Just Sh*t: A New York City Story

Chapter 9: All Roads Lead to Mia

One evening, the boys gathered in their living room for their usual hangout. The air was filled with laughter and the smell of takeout as they settled down to watch a game on TV. As the conversation flowed, the topic of dating inevitably came up.

"So, how's it going with that girl you've been seeing, Ryan?" Judah asked, smirking.

Ryan leaned back, grinning. "She's amazing! Her name's Mia. We went out last week, and she's super into art and hiking. It's been great."

Alex perked up. "Wait, *Mia*? Like the one who works at that coffee shop on 5th?"

"Yeah! How did you know?" Ryan asked, surprised.

"I met her there too!" Alex said, excitement bubbling. "We chatted for a while when I was there for a meeting. She's so cool!"

Jackson, who had been quiet, shifted in his seat. "Mia? The one who was helping a customer with the Wi-Fi?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so?" Ryan replied, confusion growing. "Is there another Mia?"

"Yeah," Jamie chimed in, a wide-eyed look dawning on his face. "I've been seeing a Mia too! We went on a date last weekend, and she mentioned working at a coffee shop!"

The room fell silent as the implications of their conversations sank in. Each of them started to look at each other, realization creeping into their expressions.

"Are you telling me we're all dating the same girl?" Judah asked, half-laughing, half-incredulous.

"Wait, hold on," Alex said, raising a finger. "What does she look like?"

Ryan, eager to share, described her: "She has dark hair, blue eyes, and a really warm smile."

"Yeah, that's her!" Jamie exclaimed, visibly shocked. "She said she loved gaming and was really into hiking!"

"Okay, but what about her favorite movie?" Jackson asked, his mind racing.

"Um, I think she said something about *The Grand Budapest Hotel*?" Ryan recalled.

"No way! She told me the same thing!" Jamie chimed in.

"Guys, this is insane," Alex said, trying to process the information. "How did we not realize?"

Judah laughed, shaking his head. "Well, I guess we can say we have similar tastes. But this is ridiculous!"

Ryan frowned, looking conflicted. "What do we do now? Should we confront her?"

"Definitely!" Alex said, nodding. "I mean, it's only fair to find out what's going on."

"I just can't believe we didn't notice sooner," Jackson said, crossing his arms. "We need to figure this out before things get messy."

"Okay, how about we each message her and see what she says?" Ryan suggested. "If she's dating all of us, she can't keep that up for long."

The group agreed, each taking a moment to draft their messages. As they typed, laughter and teasing filled the air, lightening the mood despite the awkward situation.

Later that night, after sending the messages, they each received responses, but the truth was still a bit elusive. They decided to meet up the next day to compare notes.

The following evening, they all gathered again, this time with a nervous energy hanging in the air. Each boy had a slightly different story, but it soon became clear that Mia had been charming them all.

"Alright, who's going to confront her first?" Alex asked, biting his lip in anticipation.

"Not it!" Ryan quickly said, pointing at the others.

"Same here," Jackson added, shaking his head.

"Guys, we can't just let this go," Judah said, trying to sound authoritative. "We're all in this together."

Eventually, they decided to meet Mia together. After some lighthearted banter and a bit of mutual encouragement, they made their way to the coffee shop where it all began.

As they entered, they spotted Mia behind the counter, serving a customer with her usual bright smile. The boys exchanged nervous glances before approaching her.

"Mia!" Alex called, trying to sound casual.

She turned, her eyes lighting up as she saw them all together. "Hey, guys! What a surprise! Are you all here for coffee?"

"Yeah, something like that..." Ryan said, his voice trailing off as he glanced at the others.

Mia's smile faltered slightly as she sensed the tension. "Is everything okay?"

The boys exchanged looks again before Judah stepped forward. "We need to talk. Can we sit down?"

Mia nodded, concern etched on her face. As they settled into a booth, each boy took a moment to gather his thoughts. They knew this conversation would be messy, but it was time to get to the bottom of things.

"Look, we've all been seeing you..." Judah began, before the others jumped in, each voicing their feelings, trying to make sense of the situation.