Hikaru's Troubles

Hikaru chewed on her lip lightly, bouncing her heel as she looked around the bar. This definitely wasn’t her scene - even in University, she’d been to bars but they’d never been where liked to hang out. She liked the library, or the ‘bar’ on campus that was more like a cafe for most of the day. Maybe that was why she’d taken to working at the cafe despite the early hours.

But she’d been invited out since she had the day off tomorrow, and she needed to make more friends in the city. She loved Margot and Hannah, and Ollie was… well, Ollie. Everything. And even April was great, just kind of complicated for her. But she knew she needed a bigger social circle. Her super weird time with Zara early that morning had made that clear that she’d kind of been a bit of a stick in the mud shut-in, and she didn’t want to be like that.

“Hey, you OK?” Paula asked as she came back to their little table with a pair of beers, setting one in front of Hikaru. “I saw that guy chatting you up, but he left.”

“I told him I wasn’t interested,” Hikaru said. “He didn’t push.”

“Not like that other guy,” Paula grimaced. The first one who had come to hit on them - both of them - had been a dickhead. Paula hopped up onto the stool and stretched a little before settling in. She’d invited Hikaru out so they could get to know each other better, and Hikaru had been a little nervous about it because becoming friends with your boss sounded like it could be a problem if things went bad. And she was also friends with Ollie, which could make things complicated for him and that was the last thing Hikaru wanted. But the fact that she was friends with Ollie was also a green flag, even if it meant Hikaru was sort of horning in on another of his friends.

“No, thankfully,” she blushed, nodding along with Paula.

“So, what’s the deal with Oliver?” Paula asked.

Hikaru almost choked on her own spit and blinked a few times as she cleared her throat. “Sorry?”

“I guess I mean, what’s the deal with all these pretty girls who keep coming in with Oliver?” Paula clarified. “Like, I’ve met Margot and she’s his neighbour and they’re friends. And I know he went on a date with the brunette girl I saw him with one morning, but there was a redhead with them too and it was kind of early. And they were both really pretty.”

“Oh,” Hikaru said, blushing a little. “That was April and Zara. April’s his girlfriend now, and Zara is… her best friend, I guess? She was visiting from out of town last week.”

“OK, that makes more sense,” Paula nodded and then took a sip of her beer. “He’s a total sweetie-pie, but I was like, ‘What is going on with him?’ I guess I’m glad someone made a move on him and he isn’t, like, being conscripted into a cult or something.”

“The cult of the hot women?” Hikaru asked with a chuckle.

“Exactly,” Paula laughed. Then she shook her head. “Well, if this April girl is smart, she’ll stick to him like glue. I was trying to give him some signals before that all happened that I’d be interested, but I guess he never really saw me that way. He really is a catch, with his intelligence and personality. And I do like a- OK, maybe this is TMI, but I kinda like a big-boned guy.”

Hikaru did **** on her own spit that time and had to cough and clear her throat.

“You OK?” Paula asked with a chuckle, rubbing her upper arm.

“Yep,” Hikaru croaked. “Totally fine. Super OK.”

“That wasn’t too much, was it? I’m used to gabbing with the good baristas who I can be friends with,” Paula asked.

“Not a problem,” Hikaru said, internally screaming as she outwardly smiled. “Ollie is a special guy. April’s definitely not looking to let go though.”

“Well, give me a heads up if that changes, huh?” Paula said with a little smile. “I’m not looking to be a rebound, but I would want to make a move before one of his other friends clues in and all of a sudden it’s a competition.”

“Will do,” Hikaru said through her clenched smile.

Nope, this friendship wasn’t going to be awkward at all.

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