Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

9. A Plastered Smile

They all settled by the window, their voices filling the café with an air of nostalgia. I placed the dishes in front of them, including the dessert I had promised.

As I served the last plate, Kiera smiled at me and said, "Sarah, why don't you sit down for a bit? Today’s a special day for us."

I raised an eyebrow, curious but guarded. "What’s so special?" I asked, keeping my voice casual.

Kiera leaned forward excitedly. "Vicky is coming to town! He’s already on his way here. You remember him, right?"

I nodded, feeling a small knot form in my stomach. Vicky. Another reminder of the past I wasn't exactly eager to revisit. But before I could respond, Kiera added with a sly grin, "And there's something else. Today, Ryan is going to introduce us to his girlfriend."

As if I ever cared. But in moments like these, there’s not much you can do except plaster on a fake smile and pretend you’re excited. So, that’s exactly what I did.

"Wow, that sounds… fun," I managed, trying to sound enthusiastic.

Just as I was forcing my best "happy" face, Nitya strutted in. Ryan waved her over, and I could see the others instantly latch onto the moment, teasing him with a chorus of loud, playful "Ohhh"s. They were all in on it, giggling and exchanging glances like kids.

I, on the other hand, could barely hide my disgust. Really? Her? That arrogant, self-obsessed girl was his girlfriend?

I plastered on an even more strained smile, hiding the storm inside me. A mix of disbelief and confusion swirled around. Should I laugh at how blind he was, or should I feel sorry for him? The girl who threw her weight around like she was royalty? This was the person Ryan, of all people, had chosen?

I wasn’t sure whether to pity him or roll my eyes. Either way, I had to keep up the act, for now.

Standing beside Ryan, I muttered under my breath, “You seem like someone who needs a lot of comfort and care.”

Ryan glanced at me. “Did you say something?”

I quickly shook my head, trying to hide my grin. “Nope, nothing.”

Just then, Vicky walked in, getting the usual warm welcome. As everyone started chatting, I tried to escape the boredom by focusing on my game.

“Sarah! It's been ages!” Vicky's voice rang out, catching me off guard. “How’ve you been?”

Vicky was Ryan’s closest friend. They were always cooking up some plan or pulling pranks together. The one thing I liked about Vicky, though, was that he was never afraid to call Ryan out when he went too far. Whether Ryan listened or not was a different story.

I smiled at Vicky. “I’ve been good. And you? You’re looking more handsome these days.”

He smirked playfully. “More than Ryan?”

I felt a rush of relief as he sat down next to me. If Ryan had overheard, I’d be in for one of those awkward situations with no easy explanation.

“I’ve got my own little studio now,” he said proudly. “I’ve been working as a photographer.”

I slid my phone aside, genuinely interested now. “That’s amazing! I’ve always loved photography, but I could never get those creative, stunning angles right.”

He chuckled. “And you? What have you been up to?”

Before I could get a word in, Rima jumped in with a smirk. “Oh, she’s juggling this café and an online gig. Plus, she just wrapped up her MBA. Quite the multitasker, isn’t she?”

Vicky’s eyes widened in surprise. “No way! That’s incredible! It’s always cool when our friends branch out. But a medical student switching to an MBA? Now that’s a plot twist!”

Rima grinned, clearly enjoying herself. “I know, right? Maybe that’s why you’ve been keeping your distance. You probably think we’re not good enough for you anymore, huh?”

I let out a nervous laugh, masking it with a confident smile. “Come on, it’s not like that. I’d never think that way.”

"Are you cool with Ryan's girlfriend?" Vicky asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Well, she's a bit arrogant—actually, scratch that, she's completely arrogant. But honestly, I’m more curious about how Ryan’s managing her."

He smirked. "You’re not jealous or anything?"

I chuckled. "Jealous? Not at all. I’m more excited to see how everything plays out."