The tiny record store had an air of quiet nostalgia, its walls lined with stacks of vinyl, the soft crackle of an old jazz tune playing overhead. Y/N ran her fingers along the edge of the records, flipping through them one by one, half-focused on the titles and half-lost in her thoughts. The rain outside had driven her in, and now she was taking in the comforting warmth of the store's atmosphere. Her carhartt jacket hung slightly open, revealing a blacka adidas tee tucked into her baggy jeans. A single necklace glinted against the fabric, catching the faint light from above.
She was so absorbed that she didn't notice someone sidle up beside her until a voice cut through the soft hum of the music.
"You've got a habit of turning up in the rain."
Y/N froze for a split second before turning to see Lara standing beside her, effortlessly cool in a cropped leather jacket, her dark red hair slightly damp from the rain. Her gaze lingered on Y/N for a beat longer than necessary. There was that teasing glint in Lara's eyes, the one that always left Y/N at a loss for words.
"Maybe the rain's following me," Y/N replied, her voice light but her chest already tightening at the sight of her.
"Or maybe I am," Lara shot back, her smile soft, her eyes flicking down briefly before meeting Y/N's again.
Y/N felt heat rise to her cheeks but kept her composure, arching an eyebrow. "What brings you here? Looking for another excuse to see me?"
Lara leaned against the rack, her fingers brushing casually against the vinyls. "Not everything's about you, you know. Sometimes, I just want to find good music." She plucked an album out and held it up for Y/N to see. "Though, I'd be lying if I said this didn't remind me of you."
Y/N glanced at the cover: Long Live A$AP, the kind of music that could make you feel everything all at once. Her lips curved into a small smile. "Always so sure of yourself, huh?"
Lara shrugged, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Confidence looks good on me. But you already knew that."
Before Y/N could respond, Lara stepped closer, the space between them narrowing just enough for Y/N to catch a hint of Lara's perfume warm and slightly musky, the kind that stayed with you. "Speaking of confidence," Lara began, her tone softer now, "how long are we going to keep sidestepping this dinner thing? It's been weeks, and I think we've teased it enough, don't you?"
Y/N blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait...what?"
"You know, the dinner you owe me," Lara said with a sly grin. Her gaze dropped briefly to the necklace peeking out from Y/N's shirt before meeting her eyes again. "Or was that just something you said to sound cute?"
Y/N laughed nervously, running a hand through her slightly damp hair. "I didn't think you'd take that seriously."
"Of course I did. I even brought it up during the rainstorm last time, remember? And now, here we are again." Lara tilted her head toward the door, her eyes challenging yet playful. "So, what do you say? You finally ready to follow through?"
Y/N hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Alright, fine. Dinner. Let's do it."
Lara's smirk softened into a genuine smile. "Good choice. But first, let's make sure you're leaving here with something decent. Can't have you embarrassing yourself with bad taste."
They spent a few minutes sifting through albums, the playful banter between them only adding to the growing tension. At one point, Lara leaned in closer than necessary to grab a record from the shelf, her shoulder brushing Y/N's arm. Y/N felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the rain.
When they stepped out of the store, the rain had turned into a light drizzle. Lara, holding the bag with their chosen records, gestured toward a nearby restaurant with a warm glow spilling out into the night. "There's a place just around the corner. You like Chinese?"
Y/N nodded, the nerves returning but not unwelcome this time. "Chinese is perfect."
As they walked toward the restaurant, Lara's fingers lightly grazed Y/N's arm before settling at the small of her back, guiding her toward the crosswalk. It wasn't much, but it sent a thrill down Y/N's spine. For once, it didn't feel awkward or accidentalâit felt deliberate, and maybe even a little bold.
Dinner, Y/N thought with a small, private smile as she stole a glance at Lara. Finally.
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school is soo soo annoying  rn.. I have so many projects and ill try posting, but I don't promise anything.. bye for now..ðð