Chapter Text
Sophie was starving and a little hungover. Her latest conquest last night had an empty fridge and didn’t drink coffee. What kind of insane person doesn’t drink coffee? Her head was pounding in her temples. She wasn’t planning on taking any detours before brunch with Jordan but here she is walking in the opposite direction with her sister and her friend, Imani, chatting enthusiastically about some girl at the flower shop.
Sophie was trying her hardest not to groan out loud at her bubbling annoyance. She didn’t care about flowers. She just wanted coffee and the greasiest breakfast the diner had to offer.
Jordan reached the door first and held it open for Imani who gave her a nervous smile and walked inside. Sophie looked like she was hungover as hell.
“Uh, sis, maybe you should stay out here? Imani really likes this girl and I feel like you’re going to terrify her looking like that..”
Sophie didn’t care about Imani or any flower shop girl. She forgot her sunglasses and pushed her way passed her sister and into the shop to escape the brightness causing her headache to worsen.
Once Sophie had escaped the damn sun outside and adjusted her eyes to the shop, she finally noticed all the flowers and plants of various colors, heights, and scents. She thought it’d be overwhelming, smelling all these different flowers at once but it was strangely soothing. Jordan walked passed her toward Imani who was nervously standing at the counter, waiting for the woman behind the counter who was turned around going through some papers on a shelf behind the register.
Jordan approached Imani and whispered something to her before nodding her head and walking back over toward Sophie with an amused smirk on her face.
“What’s with that face?” Sophie was not entirely paying attention to her sister and her friend’s conversation as they walked here. She was too busy fighting the urge to go to the diner alone.
“Imani has got it bad for flower shop girl. And she’s trying and failing to ask her out.” Jordan whispered and laughed softly, not wanting Imani or the flower shop girl to overhear her.
Sophie was now just plain curious. What could be so interesting about a girl who worked in a flower shop? Her eyes were now fixed on the back of the woman who had Imani nervously playing with her hands at the counter.
The woman was still digging through a pile of papers and seemed to be getting frustrated. She titled her head up toward the ceiling with a frustrated sigh before calling out, “Mary! Are you back there? Have you seen the new order forms?”
The woman turned around and smiled softly at Imani, who seemed to stop breathing. Sophie took a breath. She was not expecting the woman to be so attractive. She knew exactly why Imani was so nervous while standing there, that close to that woman. That woman with the dark, sparkling brown eyes, bright smile and curly black hair. Sophie wasn’t sure how long she’d be staring, but she was quickly brought back to reality by a sharp elbow to her ribs.
“Ow! What the hell Jordan?!” Sophie turned to glare at her sister, not realizing how loud she was as her voice echoed in the small shop.
Jordan raised her eyebrows and tilted her neck forward in disbelief. And she turned back toward Imani and flower shop girl.
Sophie followed her gaze and her eyes locked with the woman that had her staring long enough to earn her the rib jab in the first place. She swallowed hard and felt the heat in her face and neck.
A moment later, another woman walked through the opening behind the counter carrying a stack of papers. She smiled at Ryan. Sophie figured it was just a natural reflex, one of those people that you just can't help but smile at.
“Sorry, I was finishing my makeup in the back, but these are the new order forms.” The woman offered apologetically.
“Thank you, Mary and let me say, you are looking so fine girl!” The flower shop girl took her time to appreciate the woman’s outfit and even spinning her around. “Thank you for these.”
The woman, that Sophie now knew whose name was Mary, smiled wide and squeezed follower shop girl’s arm before handing her the stack of papers and retreating back through the doorway.
Sophie watched as Imani physically deflated at the interaction. If Sophie was being honest, she felt a little disappointed too. It wasn’t like they kissed or anything but they definitely had something going on? Imani spoke to flower shop girl and placed her order before walking back toward Sophie and Jordan who were still standing by the door.
Imani rushed passed them and Jordan quickly followed her outside. Sophie watched them go and turned her head back toward the counter where she once again caught the eye of flower shop girl. Her eyes actually sparkle. She tilted her head slightly with curiosity. Sophie, realizing she was staring again, whipped her head around and walked outside to join her sister and Imani.
“Damn, I should have known she probably already had a girlfriend, but I really hoped she didn’t.” Imani was practically whining to Jordan about her disappointment.
“Yeah, well that girl is fire! I’m not surprised she’s taken.” Jordan responded. “And you did take weeks to work up the courage to try to ask her out, so that’s on you.”
Imani huffed, “Whatever, let’s just forget about it." They started walking back toward the diner.
Sophie, lingering behind them, had just been listening and walking and thinking. Mostly about the girl from the flower shop and also, a little bit about her interaction with the other girl at the shop. It could have just been a friendly compliment and twirl? It’s not like they kissed or anything. She was going to keep that thought to herself though. She was already annoyed with Imani’s whining and she still had the lack of caffeine slash slight hangover headache.
They finally reached the diner and once again Jordan held the door open for both women as they walked in. The hostess led them to a booth and Jordan sat next to Imani as Sophie took her seat across from them. Now that she smelled good and coffee, it was her main focus to scan through the menu.
