The moment Alison sat down at Gil’s Café, the first thing she did was wave over the waiter. “Uh, can I get some cold water, please?” she asked, trying to sound casual. It felt odd to ask for just water, and she could almost hear her mother's voice in her head, chiding her for being rude. Okay, you can’t just order water, she thought to herself. “And... an iced Americano too,” she added quickly, as if that would make her request seem less awkward.
The waiter, Ben, who had seen her in this café more times than he could count, scribbled down the order, his eyebrows lifting slightly in curiosity. Alison tried to maintain a poker face, keeping her cool like she wasn’t freaking out on the inside. She wasn’t sure if she managed to pull it off, though, because Ben gave her a concerned smile befor
