The Bad Idea

➕ Bonus Chapter: Unicorn Frappuccinos

Aubrey

I had the day off, and I was meeting Frank and Gary for coffee near their place in West Hollywood that afternoon. It was always nice being the one that got served the coffee for a change... 

I pushed open the glass door of the cozy neighborhood café, greeted by the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft hum of conversations. I quickly scanned the room, spotting Gary at a table outside on the back patio. The sunlight streamed over the bistro table, casting a gentle glow over his relaxed, smiling face while he waved me over.

He stood up and gave me a big hug -- Gary seriously gave the best hugs. Warm, inviting, authentic... He was a total teddy bear and I loved it.

"How have you been, hun?" Gary asked as we took our seats across the table.

"Good... It's nice to have a day off to catch up. Eli's at the shop all day. Where's Frank?"

"He's ordering our drinks -- assuming you're getting the same as always?"

I laughed, "Yeah... Wait, am I that predictable?!"

Gary laughed along with me, leaning over the table and playfully pushing me by the shoulder before leaning back in his chair. "It gets worse... Wait until you've been with Eli for a while."

"You have faith in us, huh?" I smirked, crossing my arms. 

Gary had been stunned by the two of us getting together -- the only one who saw it coming was Andy, and part of me wondered what Gary really thought about the two of us.

"Of course I do... It shocked me at first, yeah, but... I see it, sweetheart. That man is absolutely crazy about you." He paused. "Actually, Eli may be legitimately crazy..."

I laughed, brushing off his joke while he smirked. 

"Gary... How did you meet Frank?"

Gary's eyes lit up -- he nearly dropped his glass of water that he'd been sipping from. Oh my God, he was practically waiting for someone to ask him this question, wasn't he?!

"Are you telling me you want to hear my meet-cute story, Aubrey?"

I nodded and Gary grinned, his eyes practically twinkling with excitement. I could tell he was holding himself back, forcing himself not to raise his voice, and he sat up straight in his chair while he put both hands on the table in front of us.

"I was very different when I first met Frank... I was twenty-two, super fucking hot, because this was back when I woke up early and worked out every day. I ate nothing but salads and drank nothing but black coffee. I was totally committed to being as good-looking as humanly possible, before I grew up and had more important things to worry about... This was long before my addiction to sugar glazed donuts and Unicorn Frappuccinos --"

I put up a hand, "I'm sorry, hold on, what the fuck is a Unicorn Frappuccino?! I make coffees all day and I've never heard of that, dude --"

"Starbucks limited-edition... Sweet and sour mango syrup, a dusting of pink powder, layered with a sour blue drizzle, and finished with vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of pink and blue powders."

My eyes nearly crossed. 

I was livid about never having experienced that drink, and it took all the willpower left inside of me not to take my phone out and Google how to change that, because I was pretty certain it would improve my life tenfold... 

I clutched at my chair and pursed my lips, trying to stop thinking about how pretty it must have looked. 

I almost forgot what Gary was talking about.