Kiara 

Stacey was staring out the windows again, eyes lighting up every time she heard someone walk in, and then letting out soft sighs when it wasn't Tucker. Ah, straight love. It was kinda cute, but also, disgusting. 

She was wearing a tube top and low waisted, baggy jeans -- looking like a reject, white, Destiny's Child member. I may have had complicated feelings for the girl, but I'd be lying if I said she didn't have style. Currently, she was on break, scrolling through her phone, sitting around, and being generally restless. 

Seeing her unable to sit still was making me feel anxious, and a little awkward in the quiet space. 

"I like your shoes," I said, and her head whipped to me, surprised. They reminded me of the ones Michael J. Fox wore in Back to the Future -- beat up, white nikes with red checks. 

"Thank you." 

"They uh, look like the ones Marty-" 

"Yeah, the ones he wears in Back to the Future." She was smiling now, and leaned back in her chair. "I got them after watching the movies for the first time a year ago." 

"No fucking way, a year ago?" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm uncultured." 

"Uncultured is one word for it. I grew up on Back to the Future. I wanted to be Marty McFly, he was my freaking idol. Plus, maybe I wanted him a little too," I admitted. "I mean, c'mon, that hair?" 

We giggled, and then Stacey continued. "I'm so glad I'm not the only one, my brother made so much fun of me for it when I told him." I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see Ansh make his way over, carrying a chair. He sat down next to us, and turned his gaze on me. 

"Someone fill me in. What are we talking about?"

"How we think Marty McFly is hot," I replied, and he nodded, his eyes comically wide. 

"Oh yeah, hard agree. I always had a bit of a thing for his mom though." I laughed, and Stacey pressed her lips together, grinning. 

"Yeah of course you did, milflover09," I muttered, and Ansh shoved my shoulder. 

"Shut. The fuck up." 

"That username should be used as proof of why 12 year olds shouldn't make Insta accounts." 

I glanced at Stacey to see that she had a warm smile on her face as she watched us, almost a little wistful. Her hair was falling into her face and her eyes sparkled, and I found myself wanting to paint the way the sun poured golden amber on her skin. I ignored the twinge in my stomach and looked away, checking to see if anyone was in the store yet. 

It was still empty, and when I spaced back into the conversation around me, I realized that Ansh had shifted the topic to...Stacey's love life. 

"No, seriously, how have you not dated anyone before Tuck? And you've gotta be popular at your school, right?" I let out a snort, and their heads turned to me, Stacey with a death glare, and Ansh confused. 

"What, did I say something?" 

"No, it's just..." Stacey smiled a little, then, and it was almost cute. "You're so wrong it's not even funny. I'm a little lonely at school. Perks of antagonizing Ash-" She stopped, clearing her throat. "Um, yeah." 

Ansh didn't notice her little slip up, but I knew what Stacey would have said next.

"That's crazy," he wondered, "Cause you're like, one of the prettiest people I've ever met." The compliment was blunt, very strong, and so...Ansh. He ran a hand through his hair, and smiled unabashedly at her, before standing up. 

"I gotta go put away some stuff, so I'll be back in a bit." 

And then he was gone, leaving poor Stacey looking like a goldfish. I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but a quiet noise slipped out anyway. She immediately looked at me, her head tilted and eyes wide. 

"Listen, I don't know if I'm being presumptuous or misunderstanding him or something, but does Ansh realize-" 

"That he's flirting with you?" I snorted. "Yeah, no. He's like this all the damn time and it's gotten him in trouble more than once. But if you tried to point it out to him, he'd have no idea what you're talking about. He's just really friendly."  Friendly was one word to describe it. 

"Yeah, I was just wondering cause he knows I have a boyfriend, obviously." She let out a laugh. "And he was... you know, and I was confused as fuck." 

"Yeah believe me, if he was intentionally flirting with you, you would realize it. He definitely gets straight to the point."

"And you would know this because...?"

"He hit on me when I first started working here. I mean, I shot that down real quick, but." I looked up from the ground to see that Stacey was staring at me, curious.  

"Was there a specific reason you said no?"

"Well, I'd only known him for a month, but I could tell that I wanted his friendship in my life. He's a good person." I found myself unable to hold eye contact anymore, and my gaze settled on the bubble-gum pink cabinets instead. "And why ruin a good thing, y'know?" 

Silence. I forced myself to look at Stacey, and I noticed that her eyebrows were scrunched together, lines appearing on her forehead. 

"I know." 

 ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.  

