The Bet

Chapter 31 - A Tie?

“Ames!” Ruby cheered, stepping back into the restaurant with smugly innocent smile on her face, “Wow. Look at that line.”

Ruby slipped behind the counter, taking her time to do so and then to put on her apron and join Amy, opening the cash register beside her, “This line is now open!” she yelled and immediately, half the line came rushing towards her.

Ruby looked shocked for a minute and Amy smirked. That should teach her to not desert Amy in her time of need, she laughed under her breath. Her hands fumbled with the sandwich she was making when she heard Ruby.

“Hey, cutie-pie,” she flirted, “What can I get for you today? See anything you like?” Amy frowned. They weren’t supposed to socialise. Turning to see who Ruby was joking with, Amy’s mouth fell open.

There was Chris.

Just standing there.

Calmly, talking to Ruby, like nothing had ever happened.

Because that’s what had happened to him. Nothing.

That kiss only hurt Amy. Not him. Chris didn’t feel the same way about her as she did him and she’d have to understand that because falling for him even harder than she already had would only result in heart break. And she couldn’t handle that.

“I’m looking for Amy.” Chris huffed emotionlessly towards her flirtatious jokes and tried to peek behind Ruby, looking for her.

Amy dropped the food she was holding and ducked behind the counter with a breathy cough, trying to clear her throat and at the same time, clear her mind. Had he said what she thought he’d said or was that just her imagination? Please let it be real, please let it be real, she chanted in silent prayer.

Her cheeks inflamed as she played uselessly with her fingers, tightening and loosening them without notice, groping for every word of their conversation.

“Amy?” Ruby sang in a loud voice, only turning her head to face the kitchen and not actually going to search for her, “Oops. I guess she’s not here. You’ll just have to talk to me instead,” she laughed cheekily, “So, what’s your name, sweet-cheeks?”

Crouching down low, Amy gnawed on her lip in anticipation as she heard Chris’s next words, “Please,” he begged, “I need to talk to her.”

Amy couldn’t see Ruby but she knew that she’d rolled her eyes.

“Ames?” she called, “Stop hiding, would you? Brown eyes over here needs to talk to you,” she yelled, jerking her thumb over her shoulder towards Chris.

With an embarrassed shrug, Amy pulled herself to a standing position and came to stand in front of Chris. She smoothed down her apron as her eyes dropped to stare down at the cash register resolutely. One look and that would be all it would take for her to start bawling again. One touch and Amy would only realize further what she was giving up – what she had given up – just for that one stupid kiss.

“Chris, not now. I can’t do this at work,” she said quietly.

Ruby resumed the line on the other side and slowly, the customers standing behind Chris started to merge into her line, grumbling darkly under their voices for being tricked into losing their place at the front.

“No, Amy,” he pressed, “You have to talk to me,” he insisted and Amy couldn’t help herself but nod. She promised Julie that she would talk to him and it was now or never.

“Where’ve you been? You’re never with us at lunch and you don’t hang out with us after school – I couldn’t come visit you because of your mother...” he trailed.