“Come on, Rena! Let’s have a girls’ night! You need it after the month you’ve had,” Lacy insisted, nudging Rena at work.
“Okay, okay, but can we have it at my place? I feel like Neko thinks I abandoned her,” Rena replied, a hint of guilt in her voice.
“Sure! Do you want to invite any of the other girls?” Lacy asked.
“No, let’s just keep it between us tonight,” Rena said softly, her eyes downcast with a touch of sadness.
“You’ve got to tell me what happened. Why are you so flustered? Besides everything that went down last month, did something else happen? You know, between you and your hot stud?” Lacy teased, noticing the blush creeping up Rena’s face.
“Hey! I’m right here,” Nathan pouted, overhearing his girlfriend’s comment.
“Oh hush, Nathan. So, Rena,” Lacy smirked, “That blush tells me something did happen. Spill it!”
“Lacy… Now isn’t the time,” Rena half-smiled as she turned to tend to a customer.
Just then, Kei and Azul walked in, both looking rather tired. Rena saw them and quickly ducked into the backroom, her face flushed.
Lacy followed her gaze and, as Rena walked away, turned to the two boys at the register.
Grinning, she approached them. “Soo~ are you two finally official?” she teased, looking at Kei.
Kei’s face turned bright red as he looked away. “N-no.”
“Then why are you so red? And Rena’s been blushing like crazy all day. Did something happen?” Lacy pressed.
“Lacy, maybe you should drop it. They both seem embarrassed, and I don’t think you’re helping,” Nathan chimed in from the espresso machine.
Lacy glanced at Nathan, then back at Kei, and rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll drop it. I just think you two look so cute together!”
Kei sighed and handed her the money for his order, while Azul smirked behind him. As they waited for their drinks, Azul decided to tease Kei.
“Something you want to tell me, birdbrain?” he smirked.
“Absolutely not. Nothing happened,” Kei lied, his face turning red again.
“Uh huh, and the sky is purple,” Azul rolled his eyes. “I’ll get it out of you somehow.”
“Just drop it… please,” Kei said softly, regret shadowing his face.
“Oh, so something DID happen, but by the look on your face, it wasn’t good?” Azul whispered.
Kei sighed, looking away. “It’s complicated, Azul. I don’t want to talk about it here.”
Azul’s expression softened. “Hey, you know you can talk to me, right? Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.”
Kei nodded, his eyes still avoiding Azul’s. “Thanks, but not now. Maybe later.”
Azul patted Kei on the back. “Alright, but don’t keep it bottled up. I’m here for you, man.”
Kei managed a small smile. “I know. Thanks, Azul.”
After Kei and Azul left, Rena peeked out from the backroom. “Are they gone?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lacy nodded. “Yeah, they’re gone. You can come out now.”
Rena stepped out, her face still a bit flushed. “Thanks, Lacy.”
Lacy grinned mischievously. “So, what was that all about? You and Kei, huh?”
Rena sighed. “It’s nothing, really.”
“Nothing? That blush says otherwise,” Lacy teased, poking Rena’s cheek.
“Can we just drop it?” Rena pleaded, her eyes showing a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
“Alright, alright. Let’s get ready for our girls’ night,” Lacy said, giving Rena a reassuring smile.
Later, as they were packing up and getting ready to leave, Lacy turned to Rena. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah, let’s do this,” Rena replied, trying to shake off her earlier embarrassment.
They stopped by a store to pick up snacks and other essentials for their night in. As they walked through the aisles, Rena felt like someone was watching her. She glanced around nervously, but saw no one suspicious.
“Let’s grab some popcorn,” Lacy suggested, tossing a couple of bags into their cart. “And we definitely need chocolate. Lots of it.”
Rena nodded, trying to focus on the shopping. “How about some ice cream? We can get a couple of different flavors.”
“Great idea! I’ll get vanilla and chocolate chip,” Lacy said, heading towards the freezer section.
