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Vera is tending to customers inside the shop. “Oh, Millie. Just in time.”
“In time for what?”
“Tea, of course. Silly girl. Sit.” She peers out the window. “Is that Oliver with you?”
“Yeah,” Millie says without looking. She hopes Oliver doesn’t come inside.
“Oh, I guess he not coming in.” Vera waves at the window, and Millie breathes a sigh of relief. Thank god for that.
She takes a seat at the remaining empty table and watches Vera pouring the tea for her customers. Something in the way Vera moves sets Millie’s mind at ease. Her movements are slow and careful and gentle. The movements of a mom. Vera places a small teacup in front of Millie.
“Drink.”
The tea is so bitter that Millie grimaces when it touches her tongue, but the next moment, it turns honey-sweet. She sighs, closing her eyes and sinking into the chair, letting the comforting taste of it cleanse her spirits. How does Vera know exactly what to give her? Millie stays like that for a long time, sipping tea and keeping her eyes closed. When she opens them, the customers have gone.
“What happen, Millie?” Vera says, sitting down across from her.
“What do you mean?”
“You look like sad person.”
“That’s kind of rude.”
“Is it?” Vera takes a sip of her tea. “I know sad person because I use to be one. Also, Oliver text me and ask me to look after you.”
Ugh. Somehow, knowing that Oliver did that makes it even worse. Now Millie feels nothing but animosity toward him. How could she ever think he was attractive? He’s nothing but a wet, spineless mama’s boy.
“I’m fine,” Millie grumbles.
Vera looks like she’s about to say something, but the doorbell tinkles and Aimes walks in. Vera’s face brightens. “Aimes! Just in time for tea.”
“Hey, Vera,” Aimes says. “Sana and Julia mentioned how obsessed you are with protecting your skin from the sun. So look what I got you.” She takes something out from her bag. It looks like a normal visor, but then she tugs at it and an entire face shield unfolds. “Tada! It’s the latest visor design. It covers your entire face.”
“Wah!” Vera cries, putting it on and admiring it.
Millie watches with a small prick of envy. She should’ve thought of getting something for Vera, especially since Vera has done so much for her. But, no, Millie is nothing but a selfish girl who only knows how to take and take and take. No wonder Oliver didn’t want her.
“Hey, Millie, how’s it going?” Aimes says, sliding into the seat next to her.
Millie blinks and gives herself a mental shake of the head. “Yeah, fine. You?”
“I’m…” Aimes takes a deep breath. “Not amazing, but I think I’ll be okay.” Biting her lip, Aimes gives Millie a small smile. “I have something to confess to you.”
“To me?” Now Millie is thoroughly confused.
“Oh!” Vera says. “I just remember, need to take something from upstair. You girls talk, just ignore me.” With that very fake-sounding announcement, Vera clomps up the stairs, leaving the two of them alone.
“Yeah, so…” Aimes licks her lips. “Um, Xander and I weren’t really dating.”
“What?”
“Our relationship was fake, all of it was made up for social media. He’d come over to my place once a week, and we’d work super efficiently and make a whole bunch of reels, and that was that. We didn’t even hang out or anything. As soon as we were done, he was out the door.”
Millie’s head spins as she struggles to follow what Aimes is telling her. “But—I don’t—what? So you’re not his girlfriend?”
“No. Never was. I’m sorry I lied to you about it.”
Millie shakes her head. “You don’t owe me the truth. We barely know each other.”