𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰 || 𝐄𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐱𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

-𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕣-

The very next day, on a Tuesday afternoon, Yvonne and you took a delayed stroll back from the break room toward the dining room as to finish up the story she had yet to finish telling. Ten minutes prior, you arrived to start your shift, while her 30-minute break was coming to a close.

"So, I kicked him in the balls and left the place." She pulled the white scrunchie out from her silky ponytail.

"Don't you think you overreacted? He was only late by 10 minutes."

The corner of her lip twitched into a smirk. "(Y/n), I'm a lady." She collected the same section and smoothed it up high on top of her head, going around it multiple times and pulling out the new ponytail. "He should know it's rude to keep a lady waiting?" She adjusted the cuff on her sleeve next. "Besides," her expression fell. "He lied to me. And I don't like liars." Online he was a 6'0 artist, but all I got was a 5'5 munchkin."

When your steps slowed near the kitchen door, you held your giggles back with your hand.

Yvonne was a tall girl. Not as tall as Jermaine, but she definitely had an inch over Armin, so just picturing the sight and the face she made when the truth was revealed had your giggles spill through.

"Maybe it's time I take a break from my 'finding' love journey." She tucked her hands into the large pocket of her apron and eased back against the wall. "I had a few crazy one-nighters but that's it. At this point, I'm just going out of my way with not much luck." She played feint with the back of her hand on her forehead ad sighed heavily. "Woe is me. What's a girl to do to find a decent man around here?"

"If I take you out for vegan ice cream, will you stop being fake sad?"

Yvonne popped away from the wall to gently laid a hand on top of your shoulder and landed one big smooch on your cheek. "Deal." She moved back with a contagious grin. She hooked her arm around yours and led you into the kitchen, where both Jermaine and Celine were found.

"Celine?" Your eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why're you in here hangin' out with Jermaine and not helping Armin?" You had slightly tapped into assistant manager mode.

Her nose crinkled. "That lady I told ya'll about last time is here," she hugged herself and rubbed her arms. "And I know she still tryna get me to meet her damn son. The last time she came through, she showed me a picture on her phone of him and-" She gagged and put her hand to her chest. Then she wiped the fake tear from her eye and sniffled. "He is so chopped bitch. I ain't never seen no man with teeth that damn yellow."

The three of you started to laugh over her exaggerations. "Cece you can't do that," Yvonne said. "You have to go back."

"Look," she held up her hand, "at this point, I could care less. Besides, it's not even busy out there, so he's fine. And technically speaking, my shift is about over now. Now that (Y/n)'s here to take over," she pointed at you, "she's ya'll problem now if she stays. Hopefully she dips early so I can be out too."

Yvonne set her eyes on the long table where Jermaine continued his work and she drew in a long breath. "Jerry, that looks great! When'd you learn how to make the cakes? And so well too?"

"I asked Raheem if he could teach me a few days ago." He smiled a little. "It deadass looks good though?" He glanced up at her and then back to the cake so he wouldn't mess it up. "Don't lie." Still, the compliment made it hard to show how good it made him feel.

You slipped you arm away from Yvonne's and stepped closer to his station. "So far so good."

Jermaine had to do a double-take when he realized how close you had gotten since stepping into the room. "Hey." At this distance, his smile blossomed into something bigger, but he kept his head down.