"Maybe someday I'll be buying you a ring 😏"
"Oop-"

"As much as I love having you around," Aunt Marie begins, "maybe you should get a job? You've got gas to pay for and maybe college in the fall."
"Thats not a bad idea," I shrug, the spatula in my hand dripping a glob of brownie batter onto the counter.
"You like coffee, what about Bean's?" Aunt Marie suggests.
"Yeah, I'll get dressed and head there once the brownies are done," I nod.

"Hey Lana!" The girl inside the stand waves at me excitedly.
"Hey!" I wave back.
She stirs a bright blue filled cup and hands it off to the guy standing by the other window, "The usual? Or did California change you?"
"The usual," I tap my debit card on my thigh as I wait for the card reader to be ready.
"What are you up to today?" She asks.
I bite my lip for a second, "I actually came to get a job application, if you guys have any-"
"Ooooo!" She claps, "I'll go grab one!"
She hurries off to the little back room of the coffee stand and returns a moment later with a thin stack of papers in her hands.
I smile as she hands me the papers and my drink and i hand her my Debit card, "Thanks!"
"No problem!" She nods.

~•~•~•~•~

"Hey Lana!" Clyde waves at me on the screen.
"Hey!" I wave back as fast as my arm can move.
The two of us sit there waving at each other for a moment before burning into laughter and stopping.
"What's new in California?" I ask, silently hoping I hadn't missed out on too much.
Clyde fidgets with the bracelet on his wrist before answering, "Rider and Amelia broke up."
"They broke up!?" I gasp.
Clyde just nods.
"I guess it's not too surprising," I shrug, still blinking the shock away.
Clyde shrugs, "not too much. What's new in Wisconsin?"
"Painted my room," I lift my phone and slowly turn in a circle, showing off the three burnt orange walls and the one sage green one behind my bed.
The dark brown trim with the two wall colors created a very fall themed room. The addition of a new dome light in the center really lights up the room.
"Very cool," Clyde nods.
I nod, sitting back on the foot of my bed, "and I applied for a job at the local coffee stand."
"Oh cool!"
"Mhm!"
There's a moment of awkward silence before Clyde and I both try to speak, causing awkward laughter.
"How's Zack?" Clyde asks.
I bite my cheeks, trying not to let my smile stretch too wide, "we're good."
"Thats good," Clyde nods, "I know how much you missed him. Just wanted to check and see how things have been going since that kiss."
I sigh, my smile dropping, "they're literally going nowhere," I groan.
Clyde gives me a sympathetic smile, "Wanna talk about it?"
I nod, "I do."