Stacey 

The day had been a bit of a lull, quiet and peaceful, and I'd spent the last hour joking with Ansh. I was laughing at something he'd said when the bell at the door jingled. I looked up, still grinning, but the smile on my face soon slipped off like a melting ice cream cone. 

Oh my god. It's not her, please say it's not her, I- 

"Kiki!" Ashley squealed, all bright eyes and brunette hair and a mischievous smirk. "I missed you babe, come here." I watched silently, still recovering, as she leaned over the counter to give an amused Kiara a quick hug. 

"And who's this?" Comically, she slide her chunky sunglasses down her nose. "Oh. Stacey?" 

I sighed. "Hi Ashley." 

"Oh wow, it's been too long! We must catch up sometime," she said, but before I could even reply she was turned back to Kiara. "One scoop of chocolate please."

"Always the same," Kiara muttered, but she had a sickeningly soft smile on her face and I wanted to throw up. God. 

I turned to see if I could find Ansh but he was gone, probably to the bathroom or the kitchen or something. I went back to sort through files, my hands flipping through pages repetitively. It was monotonous work, boring, and my mind naturally wandered to the girl standing at the counter, still chatting with Kiara. 

Ashley was...complicated. We'd been close, once, back before everything happened, and as much as I hated her it was hard to forget it all. There had been good times with the bad, memories of sleepovers and popsicles in the summer and her hot pink razor scooter. 

Burning pavement, passing notes in class, chalk burrowed under fingernails. But now we were just strangers with secrets - knowing each other through and through, yet not at all. 

I remembered a bright spring day with my old friend group, back before everything went wrong. Back when my dad was still alive, and Ki's little crush on Ashley was just a silly thing. The sun was finally out after weeks of rain, and we'd gone to the bookstore. 

I had loved going to Barnes & Noble's with them, spending ages running my hands over inked pages, the musty smell around us combining with the coffee from the inbuilt cafe. Every time I went there, I picked up an overpriced book and a warm chocolate chip cookie. 

Books had always been my thing, and I wore that badge with honor, probably more than it deserved. I loved writing, using language, reading all kinds of literature. Being at the bookstore with my friends was like combining the two things I loved most; this way, I could lean on Kiara and split a cookie with Ashley while I flipped through the new book in my hands, spine unbroken and stiff. 

I was surprised, honestly, that Kiara and Ashley were seemingly still friends. But too many things surprise me about Kiara these days. I watched as Ashley blew her a kiss and left the store, ice cream cone in hand. 

 ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.  

It was mid-afternoon when Tucker came to visit, a bundle of golden fur in his hands. 

"Butterscotch!" I called out, and her head whipped to me, fluffy tail wagging harder. I looked at Ms. Connor for permission before practically ripping off my apron, going over to Tucker. 

"How you doing my sweet baby?" I cooed, and Butterscotch let out a little yip, straining to twist out of Tucker's hands. He didn't give, and she calmed down enough for me to gently scratch at the divot by her ear. She leaned into the touch, eyes closing. 

"I love her," I sighed, and Tuck grinned at me. 

"What, no love for me today?" 

"Sorry, I love your dog more," I said, but stood on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. I turned around and almost laughed at the sight before me. Kiara was staring, like really staring at Butterscotch, almost hanging off the counter to get a good look. Beside her, Ansh was a few large steps away with a vaguely terrified expression on his face. 

"Thought we had a no dog policy," Ansh said, and Kiara turned to glare at him. 

"No the fuck we don't. That rule's been gone for like, a year now." 

"Maybe we should bring it back," he mumbled, but Tuck started to speak over him before Kiara could react.

"You guys can come say hi, y'know." 

"Can we?" Kiara asked, before coming over, her eyes bright. They almost sparkled in the lighting above and I forced my attention back to the dog. Ansh had noticeably not moved from the counter. 

Tuck leaned down to let Butterscotch out of his hands, still holding onto a cherry red leash connected to a matching harness. Kiara was kneeling on the floor, sweet-talking the dog, running her hands through white fur tangled in threads of brown and gold and amber. 

"You're such a pretty girl," she said softly, and I smiled a little. I'd forgotten how in love with dogs Kiara was. She'd always wanted one, especially since she was an only child, but her parents had refused. 

But I shook my head, unwilling to let myself have the same soft spot I'd once had for her. She'd lost her chance, and I wasn't big on giving people another one. My dad had always teased me for it, called me stubborn and fixated, but I never gave in. I never would give in, I thought, watching my boyfriend and ex-friend laugh together, his dog between them.

 ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.