desertion

131

LYDIA

The evening air is crisp and cool as we walk into the little diner tucked in the corner of downtown. Its glowing neon sign hums faintly in the night, casting a warm pink hue over the sidewalk. Inside, the smell of fried food and fresh coffee greets us, along with the low hum of conversations and the occasional clink of cutlery.

"This place is adorable," Isabelle says, her eyes darting around the retro-style decor. There are red leather booths, checkered floors, and a jukebox in the corner that's seen better days.

"Told you," I reply, smiling as the hostess grabs a few menus and leads us to a booth by the window.

Delilah slides in first, followed by Isabelle, while May and I take the opposite side. The vinyl seats squeak as we settle in, and I can already feel the familiar warmth of being surrounded by my girls.

The waitress comes by almost immediately, pouring us water and handing us menus. "Take your time," she says with a smile before walking off to check on another table.

"So," Delilah starts, leaning forward with a smirk as soon as the waitress is out of earshot. "Are we ordering real food, or just skipping straight to dessert?"

Isabelle snorts. "You say that like dessert isn't real food."

"Good point," May says, flipping open her menu. "But I'm starving, so I'm getting both."

"I want fries," Delilah announces. "And a milkshake. The biggest one they have."

I laugh. "You're really leaning into the diner experience, huh?"

"Obviously," Delilah says, grinning. "What about you, Lydia? You seem like a burger and onion rings kind of girl tonight."

"Actually, I was thinking grilled cheese and tomato soup," I reply.

Isabelle raises an eyebrow. "Comfort food vibes. Rough day?"

"Not really," I say, shrugging. "Just in the mood for it."

********

Once we've all ordered, the real conversations start.

"So," May says, turning to Isabelle with a mischievous grin. "How's Julian?"

Isabelle immediately blushes, which only makes Delilah and me burst out laughing. "Why are you all so nosy?" Isabelle groans, burying her face in her hands.

"Because you're cute when you're flustered," Delilah teases, leaning her chin on her hand. "Come on, spill."

Isabelle sighs, but there's a smile tugging at her lips. "Okay, fine. Things are... good. Great, actually. He's sweet and thoughtful, He listens, you know? Like, really listens. And he's funny in this quiet, unexpected way. It's just... easy with him."

"That's so sweet," I say, genuinely happy for her. "I'm glad it's going well."

"What about you and Miles?" Isabelle asks, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

I feel my cheeks heat up as all three of them turn to look at me. "Oh no," I say, holding up my hands. "We're not talking about me."

"Yes, we are," Delilah says firmly. "Spill, Lydia."

I sigh, but there's no point in fighting it. "Okay, fine. Things are good. Really good, actually."

"That's it? You're giving us a two-word update?" May asks, raising an eyebrow.

I laugh, shaking my head. "Okay, okay. I think I've finally learned how to be more open with him. Which I think really makes him happy, you know? But I still have my moments.."

The table falls quiet for a moment, and I glance around to see them all smiling softly at me.

"You deserve to open up," Delilah says, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand.

"Yeah," Isabelle adds.

"Thanks," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

********

Our food arrives then, breaking the moment. The table quickly fills with plates of fries, milkshakes, sandwiches, and burgers. The conversation shifts to lighter topics as we dig in-school drama, favorite movies, and embarrassing stories from our childhoods.

At one point, Delilah tries to steal a fry from May's plate, only to have May smack her hand away. "Get your own!" May says, laughing as Delilah pouts.

"Sharing is caring," Delilah argues, grabbing the fry anyway.

By the time we're halfway through our meal, the jukebox starts playing a familiar tune, and Isabelle suddenly gasps. "Oh my God, Lydia, remember this song?"

I pause mid-bite, listening. "Is this...?"

"Yes!" Isabelle says, already pulling out her phone to record. "That's what I like, Bruno Mars."

The next thing I know, we're all singing along, completely off-key but not caring in the slightest. A few people from other tables glance our way, but we're too caught up in the moment to notice.

********

As the night winds down, we share a slice of chocolate cake for dessert, laughing as Delilah accidentally drops her fork and Isabelle tries to swipe the last bite.

"This was fun," May says as we gather our things to leave.

"It really was," I agree, feeling lighter than I have in days.

As we step out into the cool night air, arms linked and laughter still bubbling between us, I can't help but feel grateful. These girls-they're my anchor, my safe place. And for tonight, everything feels perfect.