A Laugh, A Whisper

Oliver and his friends had been planning a trip for ages, and today they were finally out shopping for clothes. Prom was just around the corner, and they all decided it was time to splurge on some fancy suits. Eli, Jules, Leila, Ben, and Chris were all there, chatting and laughing as they roamed the stores together.

As they turned a corner, Oliver's eyes were drawn to a fabric store. Something about the textures and colors displayed in the window piqued his interest, and soon the whole group agreed to check it out for their suits. Just as they stepped inside, they stumbled upon a familiar face—Maya.

"Whoa, Maya?" Oliver said, surprised to see her there.

Maya grinned at him and waved. "Well, well, look who it is! What brings you here?"

Oliver and Maya moved to a quieter corner of the store to chat while the rest of the group wandered off to browse fabrics and suits. "Do you... work here?" Oliver asked, still processing the chance encounter.

"I own the place, actually," Maya said with a smirk. "But I've got a great staff, so I mostly hang out at Noah's cafe when I'm not needed here."

Oliver blinked, still trying to wrap his head around it. "You own a fabric and clothes store? That's so cool."

Maya laughed. "Yeah, not something I talk about much. It's my little empire, but Noah's cafe is where I unwind."

As they talked, Maya's sharp eyes noticed that Oliver seemed a bit hesitant, like there was something he wanted to say but was holding back. She tilted her head, her expression playful but curious. "You've got that look, Oliver. Is there something you wanna tell me?"

Oliver fidgeted, unsure of how to bring it up, but he knew he couldn't leave the subject unresolved. Finally, he worked up the courage to ask, "That night at the cafe... when I saw you hugging Noah... Are you two... dating? Or... I mean, are you... attracted to each other?"

Maya's reaction was immediate—she burst out laughing, almost doubling over. Oliver's face flushed as he realized how silly the question must have sounded, but he stood there awkwardly, waiting for her to stop.

After a few moments, Maya finally calmed down, wiping a tear from her eye. "Oh my god, Oliver, no! We're not dating! Noah and I are just friends. Best friends, really, like siblings. That hug? It was just me being there for him. He was having a tough night, and I was giving him some support. Nothing romantic, I promise."

Oliver felt a wave of relief wash over him, but before he could say anything, Maya leaned in, tapping his shoulder with a sly grin. "But you," she said softly, "you've got something special going on with him, don't you?"

Oliver's heart skipped a beat, his face turning pink. "I... I don't know what you mean," he stammered, but Maya just winked at him.

Before Oliver could respond further, one of his friends Leila, called his name from across the store. "Hey, Oliver! Come check this out, it think it will suit you!"

He turned back to Maya, still flustered, but she just smiled knowingly. As he was about to leave, Maya leaned in closer, whispering in his ear, "Don't be afraid to make a move, Oliver. I think Noah might be waiting for it."

Oliver's blush deepened as he hurried off to join his friends, Maya's words swirling in his head.