ZING! - A Kind Of Magick |ONC2021 Round 2 Qualifier|

E V E

TW: mislabeling

"Did you know that Evelyn Estrées and Amelia are dating now?"

"What? No way."

Ruby stumbled as she walked past the counter, where Mira served two other shifters. Lucky for her - and the old human couple at table 4 - she didn't drop the order and the three girls just looked at her weirdly for a second, before getting back into their conversation.

The steaming tea cups arrived safely at their destination.

"Here are your usuals; one jade hopper special and a jasmine tea with an extra shot of rose elixir."

"Ah, Rubina, dear. I was just telling Robert here about how..."

Ruby smiled and tried to listen to Hannah complain about her husband, yet her ears were somehow straining to hear from the still gossiping shifters, who now walked past her and out of the shop. A new group of customers walked in and all the bits and pieces she might have caught were drowned out. What she would give for supernatural hearing right now.

"I'm sorry, I have to get back to work. Enjoy!"

The couple was already busy bickering and didn't even notice Ruby slouching back behind the counter and into the kitchen. She leaned against a shelf full of dried tea leaves, out of customers' sight and let her head fall against it. A heavy sigh slipped out of her.

So Evelyn was dating again. And it was another magickal. Of course. It was always another magickal. And the rising star Amelia of all people.

"Yo, Ruby. I called your name like two times already- what are you doing?"

Mira stuck her head through the tiny window into the kitchen, looking around. For Ruby apparently. Another sigh.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm fine."

Mira's eyes flashed golden but then she shrugged. "I can smell that's a lie. But whatever, if you don't wanna talk about it. I'll need two green teas with vanilla, one of 'em extra soothing and..." She checked the bill. "One black tea with lemon and a shot of energy. Whatever that's supposed to mean. All to-go."

"Coming right up."

Ruby prepared the tea, using honey infused lavender for the extra soothing aspect and a drop of Martha's self made hopper-essence for energy black tea. No grasshoppers were harmed in the process of making it, of course.

She poured everything into the paper cups, no doodles this time. She handed them silently to Mira, who rang up the customers; two vampires and a fae. As they walked out of the shop, Ruby sighed once again.

"A'ight. That's it. Spill the beans."

"You work at a tea shop, but spill the beans is what you come up with? Missed opportunity, Mira."

"Don't try to change the subject." The shifter crossed her arms, left foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

"I already told you; I'm fine."

Her eyes flashed gold once more. " And I already told you, I can smell your lies."

"Actually, I know that you can't. You just hear the difference in my heartbeat-"

"Christ on a stick. Just tell me." Ruby hesitated.

"We're at work." The tapping got faster.

"There is literally no one here."

"Uhm, did you not see-" Ruby gestured to table 4...where Hannah and Robert were about to leave, Hannah even waving goodbye. Ruby waved back as her shoulders dropped. No more distractions then.