I Hope You Stay » [J.B.B]

Chapter 3

Charlotte Blayne

Moments later, I found myself standing outside of the diner, suddenly needing the fresh air that wrapped around my body.

It felt necessary to let myself cool it after what happened moments ago.

Knowing I had only come outside to give Arla and Steve some privacy but now needing a moment to myself to just get my head on straight before I return to the booth and talk to whoever else was supposed to meet me there.

There was something about that guy, about Bucky, that wanted to cling to my mind, which was odd, considering I had only met him a few minutes ago.

Who even knew if I was ever gonna see him again?

Despite that, those few minutes were enough to show me that he was definitely a charmer.

The way he spoke so easily, matched his appearance and all I can say is that I was no doubt the complete opposite.

The sound of laughing managed to pull me out of my thoughts and I decided I should probably make my way back to the booth right about now.

I made my way back into the diner, keeping my head down as I maneuvered my way through the many feet that were in view, eventually finding myself back in front of the booth.

"I'm real sorry if I took longer than expected." I lifted my head back up, allowing my eyes to land on the other figure sitting opposite Steve and Arla-Mae in the booth. "Oh, hi."

"If it isn't just Lottie." He chuckles deeply with a smirk etched on his face. "S'nice to see you again doll."

I laughed softly at the choice of his words, feeling more comfortable at the idea of spending some more time with him tonight, rather than some random guy.

"You too, Bucky." He flashes a full smile at me, gesturing for me to slide into the booth beside him, where his one arm was propped up on top of the seat.

"You two know each other?" I moved my gaze away from Bucky, sliding in next to him and turned to look at Arla as she questioned us.

"Oh, uh, we bumped into each other a few minutes ago." Bucky laughs at my response and I furrow my eyebrows slightly as I turn to look at him curiously.

"She genuinely did bump into me." He turned his head to face me, keeping his eyes connected with mine, his smile evident as he answered Arla. "Quite the klutz aren't ya doll?"

I couldn't help the way the heat rose to my cheeks, overall making my body feel much hotter than before.

"You just happened to be in the way." I shrug cooly, attempting to play off the way that my cheeks were heating up, not wanting him to pick up on it.

"Guess we don't need to worry about introducin' you two then." Steve speaks up, still not having moved away from Arla.

"Guess not." I shrug, crossing my legs underneath the table as Arla watches me with an excited glint in her eyes, making me roll my own.

Just before the conversation could continue, a waitress walks up to our booth with a small notebook in her hand.

"Hey honeys, what can I getcha?" She clicked the back of her pen, lifting it up to the blank paper as she looks down at the four of us expectantly.

"We're real sorry ma'am, we got a bit carried away and haven't had the chance to decide yet, could we have five minutes?"

The waitress nods, smiling as Steve speaks to her politely, making me think that these two boys weren't like all the other greasers I had met before, well Steve at least.

"Hey doll?" I change my gaze from Steve onto Bucky, seeing him smile down at me as he slides the menu over to me.

"Mmh?"

"Could I buy you a drink?" He picks up the drink menu, fiddling with it between his fingers as he waits for me to answer.

"Oh, I actually don't drink."

"She's rather good when it comes to that." Arla pipes in, making me sound like a goody-two-shoes and I look over at her with narrowed eyes.

"Well, it's not a problem, I dig that." The way he speaks sounds genuine, no judgement seeping through his tone, which is something I had become accustomed to hearing when people found out I didn't drink. "How 'bout I get you a milkshake?"

"Yeah, I could go for one." I laugh softly, nodding at his offer, watching his smile widen ever so slightly. "As long as it's strawberry."

"To match your hair?" I laugh softly, tilting my head down to allow some hair to fall over the front of my shoulders.

"I think you're a bit off in colour, don't ya think?" I push my hair back over my shoulder as I lift my head back up to look at him.

"Could be, but it definitely suits ya doll." A smile crosses my face as a smirk crosses his.

"You are a real charmer."

"That mean I'm gettin' somewhere?" I smile, nodding slightly before answering.

"Well, the milkshake was a good choice, you're one step closer."

"Closer to where?"

"Wherever you wanna be." I shrug, the waitress returning back to the table just before Bucky had the chance to reply, but the smile that rested on his face was evident.

She took down our order, leaving the four of us to talk a little bit before returning with our drinks.

"Thank you so much ma'am." I nod at the waitress, reiterating Bucky's thanks right before the waitress leaves us once again.

"I see you two are getting along." Arla points out, once again putting the focus back onto Bucky and me.

"As are you and Steve?" She narrows her eyes at me and I flash her an innocent "I can say, I'm rather enjoying myself, if I'm honest."

"Good to know this isn't turning into some Fake Out."

"Of course not, you're doing a real good job of winning me over, though you seem to have that down."

"Steve here doesn't always take me out to meet someone ya know."

"I don't believe he'd need to, I think you'd handle all that just fine."

"Yeah? Why's that Lottie?"

"Well, when you look like you do James, I'm sure you'd have no problem at all." He watches me with amusement as I let my gaze fall between Steve and Bucky.

"So how do you two know each other."

50's Slang Glossary:

- Dig: understand/ agree
- Fake out: a bad date
- Klutz: Someone that's clumsy