Rena followed, still feeling uneasy. She picked up a tub of strawberry ice cream and added it to the cart. “We should get some drinks too. Maybe some soda and juice?”
“Perfect. And don’t forget the chips,” Lacy added, grabbing a few bags of various flavors.
As they continued shopping, Rena’s eyes darted around the store. She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced down the candy aisle and saw a shadow move quickly out of sight.
“Rena, you okay?” Lacy asked, noticing her friend’s unease.
“Yeah, I just… I feel like someone’s watching me,” Rena admitted, her voice tinged with anxiety.
Lacy looked around. “I don’t see anyone. Maybe you’re just being paranoid after everything that’s happened.”
“Maybe,” Rena said, though she couldn’t shake the feeling.
They quickly finished their shopping, adding some cookies, a few packs of instant ramen, and a couple of bottles of sparkling water to their cart. As they headed to the checkout, Rena glanced over her shoulder one last time, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
The girls arrived at Rena’s apartment, arms full of snacks and drinks. They quickly set everything up in the living room, spreading out popcorn, chips, chocolate, ice cream, and drinks on the coffee table. The room was cozy, with soft lighting and a few candles flickering, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.
“Let’s start with a classic,” Lacy suggested, holding up a DVD of “Pride and Prejudice.”
“Perfect,” Rena agreed, settling onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn. She wrapped herself in a fluffy blanket, feeling a bit more at ease.
As the movie played, they chatted and munched on their snacks. Lacy couldn’t help but talk about her latest dates with Nathan.
“So, Nathan took me to this amazing Italian restaurant last night,” Lacy said, her eyes sparkling. “The food was incredible, and we had such a great time. We shared a huge plate of spaghetti, and it was like something out of ‘Lady and the Tramp.’”
“That sounds wonderful,” Rena replied, smiling. “You two seem really happy together.”
“We are,” Lacy said, then turned to Rena with a mischievous grin. “But enough about me. What’s going on with you and Kei?”
Rena’s smile faltered. “It’s… complicated.”
“Come on, spill! You know you want to,” Lacy teased, nudging Rena with her elbow.
Rena sighed, knowing Lacy wouldn’t let it go. “Alright, fine. We… we kissed.”
Lacy’s eyes widened. “You kissed? Oh my gosh, tell me everything!”
“I kissed him first,” Rena admitted, her cheeks turning pink. “But then he kissed back. There were definitely sparks, but then he pushed me away.”
“What! Why?” Lacy asked, leaning in closer.
“He said we needed to wait,” Rena explained, her voice soft. “With everything that’s happened—finding out about Clark and my grandmother passing away—he thought it was best if we didn’t rush into anything.”
Lacy nodded, her expression serious. “That makes sense.”
“Yeah,” Rena said, a small smile forming on her lips. “He even said he loves me, but we need to wait until we’re both in a better place emotionally.”
“Wow, that’s… really mature of him,” Lacy said, impressed. “But also kind of frustrating, huh?”
“Yes,” Rena admitted. “But I understand where he’s coming from. We both have a lot to process.”
Lacy reached over and squeezed Rena’s hand. “Well, I’m here for you, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Lacy,” Rena said, feeling a bit lighter. “I appreciate it.”
They turned their attention back to the movie, laughing and crying at all the right moments. The scene where Mr. Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth had them both swooning, and they couldn’t help but giggle at the awkwardness of some of the characters.
As the night went on, they continued to chat, sharing stories and enjoying each other’s company. They made sundaes with the ice cream, topping them with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles. The room was filled with the comforting sounds of their laughter and the movie playing in the background.
A few days after their cozy girls’ night in, Rena found herself at work, the familiar aroma of coffee and pastries filling the air. She and Lacy were on closing duty at the coffee shop, a task they often enjoyed as it gave them time to chat and unwind after a busy day.
