Stacy's phone screen burned into her retinas.
@lunaxoxo's second post: Ethan, tanned and laughing, his arm slung around a girl with cherry-red lips and a smirk that said I won. The caption:
"Best summer of all time with my cowboy(with an heart emoji)"
Stacy's thumb trembled over the photo. Zoom in.
Ethan's hand wasn't just around Luna's shoulders—his fingers were tangled in her hair.
A punch to the gut.
Why flirt with me if he's still hung up on her?
Was I just… entertainment?
She threw her phone across the bed. It hit the wall with a thud.
***
The café was dead, the rain from yesterday still lingering in gray puddles outside. Stacy scrolled through Luna's account again, obsessively clickingtagged photos—
"You know her?"
Josh's voice made her jump. He leaned over her shoulder, squinting at the screen. "Oh. Her." He grabbed a rag, scrubbing at nothing.
"Do you know her?", Stacy asked.
"Luna. Worked here before you. Fired her for flirting more than working. Her major love interest was um- that ah- that boy E- Ethan!. They used to talk a lot"
Stacy's throat tightened. "Did she and Ethan…?"
"Dunno." Josh shrugged, but his eyes darkened. "But that guy? He'd camp out at her station for hours. Real 'lovey-dovey' shit." He mimed gagging.
The words "lovey-dovey" lodged in Stacy's ribs like a knife.
"Hey." Josh flicked her earlobe. "Just an piece of advice, Don't be like her ever."
Stacy nodded. "Okay josh"
But her chest ached.
Had everything he'd said to her… been recycled from Luna?
The bell jangled violently as Ethan barged in, rainwater still dripping from his sleeves.
Stacy didn't glance up. "Forget your umbrella again, cowboy?" Her voice was iced-over soda—fizzy but flat.
Ethan winced like she'd slapped him. "Okay. Ouch." He raked a hand through his damp hair. "Just… five minutes. Let me explain."
"Why should I?" She finally met his eyes, her grip tightening on the rag. "Give me one good reason."
"Because the truth's right here." He slapped his phone onto the counter. "And I hate seeing you hurt over lies."
A beat. The espresso machine hissed between them.
"Go on," she muttered.
Ethan exhaled hard. "Luna and I dated last summer. Broke up months before I ever walked in here." His thumb tapped the phone screen—a photo of them, dated August, captioned 'Over'."Yesterday, she texted because her dad's in the hospital. I drove her there—that's why I ran out"
Stacy's jaw clenched. "And the 'I miss you'?"
"She does that when she's drunk." He swiped to his messages, flashing a thread of ignored pleas:
Luna: I miss you
Ethan: Stop. I'm not doing this again.
Stacy stared at the timestamp—2:13 AM. The exact minute she'd been staring at Luna's Instagram, sick to her stomach.
"Happy?" Ethan's voice was raw.
Behind them, Josh dropped a tray with a clatter. "Christ, kid. Save some drama for Netflix."
And just like that—Stacy's lips twitched.
"Am I forgiven?" Ethan asked, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it.
Stacy twirled a loose curl around her finger, fighting a smile. ."Yes, I guess. Only if you tip more" The giggle slipped out before she could stop it.
Ethan's shoulders relaxed as he backed toward the door, that familiar smirk returning. "Deal. See you tomorrow, ma'am."
The bell jingled behind him, leaving Stacy alone with the scent of rain and coffee grounds.
Stacy's sneakers squeaked on the hardwood as she kicked them off.
"How was the day, honey?" Her dad muted the baseball game, taking in her exhausted smile.
"Interesting but tiring," she said, already halfway up the stairs. "Need shower and sleep. Goodnight, Dad."
"Night, sweetheart."
In her room, Stacy plugged her phone in. One last tap—Luna's profile > Block > Confirm.
She flopped onto her pillows, staring at the ceiling. The thought sent an unexpected thrill through her. "Hope we share a chemistry," she whispered to the dark.
Sleep came faster than expected.
***
Josh cornered her before she'd even tied her apron. "Stacy—new barista starting today. You're training him."
"HIM?" Her fingers froze mid-knot.
The bell chimed.
Ethan stood in the doorway, Hazel's Café apron already slung over his shoulder. "Reporting for duty."
Josh smirked. "Try not to break anything, cowboy."
Stacy's stomach did a backflip.
If you're liking this story till now, Please drop a review and a comment. Means a lot to me Thankyou!. ~ Mayank