Same Time

one.

j a i m e e

+

The door to the diner gives a musical welcome as I push it open, hitting me with a much needed gust of warmth. The familiar smell of greasy food hit me, and I wasn't complaining. I ordered my usual, curly fries and the Chicken NewYorker, before scanning the diner until I saw my friends at the table in the corner.

"You took your time." Libbie said impatiently, cocking her eyebrow as I walked over to the table with my food.

"Not my fault." I shrug, laying into my burger. "Had homework to mark and it took longer than I thought. For fifth graders, some of my kids are just unbelievable."

"What a shame." She rolls her eyes with disgust, "It's disappointing to see the state of this new generation. We were causing chaos at their age and now they can't even spell without using their phones!"

I watched her rant in amusement, the corner of my lip tugging up as her impatience started to show.

"You've not been laid, have you?" I ask her knowingly.

The argument that she was having with herself stopped and she stares at me as if I've just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

She's so predictable.

Just as I'm about to continue, she lets out a cry and puts her head on the table, shaking it back and forth which I took as a yes.

"See what I've been putting up with?" Taylor sipped his coffee, his lip curling up as he gestures his head towards our friend. "She needs a husband before her sex deprivation kills us both."

Libbie's head shoots up from the table at his words, narrowing into slits. "Are you joking? The only thing that's going to kill you is when you burn to death when that coffee gets thrown in your face."

"I'd like to see you try, dollface."

"Well I know how you can solve your problem." I smile at them too nicely for it to be authentic, before deliberately moving my eyes to and from each of them.

"I'd rather choke on my coffee."

"Ew, Jai! No. Absolutely not." Libbie's lip curls upwards but I know that it's an act. She's wanted into Taylor's pants since he first hit puberty. "If my day gets any worse I'm asking hell if they have an exchange program. I can't do this anymore."

"How's work, Libb?"

"I hate it. I thought working at a nursery would be fun but kids are scary." She shudders, "I also discovered that my only chance at happiness is with cats and ice cream."

"You never stop complaining." Taylor whines, throwing his head back dramatically.

"Have you seen my life?" Libbie fires back instantly.

Libbie's always been one of the constants in my life. Her effortless banter and kindness was something that drifted me towards her in pre-school and I've been stuck with her since. I've known Taylor that long too, but we only became close when I started dating his best friend. Even after our breakup, Taylor still made time for both Libbie and I. Even though they argued like sailors, I knew that they'd finally get together one day. He was too soft and gentle in front of her to not be nervous, and she's too openly obsessed with him to deny that she's into him.

Chuckling, I start to finish the rest of my burger as their childish banter continues.

The door to the Diner opens, the bell echoing, but I'm too focused on my food to care.