“I’ll take out the trash,” Rena said, grabbing the overflowing bag from behind the counter. The shop had been particularly busy, and the bins were filled with discarded coffee cups, napkins, and food wrappers.
“Thanks, Rena,” Lacy replied, wiping down the tables. “Be careful out there.”
Rena stepped out into the cool evening air, the streetlights casting long shadows across the parking lot. She made her way to the dumpster, the bag swinging lightly in her hand. As she approached, she noticed a shadow moving in the corner of her eye. She turned, squinting into the darkness.
“Who’s there?” she called out, her voice steady but curious.
A figure emerged from the shadows, a man with a hood pulled low over his face. He mumbled something, but Rena couldn’t quite make it out. “What did you say?” she asked, taking a step closer.
Before she could react, the man lunged forward, a glint of metal catching the light. Pain exploded in her stomach as the knife plunged in. Rena gasped, her hands instinctively going to the wound as she fell to her knees.
The man disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving Rena alone, bleeding and gasping for breath. She tried to call out, but her voice was weak, barely a whisper.
Back in the coffee shop, Lacy glanced at the clock. It had been too long. “Rena?” she called out, getting no response. A sense of dread settled in her stomach as she got up and headed to the door.
She stepped outside, her eyes scanning the parking lot. “Rena!” she called again, louder this time. As she neared the dumpster, she saw a figure slumped on the ground. Her heart raced as she recognized Rena.
“Oh my God, Rena!” Lacy screamed, dropping to her knees beside her friend. “Stay with me, okay? Stay with me!” She fumbled for her phone, her hands shaking as she dialed 911.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“My friend, she’s been stabbed! She’s bleeding a lot! Please, hurry!” Lacy’s voice was frantic, tears streaming down her face.
“Stay calm, ma’am. Help is on the way. Can you tell me your location?”
Lacy rattled off the address, her eyes never leaving Rena’s pale face. “Hang on, Rena. They’re coming. Just hang on.”
Rena’s eyes fluttered open, her breath shallow. “Lacy…” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“I’m here, Rena. I’m right here,” Lacy said, gripping her friend’s hand tightly. “You’re going to be okay. Just hold on.”
The sound of sirens filled the air, growing louder as they approached. Lacy looked up, relief flooding her as the ambulance pulled into the parking lot. Paramedics rushed out, quickly assessing the situation.
“She’s lost a lot of blood,” one of them said, applying pressure to the wound. “We need to get her to the hospital, now.”
Lacy watched helplessly as they lifted Rena onto a stretcher, her friend’s hand slipping from her grasp. “I’ll be right behind you,” she called out, her voice breaking.
As the ambulance sped away, Lacy stood there, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “She’s going to be okay,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “She has to be. Oh god! I need to call him!”
Lacy, her hands trembling, realized she needed to act fast. She dashed back into the coffee shop, grabbing Rena’s phone from the counter. Her fingers fumbled as she unlocked it and found Kei’s number, hitting the call button shakily.
“Rena? Hey, I was just abo—” she heard him answer, his voice hopeful.
“Kei, it’s Lacy,” she replied urgently. “There’s been an accident. Rena’s in the hospital.”
“What!? Is she okay? Which hospital?” His voice drop into a panic.
“She’s at St. Mary’s. Hurry, Kei. She needs you,” Lacy’s voice was filled with worry.
Once the call ended Lacy rushed to the hospital, her heart pounding as she drove through the city streets. She barely remembered the drive, her mind consumed with fear for Rena. When she arrived at St. Mary’s, she parked haphazardly and rushed inside, her breath coming in short gasps.
At the front desk, she quickly explained the situation. “My friend, Rena Reyes, she was brought in. Where is she?”
The nurse checked the records and directed her to the emergency room. Lacy’s legs felt like jelly as she made her way there, her heart racing. She arrived outside the emergency room, her mind a whirlwind of worry and fear. She began pacing, unable to sit still, her eyes constantly darting to the entrance, hoping for any news.
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