I walked through the mall, dodging perfume samples and pretzel carts to get to Taco Bell. It was funny to see Noel there. He always looked so out of place.
"Thank God you're here. I can't take it much longer," He complained.
"That's what you get for working. It's not my problem."
Noel groaned. "Say that one more time and I'll make it your problem."
"Come on. Let's go."
"I'm ending my shift!" He shouted behind him.
"I don't think so, Gruber! You know damn well we're understaffed, so I don't know where the hell you think you're going!" A gruff voice shouted back.
Noel gave me a look. "Bitch," he muttered.
I chuckled.
He looked back. "My grandmother died! Family emergency!"
"Didn't your grandmother die when you were, like, four?" I asked.
"Three. And shut up, Y/n. You want coffee, don't you?" he whispered
I nodded vigorously
"Is that so?" The gruff voice asked.
"Do you think I would lie about that? My sister is here to pick me up! Let me go so I can lament my beloved grandmother's death!"
"Fine. But you better be here tomorrow, three o'clock."
"Thanks, Doug. What a sweetheart."
"Yeah, yeah. Just go."
Noel untied his apron. "I'll be back in a moment. This uniform is a crime."
A bald, greasy man in a Taco Bell uniform with the name Doug on the name tag stepped into Noel's spot. Doug was his manager. No one liked him.
"Can I get you something?"
"No, no. I'm Noel's... sister. I'm waiting for him to change."
He rolled his eyes. "Of course."
"Pardon?"
"He doesn't get much done because he's too busy with himself. You must know. You should tell that to your mother," Dough laughed.
I didn't laugh with him. I frowned.
"Our mother died giving birth to him. Our grandmother was all we had left."
He looked as if he'd just stuck his finger into an electrical socket. "Oh- I- Um- I'm sorry."
I avoided smiling in satisfaction with his stunned reaction.
"Damn right," I said under my breath.
Noel walked out of the bathroom in a new outfit. He raised an eyebrow at Doug, who was still incredibly flustered.
I stuck up my nose. "Have a nice day, Doug."
I grabbed Noel's arm and led him out.
He laughed. "What was that?"
I shrugged. "I was just messing with him. It was funny. He deserved it."
"I literally love you so much. No hetero."
"You too, Noel. You too."
...
We sat down with our coffee.
"That new kid is really... something, huh?" Noel took a sip.
"I suppose so."
He gave me a sly smile. "I know you'd think so."
I coughed. "Elaborate?"
"You guys would be adorable together."
I wrinkled my nose.
"Aw, Y/n. Don't look at me like that. You guys are so perfect for each other! He's like a volcano. Volatile. Hot."
I held up a finger. "You seem like you're the one who likes him."
He scoffed and swatted my finger down. "Not my type. Where was I? Oh! Volcano. Temperamental. And you. You're like water. You're very calming and nonjudgmental. And then water cools down the lava. Makes it less dangerous."
"And hard," I added.
Noel snickered. "Sure does."
"That's not what I meant, Noel!"
My face reddened.
"Still said it. You can't take it back!"
"Come on, man!"
I decided not to mention anything about what he'd said after class. I wasn't about to give him another weapon to fight with.