Just Friends

*11*

"Order up!" The kitchen calls, alerting Alice, who spins around on her heels to grab the order. She makes her way smoothly through the diner to the table awaiting their order.

"Alright, cheeseburger with extra pickles and onion rings, and a veggie burger with fries. Can I get you anything else?"

"That's all for now, thank you dear."

"Of course, just shout if you need anything." She offers the elderly couple a genuine smile before making her way back to the counter to clear the dirty dishes.

"Alice," Pop calls not even two minutes after she walks to the kitchen to bring the dishes.

"Yeah, Pop?"

"We've got customers and they've requested you." He tells her with a suspicious smile.

"Me?" He nods. She quirks an eyebrow but walks out of the kitchen to see who's requested her. "Which-" The question that was on the top of her tongue is quickly answered for her when she sees her friends scrambled into a booth and staring at her with cheeky grins. "I should have known."

She walks over to their booth with an unimpressed look on her face. "I told you guys not to come in here while I'm working," Alice reminds. "Especially you." She groans, shoving FP's shoulder.

"Ow! What did I do?" FP fakes confusion but the grin on his face tells her he knows exactly what.

"I'm never gonna hear the end of this from you." She tells him, gesturing to the uniform she's wearing."

"Could be worse," Hermione says. "You could be forced to wear the dorky little hat."

"Yeah I think Pop is the only who can make it work." Fred agrees.

"I think I'd look good in it." FP declares, watching as Alice raises an eyebrow at him.

"Ask Pop for a job then." Fred suggests.

"Are you kidding me? The only thing worse than Alice and FP working together would be you and FP working together. They'd never get anything done."

"You give me no credit, Mione'." FP whines.

She narrows her eyes at him. "Do you blame me?"

"Are you guys going to order or did you just come in here to gawk?"

"We came to gawk and eat," FP answers. "I'll just get what I usually do."

Alice rolls her eyes. "You know it's customary to actually tell me your order."

"But you already know my order."

"I know I do, but other people might not."

"We'll you're not other people."

"Whatever, how about you two?"

"Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake." Hermione orders.

"Double cheeseburger, chilli fries and a root beer float." Fred requests.

"Got it, that should be out soon." Alice tells them as she finishes writing down the order.

Just as she's about to turn around Fred calls after her. "Oh and a plate of onion rings for the table!"

"Yes!" FP enthusiastically agrees.

Hermione scrunches her nose. "And some breath mints please."

After taking some more orders, Alice busies herself with clearing and cleaning vacant tables. She's in her own little world, humming along to the jukebox, that is until the bell above the door rings and catches her attention.

She lifts her head to greet the customer but freezes when she lays eyes on Jamie. She hadn't realized just how much his words had affected her until now, when she feels her stomach turn at the sight of him. His words repeat over and over in her mind, and she numbly stacks the dirty dishes onto a tray, hoping to sneak into the kitchen unseen.

That plan is quickly foiled as she keeps her eyes trained on him and only him, completely missing the diner patron who had just come out of the bathroom. It all happens quickly, she's so close to being out of his sight, and then she crashes into a tall man, the dishes crashing to the floor with unnecessary noise. That catches Jamie's attention instantly.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Alice apologizes profusely to the man.

"No, I'm sorry, I got in your way."

"No really it's alright, I wasn't paying attention, I should have been looking where I was going." Alice insists as she bends down to picks up the larger pieces of broken glass.

"Is everything alright over here?" Pop rushes over, his face riddled with concern.

"Yes, sorry Pop, I..." she trails off as she locks eyes with Jamie. "I wasn't paying attention."

Pop looks over his shoulder, trying to see what she's looking at. He finds the boy standing at the counter and catches on instantly. "That's okay. Why don't you take a little break?"

"I'm okay. I'll clean this up-"

"I'll take care of it. Go sit with your friends, cool off for a few minutes."

She nods, her cheeks red from embarrassment and she scurries over to the booth filled with her friends. Unsurprisingly of which, are all staring at her with concern. She slips into the booth beside FP and hides her face in her hands. "That was so embarrassing."

"What happened?" Fred asks her.

"I was in my own little world, I totally missed that guy."

"You definitely didn't miss him." FP chuckles, earning a jab from Alice's elbow. "Sorry, sorry."

"Was it because you saw Jamie?" Hermione asks.

"Jamie's here?" FP looks wildly behind him in search of the boy.

"Don't make it obvious you idiot. But yes, I was."

"Did something happen? I thought you guys were cool?"

She wants to tell him what Jamie had said, and she's about to, but then she thinks about it and thinks of how FP will react she quickly changes her mind. "I guess I'm just not over it like I thought I was, that's all."

"Gotcha." He curls his arm around her shoulder and pulls her in close. "It'll be fine, you'll find someone new in no time and forget all about Jamie."

If only it was that easy.