CHAPTER TWO

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stassie.green posted a story!

ethan sent you a chat!

ethan
You cut me out of the pic 🙁

stassie
that sucks!

ethan
So rude to someone who's a couple feet away

Opened at 8:03 am

SHE STIFFED THE smile that threatened to show on her glossed lips, forcing a sigh through her body to hopefully shake the excitement of being so close to him.

Those poor, poor IHop workers, having to seat seven people at 8 o'clock in the morning; Anastasia couldn't help but feel bad for them, espy with how rowdy the boys were being. On one side of her sat Mark, of course, and on the other, Luke. She had only talked to the man a couple times in person, other than that the two of them mainly just send funny Tiktoks to each other– so it's safe to say Luke holds a good place in Anastasia's heart. But she was still too scared to talk the amount that she usually would.

Hey who could blame her? She hasn't been around the man long enough.

On the Other side of Mark sat Lola, and across from them were Mackie, Ethan, and Dylan. And of course Ethan has to sit right across from Anastasia, with his foot brushing her shin occasionally.

Was she a talkative person? Once you got to know her, yes. It's always around new people, or people she hasn't been around often that she's quiet, until she's gained the confidence to start talking.

She felt Lola's fingers rub her shoulder, her arm laying across the back of the booth they were sat in. Anastasia was always grateful for Lola's almost inhuman ability to sense a shift in her behavior.

On the other side of her, Luke clapped his hands together over-dramatically before he picked up the menu, "Let's see what do we want," he metaphorically questioned, a ditzy look on his face as his eyes danced over the writing of the menu. Anastasia had her head turned towards him, an almost disgusted expression on her face as she watched him. "You're so..." she trailed off, bringing her hand up and motioning towards him before she pulled her lips into a tight lipped smile.

Luke's small smile faltered slightly, his face contouring into a look of offense, "What's that supposed to mean?" He questioned, his voice high pitched. Anastasia couldn't help but let out a small chuckle the act he was putting on. Even though the two of them didn't know each other that well, she was happy that they could act like this right off the bat.

She felt Mark sling an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side as he leaned over to Luke, "Don't worry bro, you'll get used to her bitchiness– Ow!" Mark winced, as Anastasia pinched his side. "I am not a bitch, Estapa. You should know better than to spread false claims." She crossed her arms over her chest, sarcastically holding her chin high up in the air.

"Hey, Stassie, what're you thinking about getting?" Lola questioned, making Anastasia look over at her, only to see her leaned over Mark's lap, her elbows on his thigh as she propped her head up. Stassie had to bite inside her lip to suppress the smirk that wanted to tug on her lips. Instead, she gave her a knowing look, raising an eyebrow, "I don't know, probably an omelette?" She sighed, picking up her glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose, checking to see if the lenses were dirty.

From the other side of the table, Ethan leaned back in his chair, playing with his hands that rested between his thighs. He thought she looked so cute; checking her glasses, her hair up and out of her face, and her frame being swallowed up by one of Mark's shirts.

It was weird, how through the phone, the two of them pretty much knew everything there was to know about a person. But in person, it was like she was a totally different person. It was like he was cast to the side, nonexistent. Sure, he knew that her sense of humor was teasing, or just flat out being mean if she knew you wouldn't take offense to her bantering. But he's not going to lie, it kind of hurt seeing her smiling and laughing with Luke and Mackie, but not him.

The most she ever offered him was a smile and a stolen glance hear and there– which he will admit the discreetness of it all had his heart racing.

But God, she was fresh out of high school, and was basically his best friend's sister. He couldn't like her. He couldn't go for her.

Ethan just watched, as Anastasia looked over the menu with Luke, and laughed at everything that came out of his mouth. He wasn't jealous though, no. He could never be jealous over a girl he barely talked to.

"Are you good, bro?" Dylan questioned from his side, gaining his attention from his thoughts. Ethan adjusted his position in his chair, shrugging his shoulders, "Yeah man, I'm fine." He offered Dylan a small smile and a nod of his head, solidifying his response.

He wasn't upset, he just didn't know how to act around her. So what better to do than to tease the shit out of her?

Ethan quickly glanced under the table to see that Anastasia sat with her legs crossed up on the booth, and smiled to himself before he placed his legs on either side of hers on the booth.

If looks could kill, Ethan would be six feet under right about now.

Her jaw was clenched as she swat her hand at his feet, and when he didn't budge, she started to untie his laces, knowing that every guy ever hated when she did that. A victorious smile graced her face when he finally put his feel back on the ground, and turned her attention back to the story that Lola was telling, which had all of the guys enthralled.

Anastasia couldn't help but giggle quietly to herself as she watched all of the guys– minus Ethan, practically drooling over Lola.

She was playing hard to get, in order to protect her friendship, and her heart.

stassiegreen has posted!

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VIEW ALL COMMENTS

edwards.73 I FUCKING MADE IT LETS GO
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stassiegreen i'll delete the photo.
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edwards.73 Wait don't

markestapa You owe me for breakfast now
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stassiegreen you literally woke me up at 6:30 stfu
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markestapa Love you too stas
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stassiegreen mhm

lola.thompson holy shit you're so hot

lola.thompson plz marry me

lola.thompson have my kids

dylanduke25 Me and my boyfriend are so cute
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edwards.73 I love my little pookie bear
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stassiegreen barf🤮
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lola.thompson i second that🤢🤢