"Between friends, unspoken feelings can feel like a fragile thread pulled taut; one denies its existence while the other hides behind its delicate weave, both yearning for the courage to unravel what lies beneath."
Ian and Julian, long-time best fri...
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The sun blazed overhead, turning the clear blue water of the pool into a dazzling display that sparkled like diamonds. Julian sat on the edge, his feet dangling in the refreshing water, I sat by Unity — watching as my friends lounged nearby. Anne was glued to her phone, Nate was fussing with his hair while checking his reflection in his sunglasses, and Rory lay on her stomach, occasionally glancing up from her own phone. Drew was giving Joan a leg massage, didn't know what was going on there. Paul was there with Ashley. And so was Axel. Everyone was here.
"Okay, no joke," Rory groaned, still focused on her screen. "If I see one more person posting about that ridiculous Roller coffee shop, I'm going to block everyone. I swear. It's not even that good."
"Duh!" Paul replied.
"Don't 'duh' me," she shot back.
"Duh!" he dramatized.
"Dick!"
"Bitch!" he countered.
Joan smiled. "I've been saying that for weeks!"
"That's I'm a bitch?"
"No. I'm talking about Rollers — how's it's not that great. And they thought I was just being a hater. Everyone pretends to like it just because the barista is semi-famous on TikTok or something."
"Oh you agreeing with me Joan. This is new. What a shocker. What is it my birthday!"
"It's just the truth silly. Not a great place. The coffee sucks."
"Oh, Jo, I didn't realize you were such a revolutionary. A Rollers truth-teller. What's next? Exposing how Starbucks puts ice in their iced lattes?"
"You know what I mean! It's overrated. You said it yourself"
"Sure, sure. But let's not pretend your real issue isn't the fact that TikTok barista didn't remember your name the one time you went."
Joan gasped. "I told you that in confidence!"
Rory grinned. "Yeah, but it was too good not to use. I mean, you were devastated—probably because you couldn't post your own viral 'barista fail' video. That's the real tragedy here."
"You don't know anything!"
"I don't. Is that so. So you're totally not mad because your barista crush isn't blowing up on TikTok?"
"What? I don't have a barista crush."
"Sure, Joan. That's why you're always at Rollers—supporting local talent, right? Definitely not because he winks when he hands you your oat milk latte."
