RomCom Cliché

Chapter Nine

Setting her knife and fork down on her empty plate, Rebecca leaned back in her seat as she picked up her cup of coffee and stared at Freen. 

Early morning sunlight filtered in through the windows facing the street, turning her to gold as she finished off her own breakfast, and Rebecca couldn't help but stare.

She was enthralled by her; everything about Freen was intoxicating, compelling, and Rebecca couldn't get enough of her. 

It was clear to her that her infatuation ran deep, never quite satisfied with the amount of time spent with Freen, but she was pleased with how normal it all felt.

As promised, nothing had changed; they texted each other most days, mostly stayed at Rebecca's place, and frequently went out for dinner and to some sort of date activity planned by Rebecca in advance. 

More often than not, they went to that bar that Rebecca liked for cocktails and bickered about who had better music taste, or whether Romeo and Juliet should be considered a romance.

Nursing a slight hangover, Rebecca was silently basking in the delight that came with waking up beside Freen and spending the morning together.

Setting her own cutlery down, Freen swallowed and then cleared her throat. "So... are you busy today?"

Rebecca hummed faintly, "not really. Nothing important, anyway. Why?"

"Do you maybe want to run some errands with me?"

Eyebrows rising a fraction, Rebecca smiled slightly. "Errands? Sure. I'll text my driver--"

Freen let out a small laugh, moving over to Rebecca and stilling the hand already reaching for her phone. 

"No, no. No chauffeurs. You're doing this the poor way, on a bus."

"Any particular reason why?"

"I already told you," Freen lightly replied, "I don't want things from you. I know that it's your way of showing your appreciation for people, but that's not my way and I think... well, I don't want to take advantage of that. I just- I like spending time with you."

Rolling her eyes, Rebecca smiled sharply, "well, no one could accuse you of using me for my money, if that's what you're worried about."

"There are certain experiences that build character. Riding the bus and walking through the city are two of them. So is going to a laundromat."

Wrinkling her nose, Rebecca laughed quickly, "how do they build character? It's quicker and more efficient to pay someone to do my laundry for me and drive me around if I'm not driving myself. I have precious few hours to myself and I'm not wasting them on laundry."

"It's the monotony of it," Freen countered, clearing away their empty plates. "Come on, you're the romance expert; aren't there a million movies about how it's not all grand gestures, but the little things as well?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Rebecca climbed to her feet.

"I mean... I guess. They're just not as easy for me to pull off as the grand gestures though."

"What, it's easier to... hire Taylor Swift to serenade us for an evening than to go grocery shopping with someone?"

"I mean, I can contact her people if that's what you're into," Rebecca said with a quick grin.

Rolling her eyes, Freen stacked the dishes in the dishwasher as Rebecca tidied away the carton of eggs and milk. "I've just never been a fan of grand gestures. I don't like people... going out of their way for me."