The Story Of Us

The Not-A-Date

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[ Room 34A 😎🥳😤 ]
Thursday 5:45

ginger: hey hey i'm gonna be
back a little later than expected

blonde bitch: bugger
blonde bitch: we're getting
behind on below deck!!!

ginger: i know i know
ginger: i promise we can binge
this wknd

blonde bitch: we better.

Thursday 5:47

blonde bitch: where are you anyway?
blonde bitch: u caught up @ lib?

ginger: grabbing food

blonde bitch: w cas?

ginger: no they went home already
ginger: .....
ginger: im w james tho

blonde bitch: NO FUCKING WAY
blonde bitch: AHHHHHHHH

ginger: shhhhhh
ginger: just fortescues
ginger: casual
ginger: friends

blonde bitch: lmao alright
blonde bitch: friends my ass

ginger: marls.

blonde bitch: you're going to
marry this man

ginger: AS IF.

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Now that Lily and James were sitting across from each other at the quant cafe, having snagged a table outside, it did feel awfully like a date. She had forgotten Fortescue's did table service after 5:00. During the day, you just ordered at the counter inside.

Lily tucked her hair behind her ears and picked up the menu, studying it intently as though she didn't already know what she wanted.

"I haven't been here in ages," James said excitedly, looking at his own menu. He hardly seemed bothered by the formality of this arrangement. "Did y'know Alice's grandparents own the place?"

Lily raised her brow, "Oh, no, I didn't."

James nodded, still reading the menu with interest. Lily looked at him from above hers, watching how he silently mouthed the words out loud to himself, humming in satisfaction every now and again when something sounded especially good. She laughed to herself, biting her lip as she focused back on the words on the page without reading them at all.

"Hello, folks!" A smiling waiter appeared beside them, clapping his hands together. "I'm Davey, I'll be your server tonight." He placed a head on his chest and nodded to each of them. Davey. The name rang a bell, and Lily frowned at him, trying to place it.

If Davey noticed Lily's curiosity, he didn't comment on it. "Are you two celebrating anything special tonight? Birthday? Anniversary?"

Lily's eyes widened in James' direction, and she quickly shook her head. "Oh— No— we aren't— we—" She fumbled over the statement, feeling her thoughts race ahead of her.

"Just friends out to dinner," James said smoothly, smiling at the waiter. Again, it didn't seem to bother him, and that made Lily slightly annoyed. Hadn't he wanted to date her?

Davey made a small gasp. "Right, sorry about that!" His cheeks heated and he cleared his throat. "Let's talk about the specials, then..."

Lily wasn't really listening as Davey rattled off the specials for the night. She was staring at James who was staring at Davey, and she was becoming increasingly peeved by how pleasant he had been so far this evening. James, on the other hand, listened intently, nodding along and telling Davey thanks as he walked away.