H2O: Just Add Water | Season 5

Room For 2

"It's been two days since the moon pool, and nothing!" Emma said in anger.
"Maybe they're better as friends," Cleo said as Emma walked around her cleaning tables.
"Are you kidding me Cleo? Look at them!" She said and pointed toward the stage, where the band stood, and Rikki and Nash were busy laughing.
Just as they looked, Bella left the band and walked over to the two. "I thought we were gonna talk about the setlist for the next show, but all we do is listening to his jokes. You know I love them, but I can't do it anymore." She said, and packed her hair in a ponytail.
Emma leaned against one of the tables. "We gotta step up our game. Guess we need to actually push them in the right direction."
"Well what about a romantic dinner?" Bella suggested.
"It's perfect!" Emma jumped in excitement.
"I don't know guys, romantic isn't really Rikki's thing..." Cleo said, shifting her weight from one leg to another.
"Nonsense, everybody loves some good ol' romance! Even Rikki," Emma said. "I have a plan!" She called. "I'm gonna convince Rikki to leave me in charge, and in the meantime, Cleo is gonna take our lovebirds for a walk around town."
"Why me?!" Cleo cried out.
"Because I need Bella here with me." Emma pointed out.
"But what should I even do with them?"
"I don't know, take them to the marine park. I'm sure you'll find something." Emma said. "Now I'll go to talk to Rikki."

Emma walked over to the two and pushed her way between their bodies. "Am I interrupting?"
"Um yeah, kinda," Nash said, both gave her confused looks.
"What do you need, Em?" Rikki said.
"Well I was thinking - how about you'd leave me in charge tonight and have an easy day? You work way too hard."
"That, sounds like a fantastic idea." She said. "But should I do?"
"You could go shopping with Cleo!" Emma said, as it just popped into her mind. "She's free today anyway!"
"That actually sounds really nice." Rikki turned to Nash. "Wanna join us?"
He shrugged. "Ugh, I can't, I need to be here with the band,"
"No you're not." Bella joined the conversation. "I'm giving you a day off."
"Are you sure? I mean, we coul-"
"Relax," She cut him off. "I wanted to try some new things on Nate's keyboards anyways. Go have a good time."
"Uh, well okay then, guess we're going shopping." He said.
Rikki grabbed his hand and walked towards the door, but then turned around to Emma. "Whatever you're planning here, just make it gone by nine. Okay?"
Emma nodded in surprise, and Rikki left with Cleo and Nash.

"Phew," Bella said.
Emma placed her hands on her waists. "Better get to work then. We're gonna need another helping hand, better call Will."

SKIP

"Where are we going next?" Said Nash, ah he carried Rikki's bags.
"Well," The blonde girl said, taking a sip of the coffee in her hand. "I could really use a new pair of sneakers."
"Sneakers for a sneaky girl," He joked, making her laugh.
Cleo, in her way, just dragged along behind the two. She was chewing on the straw from her green smoothie and was slowly getting tired of third-wheeling this situation.
"How about we'd stop to eat something?" Nash said.
Cleo jumped in alarm. "No!" She called. "I mean, why pause when those sneakers are waiting for us?"
"I am getting kinda hung-" Rikki started saying.
"I think I saw an Adidas store right over there!" Cleo said and pulled Rikki by the hand, with Nash running behind them. She figured she had to keep them away from food, if there was a meal planned. She wasn't fully on board with the idea, but she had to make sure this dinner if going as planned as her friend's wished.
Additionally, Cleo thought it would be nice for Rikki to finally find someone, and Nash really was perfect for her. It would be a nice having a new, refreshing couple in the group, she thought to herself sometimes.

SKIP

"Why are we doing this again?" Will asked as Emma fixed his suit. Emma, using her determined will power, somehow managed to get four matching dark red butler uniforms, with one waiting for Cleo in the office.
"We're doing this to bring these two crazy lovebirds together, as they are supposed to be." She said and let go of his jacket. "All done. Bella, check on the food in the kitchen!"
Bella rushed into the kitchen, leaving the two alone.
"I don't think this is gonna work. I know him, and I know her too. They're gonna hate this." Will said.
"Will, I'm not paying you to make unneeded comments," Emma said and placed a vase in his hands, and walked away to the storage room.
Will stood there for a moment. "You're not paying me."

SKIP

"Cleo, why do you need us to come with you? The café is not locked," Rikki said as Cleo pushed her and Nash towards the café doors.
"I know, but if you two would help me, I'd find what I lost even faster." She lied.
"What did you lose?" Nash asked.
"Uh... My..." Cleo looked at a billboard that featured a new animated movie about dogs. "My puppy...phone...case. Yeah."
"Since when do you have a puppy phone case?" Rikki asked in disbelief.
"I bought one last week. I got two actually, in blue and pink." She improvised. "You could borrow one if you'd like!"
"No thank you,"

They stopped by the café doors. "Wait here," Cleo said and walked in, leaving the couple outside, under the slowly darkening skies.
After about a minute of waiting, Rikki couldn't hold herself. "Heck, this is my café! I'll walk in whenever I want to!"
She pushed through the doors, followed by her male friend.
They both stopped at their feet when the walked in. The room was a bit dim, and one table by the bar was lit by candle light. A bouquet of dark red roses laid on the table, which was covered in a fancy map, with golden plates and cutlery. A bottle of champagne rested in a bucket of ice on the bar behind it, and their four friends waited in matching uniforms next to it.
Rikki's jaw dropped. "What... The..."
"...Hell?" Nash completed her words.
"No need to talk tonight," Emma said and led the couple to the table.
"What would you like to eat?" Bella joined. "Although, we only made spaghetti, so say spaghetti."
"Cleo, music!" Emma ordered, and Cleo rushed and turned on the boombox, which was pre-packed with slow love songs.
"What is this supposed to be?" Rikki turned to her friend.
"A romantic dinner for two," She said proudly.
"Romantic?" The couple jumped in confusion. "Why would you think we needed romance?" Nash said.
"We're just friends Em." Rikki added.
"I told them this was a bad idea." Will said, from his place behind the bar.
"Don't fight it, you guys! Let the magic happen!" Emma was very determined for this to work.
"Seriously Emma? We're not a couple," Rikki laughed.
"I mean, dating Rikki, again? I'm flattered that you think that I'm that capable, but no," Nash added and they both laughed.
"But- but- You two are prefect for each other!" Emma said in frustration.
Nash placed his hand on the side of Emma's arm. "Emma, I have a girlfriend. And Rikki is not even looking for a relationship." He then stood up and grabbed his keys. "Well, I'm out of here."
Rikki followed and stood up too. "Me too," She said. "You four better clean this all up before closing, got it?"
The four friends nodded in discomfort.
"C'mon Rikki, I'll give you a ride home." Nash said and with that they both walked out.

Emma sat by the table in disappointment. She couldn't believe her perfect plan did not work. They weren't even into each other! Could she actually be wrong?

Almost in attempt to break the ice, Cleo said, "Well, if you don't mind, I will grab some of that spaghetti, I'm starving."