KNOCK OUT [LH]

Chapter 18: You're A Virgin

[A/N: I picture Sofia Carson as Stephanie^ but choose whoever obvs!]

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Marching up to Meredith's only diner, I quickly secure both of the scrunchies holding my double french braids in place and shove a hand deep into the pocket of my jeans, taking in one last deep breath before pushing open the shiny silver door with my other.

Timidly entering the diner, I let my eyes dart around the place. Aside from the few strangers scattered around, nursing a steaming cup of coffee or munching on fries, the majority of the booths are empty which only makes me more nervous.

You got this, Winnie. In and out. In and out.

I stay lingering by the entrance, half-hazardly scanning the floor for the familiar glossy black ponytail and soft pink uniform, but the waitress is nowhere to be found.

Well, I'd say this was a pretty respectful attempt.

With an animated shrug I quickly spin on my heel, ready to walk right back out the shiny silver diner door, but before my fingertips can so much as graze the handle-

"Winnie!" 

I feel my stomach sink as the preppy name calls out my name, making me suck in another deep breath before I force a pleasant smile on my face and spin back around to greet the waving waitress, who now stands behind the diner bar as if she's just popped up from the floor, coffee pot in hand.

"Stephanie!" I mimic her high pitched tone, wincing slightly at how horrid it sounds and slowly wave back. "Hey..."

Ok, so let's rewind for just a second.

Maybe grabbing Calum and sprinting out of the house like we'd just robbed a bank while Luke, Ashton, and Michael called after us, wasn't the best way to handle last week's situation. But can you blame me? I had heard some pretty incriminating information.

Luke Hemmings wasn't fully interested in his girlfriend, Stephanie—the sweet, bubbly and beautiful waitress who, to make matters worse, apparently saw my friendship with the boxer as a potential threat to their relationship.

Of course, after avoiding Luke and overthinking the whole debacle rather than getting some much needed sleep this past week, I had naturally come to the conclusion that Stephanie's insecurities in the stability of her and Luke's relationship was surely the root cause of the boxer's disinterest; which ultimately meant that I am responsible for the strain between the two.

Which is why I've showed up today to settle Stephanie's doubts and fix this small bump in the hypothetical FanFiction road, keeping this project on a proper trajectory.

"I'm so happy you finally popped in." Stephanie says with a big smile, motioning me over to take a seat at the bar.

I follow Stephanie's instructions carefully, feeling as if one minor misstep will awaken the jealous beast that's surely fighting to take over her bubbly demeanor and totally rip me a new one right here and now.

But I'm honestly just hoping for the best.

"You know, I was actually starting to think you were avoiding me or something." Stephanie laughs lightly, watching as I slowly take a seat on one of the puffy pleather stools and scoot it forward causing the cushion to audibly squeak from under my bum.

"What?" I awkwardly laugh along with her, my voice still stuck in the cringingly high octave before I quickly clear my throat and add, "No way would I want to miss out on-uh...this."