50

It was getting harder for me to decide which new flavour of ramen should I buy. They all looked so tempting — that I wished I could buy all of them. But I didn't had that much amount of money to do so. But if I had, what heaven it would have been.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and randomly picked one. Opening my eyes, I shrugged and kept the Habanero lime in my cart and moved forward.

"Cora.", I stopped and turned around.

I wasn't expecting Mia out of all people to be standing there. I blinked once and twice, not understanding how to react. I was shocked, can I say that?

"Mia, hi. How are you?", I said with a smile on my face. Awkwardness was something I didn't wanted to breed in between us specifically when both of us were not friends just acquaintances.

Mia smiled softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm good. Just picking up a few things. You?"

I held up my cart with a small grin. "Ramen. The struggle is real."

She chuckled, the sound light and unguarded. For a moment, the tension between us seemed to melt away, leaving a strange but not unpleasant sense of ease.

"Cora," she started, her tone shifting to something more sincere, "I've been meaning to talk to you."

I froze. Oh no. This can't be good. "Sure," I said carefully, "what's up?"

Mia looked hesitant, as if choosing her words carefully. "I know things have been... a little awkward between us. Mostly because of Levi."

I held my breath, my fingers gripping the cart handle tighter.

I cleared my throat, feeling the awkwardness creeping in. "Uh, maybe we could talk somewhere else? There's a bakery just across the street."

Mia seemed surprised for a moment but then nodded with a small smile. "Sure, that sounds nice."

We walked in silence to the bakery. The sweet smell of fresh bread and pastries greeted us as we entered. I picked a table near the window, and we sat down, each of us glancing around like we didn't know where to start.

"So," I said after a moment, breaking the silence. "What did you want to talk about?"

Mia clasped her hands together on the table. "I just wanted to clear the air between us. I feel like things have been a bit... weird because of Levi."

I blinked. "Weird? How?"

She hesitated, then let out a small laugh. "I mean, I know it might have seemed like Levi and I were... close in a way that could've made you uncomfortable. But the truth is, he's just a friend. A really good one."

Relief washed over me, though I tried not to let it show. "Oh. I didn't really think—"

"It's okay if you did," she cut in gently. "I get it. Levi's an amazing guy, and people might assume things when they see us together. But honestly, I think you should know what kind of person he really is."

I leaned forward, curious despite myself. "What do you mean?"

Mia's expression softened. "A couple of months ago, I went through a rough breakup. It wasn't just the heartbreak—it was the kind of messy breakup that makes you feel like you're not good enough. I shut people out, and didn't want to talk to anyone. But Levi... he didn't give up on me."

I stayed quiet, letting her continue.

"He called and texted me every day, even when I ignored him. He'd drop by with coffee and tell me to get out of the house, even if it was just for a walk. He helped me pack my things when I moved out of my ex's place. He was just there for me, without expecting anything in return."

Hearing this, I felt a warmth spread through my chest. Levi had never mentioned any of this.

Mia smiled a little. "He doesn't like to talk about the nice things he does. But that's Levi for you—always putting others before himself."

I swallowed hard, unsure what to say.

"Cora," she said gently, "you're really lucky to have him. I can see how much he cares about you."

Her words caught me off guard. My cheeks warmed, and I fidgeted with the sleeve of my sweater. "He's... yeah, he's great," I mumbled.

Mia chuckled, the sound light and easy. "I hope we can be friends too. I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I want to change that."

I looked up at her, surprised but pleased. "I'd like that. How is Nathan by the way, if you don't mind me asking." I said with a small smile.

"Not at all, he is amazing not like my ex. I am happy and content.", Mia smiled.

I don't know what happened to me at that moment because I gave her hand a small squeeze.

"I am happy for you, really.", I said.

"Thank you.", she smiled.

"Now, how about I treat us to something sweet? My way of saying sorry for the misunderstanding and for this new friendship.", She glanced at the pastries displayed by the counter and grinned.

Friendship. I liked that.

I also liked the fact that I wasn't overthinking this.

I nodded, feeling lighter than I had in days. "Sure. But only if you let me pick the flavor."

Mia slid a plate of cheesecake across the table, grinning. "Okay, since we're officially bonding, let me tell you something about Levi that you'll love."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Spill."

She leaned forward, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a top-secret mission. "He's got this weird confidence in his ability to talk his way out of anything. You know how he always sounds like he's one step ahead in conversations?"

I groaned. "Ugh, yes. Like he's some mastermind."

"Well—" Mia said, smirking now herself, "he once tried to talk a police officer out of giving him a parking ticket by saying it was 'technically a gray area' and that the officer should 'reconsider based on the spirit of the law."

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. "Let me guess—he got the ticket anyway?"

"Of course he did!" Mia said, laughing along with me. "And he spent the next week ranting about how 'justice is dead.'"

"That is so Levi," I said, shaking my head. "Always so sure of himself, even when he's completely wrong."

"Oh, I'm not done," Mia said, waving her fork dramatically. "You know how he always has that super confident 'I've got everything under control' vibe?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he once accidentally sent an email to our entire office addressed to 'Mom.' He panicked, called me, and was like, 'What do I do? Can I hack the server or something?"

I snorted. "Please tell me you didn't let him live that down."

"Oh, absolutely not, Mia said, laughing. "I changed his contact name on my phone to 'Mom' for months."

By this point, I was wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. "You've officially made my day. "

She leaned forward, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a top-secret mission. "Remember how we joked about the leg warmers earlier?"

I nodded slowly, that weird twist in my stomach returning. "Yeah?"

Mia snickered. "So, let me tell you what happened. A couple months ago, we had this ridiculous holiday office party. Someone dared Levi to wear the most hideous outfit he could find, and because he refuses to back down from a challenge, he showed up in electric blue leg warmers, a matching headband, and—wait for it—a sequined vest."

I choked on my drink. "No way."

"Oh, it gets worse," Mia said, her grin widening. "He owned it. Spent the whole night trying to convince people he was bringing ‘retro fitness’ back. He even made up this whole speech about how fashion is all about confidence and how ‘the world just isn’t ready for this level of style.’"

I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to contain my laughter. "Please tell me there are pictures."

Mia wiggled her eyebrows. "Not just pictures. There’s a video. He even did this dramatic twirl on the dance floor like he was starring in some 80s workout commercials."

I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. "That explains so much. No wonder he wanted me to wear it, because it would be fun for him."

"Exactly, he was teasing you." Mia confirmed, shaking her head. "But honestly? I think he secretly loved the attention."

I grinned, already thinking of ways to use this against him. "Oh, I have to bring this up."

"Please do," Mia said with a wink. "He needs someone to keep him on his toes."

Mia and I split the bill without a second thought, each tossing a few bills onto the counter before heading for the door. As we stepped outside, the scent of fresh bread still clinging to the air, she flashed me a knowing grin.

"Well, that was fun," she said. I smiled back, my heart lighter than before.

Not only had I learned something new about Levi, but I’d also gained an unexpected friend in Mia.