"You're not normally this talkative," Vic says, a faint smile on her plump lips.
"Maybe it's because I'm around you," says Hadley. He's not sure if he's grinning or not.
Vic laughs, a one-two chime of laughter.
"So I can't bring Ryan around?" Francis asks.
Shani gives off the impression of sighing without actually sighing. "No, for the last time, you cannot bring your crush to Molly. I won't allow it. David won't allow it. Vic won't allow it. You wouldn't allow it, would you? Vic?"
Vic shrugs her shoulders non-committedly.
"Yes! See, that's a yes. I'm bringing Ryan tomorrow. I don't care what you think."
They start arguing again. Vic keeps massaging her temples. Hadley watches Vic with fascination.
"Oh, I just remembered," Vic says, abruptly. "Charlie's coming back in a week."
Shani and Francis halt in their argument. Both of them stare at Vic like she's grown an extra head.
"We have to tell David," Shani says.
"No, we don't," says Francis.
"Who's Charlie?" asks Hadley.
"None of your business," says Shani. "Curse club talk, sorry. You have to be a member to know our secrets."
Hadley doesn't roll his eyes, but he comes perilously close to doing so.
"Charlie is a sore spot for David," says Francis, vaguely gesturing at the air. "If you want to be friends with David, you don't talk about Charlie."
"What'd he do?" Hadley says. "Hurt David's little feelings?"
"Ha, I wish," says Francis. "No, he didn't hurt David's feelings. David just thinks that Charlie's the one who—"
Shani interrupts Francis with a swift kick under the table.
"Say one more word about Charlie," she says, "and I'll make sure Ryan won't come anywhere near Molly."
Francis glares balefully at her, but he says nothing.
"God, I'm starving," Victoria says, in an obvious attempt at changing the conversation. "Can't you go down the street and buy something for us?" She nudges Hadley with her elbow, and it's pathetic how Hadley's pulse quickens from something as small as a split-second touch.
"I'd get you anything you wanted," Hadley says. He's still feeling a little tipsy from that one can of beer. "Just say the word."
Francis makes a gagging sound. Shani makes a face at Hadley.
The door slams open, startling all of them.
"I have donuts!" David declares, with pride in his voice. "Good donuts! Who wants donuts?"
Vic brightens up at the mention of donuts. Hadley wishes he were a donut, so long as he could make Vic smile like that.
"Hey, you're here!" David says to Hadley, as he walks over to their table. He sets the box of donuts right on top of some important looking files. "Want a donut?"
"Dave, you're a lifesaver." Vic grabs a donut from the box. "Are you sure we can't date again?"
"I'm sorry, I really am, but relationships just don't do it for me anymore."