As soon as the waitress approached the table, Sophie ordered herself coffee and a huge breakfast of bacon, eggs, and home fries before the waitress had even given her name. Sophie smiled apologetically and added that she’s a little hungover.
The waitress laughed and proceeded to write down their orders before disappearing into the kitchen. She quickly came back with three coffees and the promise that their food would be out shortly.
Sophie just barely touched her coffee mug to her lips when Imani started her whining again.
“Maybe they weren’t together. Maybe they were just really good friends?” She turned her hopeful expression toward Jordan who sipped her coffee and sighed.
“Maybe? What do you think Soph?” Jordan asked Sophie.
Sophie raised her eyebrows and rolled her lips inward. Damnit. She wasn’t going to get involved. She definitely had her suspicions but she was selfishly wanting to find out for herself and not for Imani.
“Well, idk. It’s not like they kissed. But the touching seemed a little more intimate than friends.” Sophie confessed.
“Speaking of intimate,” Jordan interrupted with a mischievous grin. Sophie knew exactly where this was going. “What did you do last night? Or should I say who?”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “You know, I’m all for you being supportive of my coming out, but that doesn’t mean you get to know all my business.”
“I don’t understand how you can just sleep with just anyone. Don’t you want something, I don’t know, long lasting? Someone that’s consistent?” Imani just had to add her two cents as well.
“I can sleep with whoever and there’s no drama. No strings. No expectations. And I don’t feel the need to pine after someone that I didn’t even have the courage to ask out or even ask if she was available.” Sophie snapped at Imani a little more aggressively than she meant. She hadn’t had enough coffee yet for this.
Imani cast her eyes down and remained quiet. It was Jordan’s turn to chastise.
“Okay, chill. You can sleep with whomever you want to but, Imani has a point. Someone consistent would be good for you.”
Sophie was grateful that the waitress had just then started placing their food in front of them. Yeah, someone consistent would be nice. But she spent so much time in secret relationships and wrong relationships, she just wanted to explore her options. She thanked the waitress and dug in hoping this conversation was finished.
The three of them finished their meals quietly with Jordan and Imani only talking about the new happenings at the youth center. Sophie was glad to be left out of the conversation. She took out her wallet and gave Jordan the money she owed for the bill.
“I need to get home and sleep. The food and coffee definitely helped but I just want my bed.” Sophie grabbed her things, hugged Jordan and said goodbye to Imani before heading out of the diner. She was scrolling on her phone as she walked down the street toward her apartment. Only the sound of a familiar voice made her glance up. She stopped short as she saw the flower shop girl waving to Mary as she hopped into a black car.
“Have fun! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Be good to her Luke!”
Sophie noticed the person driving the car was a guy. Mary was going on a date with that guy. She wasn’t involved with the flower shop girl after all. Sophie didn’t realize how long she’d been stopped staring at the exchange until the car peeled off down the street. She physically shook her head and went to continue walking. She watched however as the flower shop girl adjust the arrangements in the window and before she could turn away, their eyes met for the third time that day.
That soft curiosity in her eyes as her head tilted slightly to the right. Sophie pulled her eyes away and back to her phone which she couldn’t focus on but need something to look at. She walked another five steps or so before-
“Hey!”
Sophie didn’t see anyone else walking by so she assumed the hey was directed towards her. She stopped and turned around back toward the shop. The woman was looking at her and smiling.
“Uh hey?” Smooth Soph, really sophisticated. She already probably thought she looked like death with this damn hangover.
The woman walked a few steps toward her. “You’re friends with Imani and Jordan from the youth center? I saw you with them earlier.”
“I- um, well J-Jordan is my sister” Sophie managed to stutter out. Since when does Sophie Freakin Moore stutter?
“Ohhh, so you’re the elusive sister that no one has ever seen.” Her laugh cut right through Sophie. “Jordan talks about you all the time.”
Sophie grimaced and the woman must have picked up on it because she laughed and said, "All good things!”
Sophie was totally flailing. She seemed to only have any game when she was at The Hold Up with lots of tequila to boost her confidence.
“Oh sorry, I'm so rude. I’m Ryan, I teach martial arts at the center on Saturdays.” She smiled and reached out her hand toward Sophie.
Sophie took her hand and immediately noticed how soft her skin was before she finally found her words, “Sophie. Moore.” Once she realized she had held on to Ryan’s hand a little longer than appropriate, she dropped it immediately and took a step back.
“Well, it was nice to meet you Sophie. Maybe I’ll see you around.” And with that she smiled one last time at Sophie before opening the door of the shop and walking inside.
Sophie released the breath that she had apparently been holding. She really wished she wasn’t hungover today. She turned and continued walking toward her apartment thoughts racing. Ryan. What an interesting name. She couldn’t even try to stalk her on social media because she didn’t give her her last name. Maybe she could try going through Jordan’s profile? Maybe after a nap.
Sophie finally reached her apartment kicked out of her shoes and face planted into her bed allowing her hangover and tiredness to immediately put her to sleep.