A Zora Story

Chapter 1

Zoey's Part
Zoey decided she needed new friends as she drove from Hatchetfield High to Beanies for her shift. The friends she had now were just too... problematic. She thought fondly of those kids she'd seen lately at Beanies. The ones that looked like they lived there. They all got along so well, and Zoey needed that in her crazy, upside down world.
     "Maybe I can be friends with them somehow," she murmured to herself as she pulled into the Beanies parking lot. She grabbed her green work apron off the passenger seat of her car before getting out and entering Beanies. She immediately looked to her right, and to no surprise, there sat the Smoke Club. Those kids that went to Hatchetfield High with her, the ones she'd seen in here for hours for the past week, the ones she so desperately wanted to be friends with.
Zoey sighed and checked her watch. She still had five minutes before her shift. She tried to gather some courage to go over there and talk to them. She'd placed their orders before. How much harder could it be? She mustered up all the courage she had and started what seemed like the longest walk of her life over to the lively group. She took a deep breath and spoke the words she'd been wanting to say for the longest time.
     "Hey could I sit with you guys?" She held her breath and bit her lip with worry.
     The booth's inhabitants looked up at Zoey curiously. The moment seemed to drag on forever. At the table sat one girl and two boys. The girl wore a denim jacket and black skirt with her messy brown hair pulled back into a little bun on her head. The boy next to her had on a dirty old tye dye shirt with a red, dusty baseball cap on. Across the table sat a boy with black hair swooping across his forehead, wearing a black windbreaker and a collared pale pastel shirt. The girl spoke first.
     "Yeah, of course! I'm Aubrey!" Zoey smiled at the girl's kindness and took seat next to the second boy.
     "H-hey," he smiled shyly. "I'm B-Benny."
     "Zoey," she introduced herself. "I have a shift here in a few minutes."
     The boy with the baseball cap lit a cigarette and lifted it to his mouth. "You take our orders sometimes right?"
     Zoey smiled and said, "Yeah sometimes. I'm usually in the back though. Uh... what's your name?"
     "Danny," the boy puffed and blew out a stream of smoke. Next to Zoey, Benny grimaced. Danny studied Zoey for a few seconds before adding, "You go to Hatchetfield High?"
     "Oh, yeah. I'm a senior," Zoey replied, but she was distracted by something over by the counter. The group followed her gaze to a girl fresh out of high school with auburn hair and a stern yet soft face. Zoey's face was relaxed but anxious at the same time, with something flickering in her eyes.
     "Hey Zoey, you alright?" Aubrey asked, a little smirk playing on her face.
     "Huh? Oh," Zoey looked sheepishly at the table. "Yeah I'm fine, I just..." her eyes slowly drifted back to the girl behind the counter.
     "Her?" Danny snorted with laughter. "Nora?!"
     "Danny," hissed Aubrey.
     "No it's fine, Aubrey. Uh, yeah I kinda might like... her...?" Zoey blushed.
     "Awww," Benny smiled. "Th-that's sweet. You should go talk to her."
     Zoey shook her head. "I couldn't. Every time I try I just freeze up and I can't think or do anything."
     "I'm sure it'll all work out, Zoey. Just keep trying," Aubrey encouraged.
"Thanks, Aubrey. Thanks guys. Well, I need to go. Shift time," Zoey sighed regrettably.
"Alright. B-bye Zoey. Come back after?" Benny offered.
"Yeah we'll still be here," Danny gruffed.
Zoey laughed and smiled before getting out of the booth and waving her new friends goodbye, a new hope in her heart. She made her way over to Nora behind the counter, who smiled at her as she approached. Zoey glanced back at her new friends, who smiled and gave her a thumbs up. "Hey Nora," Zoey greeted her. "How are you?"
     "Oh, hey Zoey. You're in the back again today," Nora said with a small, friendly smile before going back to organizing the cups and plates on the counter. Zoey frowned. How was she ever supposed to talk to this girl if she didn't talk back? Zoey huffed and went to the back of Beanies.

Nora's Part
God she loved seeing Zoey like that. She'd noticed the girl the day she'd walked in and asked for an application. Nora had been thrilled when she'd gotten the job. But lately, Zoey has been looking sadder and sadder. It made Nora miserable knowing she couldn't do anything. She'd watched Zoey's car pull up in the Beanie's parking lot, seen Zoey get out of her car, head the little bell jingle above the door, before watching that sweet young girl walk bravely over to those obnoxious kids that never left. Zoey sat with them and the group talked and laughed until Zoey had to leave for her shift. Nora could see them keep glancing over at her, especially Zoey.
"Does it mean anything?" Nora asked herself. "Probably not, you're just being stupid. They were probably trash-talking you, just like everyone else." When Zoey came for her shift, Nora didn't know how to respond to her.
"Hey Nora. How are you?" Zoey asked.
Nora froze up momentarily. How was she? She was conflicted. Should she tell Zoey how she felt, or should she just kiss her? Instead she said, "Oh, hey Zoey. You're in the back again today," with a small smile at the end. Then she quickly busied herself with arranging the cups and plates so Zoey couldn't see how flustered she was. She listened until the other girl's footsteps had died away before sighing and taking the next order.
"I'd like a hot chocolate please," said a tall boy with glasses and overalls. Nora sighed. This boy ordered the same thing multiple times a day. He was with the group that never left.
"We'll bring it right up," Nora said with a forced cheerfulness. All she wanted to do was think about Zoey. How beautiful she was. Her hair fell so perfectly, unlike Nora's messy red hair that she stuffed under her hat everyday. She took the boy's money for hot chocolate and sent the order back to Zoey. Today was going to be a long day.