The Kiss Bet July 2022 Ship Challenge

#12 Promise

"Sara-Lin! It's time to go!" Richard stood by the front door urging his daughter to hurry. "We're going to be late if you don't get in gear!"
"Sorry dad! I'm ready now."  Sara-Lin finished pulling on her shoes and rushed over.
The two of them walked out of the apartment together and started chatting as they waited for the elevator, him about his work and her about school and her friends.
As the elevator door opened they were surprised to find themselves face-to-face with both Yang brothers.
"Oh! Hi Joe! Um... hey Oliver" Sara-Lin said awkwardly blushing and forgetting to step aside.
"Sara-Lin! Hi!" Joe said smiling widely.
"Hey." Murmured Oliver as awkwardly as she had and also blushing.
Richard cleared his throat "Well, we're on our way to dinner to celebrate Sara-Lin finally getting a good grade in math. It's a day I thought would never come. I definitely owe you my gratitude young man." He gestured towards Oliver, and glancing at Sara-Lin out of the corner of his eye, saw her blushing even harder and looking at her shoes.  He smiled wide and snapped his fingers "Hey! To show my appreciation why don't you join us for our celebratory dinner tonight! I mean honestly how much effort did you put into Sara-Lin's grades? Probably almost as much as she did, if not more! All while having your own schooling to handle." You absolutely deserve to be part of this."
Oliver's eyes went big and he sputtered out something that sounded vaguely like "What about Joe?"
Joe just patted his shoulder and chuckling said "You should totally go! You deserve it!" Then leaning down a little whispered in his ear "plus dinner with my ex's dad would be SUPER awkward." He straightened back up and said slightly louder "I'm pretty sure Vicky wanted me to call her about something anyways so no worries about leaving me behind, go have fun!"
"Great it's settled! Now let's get moving!" Richard moved aside for Joe to step out of the elevator and then gently pushed Sara-Lin's shoulder to prompt her to step in.

As she did so she finally lifted her eyes and found herself staring directly into Oliver's. She quickly stepped besides him instead and tried to breathe through the furious beating of her heart.
See the thing was, and her dad had no way of knowing this since she hadn't told him, but she'd kinda been avoiding Oliver lately. He just was too confusing to be around. He was a grumpy, rude, jerk one moment. Then kind, caring, and thoughtful the next. His dimpled smile made her heart POUND, but when he snapped his fingers at her she wanted to break them. ... And then hold them until they healed. See! She didn't know what she wanted! But what she did know was that she had only recently broken up with his older brother. And yes Joe had moved on and was starting to begin a ... something with Vicky. But Oliver was Joe's brother. His YOUNGER brother. Didn't that make it more complicated? Or was she just making excuses? Either way, she was confused. So she'd been avoiding him.

The two guys were talking music so she figured she was safe to chance a look at the blond. She glanced up to her side, but the moment she moved her head it caught his peripheral and he turned to look at her as well.
As they stood caught in each other's stares Richard continued to talk oblivious of the moment happening besides him, or at least pretending to be.
The elevator bumped to a halt and the doors slid open making the teens both jump slightly and break eye contact as Richard smiled to himself.

Sara-Lin had gotten to choose dinner and of course chose hotpot. The three of them had easy conversation about music and writing. Richard being overjoyed to hear all about the two of them writing music together, though neither mentioned it'd been a couple weeks what with the avoidance. He even talked about his own music days and his wife's writing, getting misty eyed as he shared memories of the woman he loved.
There were several things he mentioned that were oddly similar to Sara-Lin and Oliver, and it made Sara-Lin's heart pound as she wondered if Oliver was thinking the same thing.
Everytime their feet would bump under the table they'd look at each other and he would smile at her.
'Why is he smiling so much tonight? Is he really enjoying himself that much? I mean, he's hanging out with me and my DAD... He has to just be being nice right? He's secretly bored and grumpy to be here.' Sara-Lin thought to herself.  But even as she thought that Oliver laughed at some guitar joke her dad made. Like... actually laughed, and she knew that she was worrying for no reason. He was, for whatever reason, happy to be here. Mr. I-hate-everyone-and-everything was legitimately enjoying himself with them.
'Does he just really like my dad because the music bond?' Sara-Lin wondered.
At that moment their feet touched again and Oliver once again caught her eye and as she looked at him he once again smiled. This time though instead of instanly pulling her foot away and looking back down to smile, Sara-Lin sent a soft smile back still looking at him and left her foot resting against his. He immediately blushed bright red and his eyes went huge, his smile shaking for just a second before coming back even bigger. He turned back to Richard and continued talking, but didn't move his foot either.
'Huh.' Thought Sara-Lin 'Maybe it's not JUST my dad he likes.' Now it was her turn to blush.
The rest of dinner went smoothly, conversation continuing to flow easily between the three, but neither Sara-Lin nor Oliver moved their foot from where they touched.