RomCom Cliché

Chapter Four

Rising with the sunrise again, Rebecca fell into the usual routine of her week as she turned over the events of the night before.

It had played on her mind all night, a grin on her lips as she'd read through a few files before bed, but she wasn't sure what to make of it all. It was thrilling in the way that all new things are, but Rebecca just hoped that the feeling held.

Smoothing out her bedsheets and padding downstairs in her silk robe after a quick shower, she was disturbed from making breakfast by the sound of her phone ringing.

Swiping it from the counter, Rebecca glanced at the name and answered. "Irin."

"Morning. How'd the date go?"

"It was... interesting. She's a bit... distant."

"So, perfect for you then?"

Rebecca let out a snort of laughter, "hey, I've worked on that a lot, thank you."

"I'm just teasing. But you had fun?"

"Mhm. Well, I mean, we actually got to talk this time."

Irin sighed heavily, "you'd save yourself so many problems if that came first."

"Well, I prefer to--"

"Don't finish that sentence," Irin groaned as Rebecca laughed. "You're lucky you haven't brought a serial killer home yet, you know. You really should consider spending the night at their place."

"But my mattress is better. And my coffee. And I like my water pressure. And I have the best--"

"Yes, yes, everything you own is the best. I know. I still have that robe I stole from you."

Rebecca plucked at the front of the one she was wearing with a mournful look crossing her face. "That one was my favourite."

"I know but you said it was a parting gift."

"Well, that just would've been petty to ask you to give it back after you dumped me."

"You're crabby this morning. Are you sure the date went well?"

Rebecca was silent for a moment, chewing on her lip as she gripped the edge of the countertop and deliberated.

Nam was her oldest friend, the one who was brutally honest and had an opinion on everything, but Irin was the one she could be the most vulnerable with. After a moment she sighed.

"This is going to sound ridiculous but... I genuinely can't tell if she likes me or not. She said she doesn't dislike me--"

"No, she did not."

"Those were literally her exact words when I brought it up. There's just... something about her. She's not playing hard to get, she's not being an asshole. I just feel like my very life is insulting to her."

Rebecca let out a small laugh. "Does that sound weird? She didn't even want me to pay."

"That's not unusual. Some people like to pay their own way."

"It wasn't a handout; it was a date. It was like... a personal attack on her ego or something."

"Sweetie, you don't know what it's like to be broke and meet people with so much money that you just feel embarrassed to breathe the same air. Cut her some slack. What else? Was she judgy? Did she chew with her mouth open? Those are the important ones."

Rebecca wrinkled her nose slightly.

"No, she didn't chew with her mouth open and... she was surprisingly non-judgemental. I mean, I'm not going to unload on her but there were things she asked about that she seemed to understand. I just- I feel like she's just... not as serious as I am. I get it; thirty-one is still young. Maybe she doesn't want to settle down."