Zoe's Refresher

Hope

As the two girls wait for their food to arrive, the uncomfortable silence stretches on. Unable to cope with the quiet Cayenne thinks of something to say to her friend.

"I love you hon so I want you to be happy." She grabs Zoe's hand again. "I'll support you and whoever makes you the happiest."

"Thanks Cayenne," Zoe's smile didn't last long though, her cellphone buzzes and when she goes to check Byakuya's ID glares at her from her screen.

"Girl, I'm gonna go to the bathroom and take this call. Be right back!"

She rushes to the women's bathroom and she finds an empty stall.

"Zoe? Babe?"

"What do you need?"

Although a lot of the anger that she had for him had gone after talking to Cayenne, some of it is still there. Hearing his voice only seemed to amplify that and before she knew it, she snapped at him.

"I just want to know where you are and if you're okay... that's all."

She doesn't know what to say to that. The arguing, of course she doesn't like it either.

"I'm just at Waffle House with Cayenne, I'll be home soon. We need to talk anyway."

"Okay, see you soon then."

She hangs up and sighs. Everything has been taking a toll on her. She's glad that she had a little bit of time to herself but after she goes home, then what? Will she concede to Byakuya and let him believe he can convince the elders? Or will she go with Cayenne's suggestion and fight the elders with her help? Either that or there's always telling off the elders all by herself but that's not going to do much but tick them off.

She leaves the stall and heads out, when she gets out though she sees Dabi standing at their table with the food.

"I'm back!"

"Awesome!! Your pancakes actually look pretty good!"

"Hmmm, let's see if they taste as good then!"

The girls laugh as Zoe slides into her seat. Dabi watches the two girls and he smirks. He's not usually the type to make a first move but he's never seen a girl as gorgeous as Zoe is. The moment she walked through the door he was blown away by her. At the time, she wasn't smiling and it wasn't like she had said anything in particular that made him curious about her. It was all in her eyes.

They had locked eyes and it was like magic. He couldn't look away anymore. Her deep brown eyes held mysteries that he wanted to unlock himself. He found himself wanting to see how her eyes would look if she smiled and he wasn't disappointed. He saw her smile and it was like he couldn't breathe anymore. He's never felt this curiosity about anyone before. He's usually indifferent to women. After everything he's been through in life before, relationships just never interested him the way he thought they should. But her, he needed to know her.

"Let me know if you need anything!" He says, leaving the two girls alone together.

"I got a call from Byakuya, after this I'm going to take the senkaimon home. You're right, we should talk about what we can do and make a serious plan. This can't keep going."

"I'm glad you think so, Zoe. Let me know afterwards if there's anything I can do to help. You know you don't always have to deal with things alone."

"I think it's better if I do this alone though. I can't always keep burdening you with my stuff."

"You're not a burden, Zoe. We're friends. Helping each other is what we're supposed to do."

Zoe smiles, maybe things will actually get better. The two girls begin to eat in a comfortable silence. The pancakes weren't exactly to Zoe's tastes but she still ate them anyway. Cayenne grabbed a salt shaker from off the table and started sprinkling the stuff all over her eggs.

"Geez, it's like they forgot to season the damn things."

Zoe laughs loudly, her cute laughter ringing throughout the room. Dabi looks at her warmly from across the room and Cayenne starts chuckling as well.

Once the girls finish eating, Cayenne puts down a tip for the waiter and goes to the register to go pay for the both of them.

"It's on me girlie, you didn't get a lot anyway so it's fine."

"I can pay for it myself though..."

"Nope! Today's all about Zoe day and I've decided to spoil you!"

As Zoe waits for Cayenne to come back she walks towards the door to leave when Dabi stops her.

"Text me, please, I want to get to know you."

He awkwardly puts his hands in his jean pockets and rocks on the balls of his feet.

Zoe laughs, she thinks the guy is definitely her type and if she hasn't known Byakuya maybe she would've taken him up on his offer but... she points at the ring on her hand.

"I'm married cutie."

That's all she says before she walks out the door and waits for her friend. As she waits there she's reminded of the dream that she had last night. It was hard for her to get to sleep but once she did she had a cute dream about a lion with grey eyes and black fur. It didn't last long and she ended up waking up a couple of times after but it made her a bit happy.

Cayenne meets her outside and the girls give each other a big hug.

"Be careful in the senkaimon, okay? And if things get tough, call me, I'm worrying about you!"

Zoe laughs, somehow believing that this time things will be different. Cayenne's words, the dream she had before, Byakuya's voice in the phone; all of those factors made her believe that this time something different is going to happen. Something good and new. The girls break from their hug and they both smile at one another.

"Alright, I'm going to leave now."

Zoe opens the senkaimon and enters, leaving her friend behind with a wave and a smile.