"How come she isn't here yet?" I grumbled impatiently. "We've been waiting for like.. a century. I think I can feel my ass beginning to sag."

"Ew, I didn't need to know that," Ethan gagged. "And just be patient, I'm sure she'll be here soon. Anyway, why don't we talk about something interesting while we wait?"

"Sure, what did you have in mind?" I questioned, tilting my head at him as a waiter approached us and placed two mugs of coffee on the table we were seated at. After thanking her, Ethan let out a hum, "What are your opinions on guys who wear skinny jeans?"

"What do you mean? They look alright, I guess," I shrugged. 

"Oh look at you pretending to be straight," he snorted. "In my opinion, they look gross." Just then, a man who seemed to be in his early twenties walked past our table - and he had a pair of tight skinny jeans on which defined his slim legs perfectly. 

"I stand corrected," Ethan mumbled upon noticing him.

"Hold on, what do you mean by I'm pretending to be straight?" I gasped when I'd comprehended what he had just said. "I am straight."

"Oh yeah? And I'm a flying donkey."

Before I could curse him out, I spotted Hailey making her way over to our table. She dragged a chair over to the table and took her seat before attempting to tie her hair up. However, when her hair refused to stay in one position and kept coming loose, she let out a frustrated groan and settled with having her hair down.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" I questioned as she drummed her fingernails against the desk obnoxiously. 

She let out a heavy sigh, "You'll see. First, you guys will have to wait a little longer. Is that alright with you?"

"Why?" Ethan whined. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Yes, I invited Barbara as well," she said with a smile.

"Alright then, I guess we can wait a little longer," he said with a yawn before gagging right after. "Oh crikey, my breath smells like death."

"I have mint candy in my bag, you want some?" she offered, beginning to dig into her handbag.

"You don't have to," he protested, waving her off.

"No, I insist," she persisted, still rummaging through her bag before finally pulling out a peppermint candy. 

"I don't mind, I can deal with my stank-breath," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"But I do mind," she snorted before tossing the candy over to him, which he caught effortlessly with a bitter expression on his face. Just as he popped it into his mouth, I noticed Barbara walk into the café. 

"Why is she so late?" Hailey complained with a noise that reflected her frustration. 

"Look who's talking, you showed up like a year late," Ethan commented, still salty. 

"Oh shut it, fungus breath," she began with a snarl. "I had things to do."

"Damn, are you the point one per-cent germs that my hand sanitizer failed to get rid of?" Ethan mumbled under his breath. 

This was just their usual friendly banter. It was nothing to be worried about. If you put someone like Ethan and Hailey together in a room, you should expect at least an hour of them taking turns at insulting each other - but there was never any ill intentions involved. They were just doing what friends do best.

Barbara finally made her way over to our table and took her seat beside Hailey, "Sorry I'm late."

"Alright, now that we're all here," Hailey said with a heavy sigh. "I wanted to ask you guys some questions. Kairo, you like Alexandria, right?"

I tilted my head at her in confusion before nodding slowly, "Yeah?"

"Okay. Ethan and Barbara are aware that you have feelings for her, right?" she urged. 

"Well, yes they are. Why are you asking me this?" I questioned, taking a sip of the coffee I'd ordered before gagging at how bitter it was and setting the mug back on the table. 

"I'm getting there," she said before turning to face Barbara. "You and Alexandria are friends, yes?"

"Yeah we are, I guess," Barbara shrugged in response, folding her arms across her chest. "You're acting strange, is everything okay?"

"Would you ever cheat on me?" Hailey questioned, disregarding Barbara's question. 

"What in God's name? No, never. I would never cheat on you," she reassured, tucking a strand of Hailey's hair behind her ear. "I would never hurt you like that."

"Aw," Hailey cooed with a pout. "You pinky promise?" She extended her pinky out towards Barbara with a hopeful expression. Barbara, in turn, hooked her pinky around Hailey's and they both shared a warm smile. 

"I pinky promise," Barbara spoke.

"You know," Hailey hummed, shifting in her seat. "In ancient times, they used to cut off your pinky if you ever broke a promise."

"Oh, really?" Barbara responded, pursing her lips. "I didn't know."

"Mhm, looks like it's time to cut your pinky off then, huh?" Hailey began with a sour expression on her face. Before any of us could say anything, she continued with a bitter chuckle, "Sadly, it's not allowed anymore. So, when were you going to tell me? Were you even going to tell me at all?"

"Why are you being like this?" Barbara stammered. "Did you take something?"

"I know what you've been doing my back, Barbara. Quit playing dumb," Hailey spat, standing up in her place and grabbing her handbag. "And why don't you tell your dear friend Kairo over there whom you've been cheating on me with?"

My blood ran cold. It couldn't be. 

Barbara slowly turned to face me with bloodshot eyes, "Kairo, listen-"

"Is it Alexandria?" I questioned, my voice barely above a whisper. "Is that why you've been acting so distant lately? Is that why you and Alexandria became so close all of a sudden? You've been having an affair with her? Is that it?" 

She stared down at her lap with a guilty expression on her face. Hailey scoffed at her now ex-girlfriend's plight and turned around before storming away. Ethan gave me an apologetic look and mouthed the words 'I'll be outside' before following Hailey out of the cafeteria. 

Barbara and I were left sitting in silence together. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as hard as I could at the thought of my best friend having an affair with my long-term crush and not even bothering to tell me about it herself. When I began to taste something metallic in my mouth, I stopped biting onto the skin and resorted to clenching my jaw instead. My eyes were beginning to sting with tears, both my vision and mind a blur. 

I swallowed at how bad my heart was aching and let out in a shaky voice, "Did you even give her the letters?"

"I did, I promise!" Barbara exclaimed, still refusing to look me in the eye.

"She didn't really say she wanted to talk to me, did she? She doesn't feel the same way, right?" I said with a forced chuckle. "You could've just told me, you know? Instead of giving me false hope."

And with that, I stood up and walked out of the cafeteria, finally letting the tears cascade down my cheeks as the feeling of betrayal finally sunk in.

At least I left her there to pay the bill, Karma's a bitch.