running out of time to find my future.