The Lightning Mage

59 | The Proposal, Part III

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At Cydney's request, the two friends went to a new bubble tea cafe that was half a mile away from Lyn's apartment. Resting her cheeks on her palms, Millie watched her friend slurp on their shared bubble tea. A smile crept up her face.

"So, first thing first, Lemon?"

Cydney almost choked on the tapioca pearls. "It's- It's just something I came up with. Don't bring it up to Lyn though, she's not too happy about it."

"Why?" Millie chuckled. "It's such a cute nickname."

"Isn't it?" Cydney said with an indignant expression. "I think so too."

"It's as cute as the two of you." Millie let out a wistful sigh. "I'm so happy for you."

Cydney's eyebrows twitched in concern. "Is everything okay? Did... Did something happen with Raph?"

Millie was not surprised about the question. Her emotions and thoughts had always been written all over her face, fully displayed to the world. It was one of the reasons why she tried her best to never get angry or worked up. It didn't work all the time, of course, like right now.

"Yeah..." Millie gulped down the lump in her throat. "It's... It's mostly my fault though."

"What happened?" Cydney asked gently, pushing the drink over to her.

Millie took a few grateful sips as she contemplated. "So, the thing is... As much as I complain about Raph and how he's so dense and stupid, he... he actually asked me out before."

"He did? When?"

"In the senior year of high school. He... He asked me to prom and told me that he liked me." Millie wiggled the straw around, her eyes glued to the floating black pearls. "At that point, I... I was too young, I guess. I already promised a prom date to someone else, and I was involved in a lot of other drama between friend groups... It's- Well, anyway, it just wasn't a good time to date. And I was also preparing to leave home for college so it's not a good idea to start something at the end of high school, you know?"

"Didn't you two go to the same college?"

"We sure did." A dry laugh left Millie's throat. "But I didn't know it then. So... I rejected him. And I didn't want to hurt his feelings or anything, so I told him I saw him as a... a really close friend."

"Oh." Cydney's round eyes gleamed in realization. "You friendzoned him."

Millie slumped her head back down on the table. "I mean, I guess I did, but I didn't know that was what I did, you know? I- I was nervous and I didn't think straight and I just blurted that out. I didn't know that it'd come back and bite me in the ass like this."

"I'm sorry, Millie," Cydney whispered. "How long ago was this?"

"Five years ago. Way too long ago." Millie took a few more sips of the bubble tea. "Is it... Is it mean of me to reject him back then but want him back now?"

The smile on Cydney's lips was a mix of amusement and shame. "Millie, if that's mean, then I'm the devil..."

"What? How can you be? You're an angel! And Lyn is so smitten by you, it's so obvious from day one." Millie sighed. "I wish it was this easy to tell for Raph. I wish he was more like Lyn, more obvious about his feelings and everything, and I don't have to be stuck in this stupid limbo, this- this confusing and uncertain—"

Cydney cut Millie off with a burst of laughter. "Millie, what are you talking about? It's clear as day that he likes you, a lot. Everyone sees it, even Lyn the dumbass."