Day thirteen of the Coup D'é-Tea
Cora didn't think it was possible to feel more exhausted than normal, but she supposed she was full of surprises. It didn't help that her earlier shift felt like it took forever to end, complete with Darlene running off to the main office and leaving Cora to close up on her own. The mall's quiet grocery store, with its soft background music and cool air conditioning, was the perfect place for a nap, and the empty shelves would make excellent cubbies for her to curl up in. Unfortunately, they probably couldn't support the weight of a twenty-eight-year-old woman. Cora just had to make do with leaning on her shopping cart instead, although simply passing out on the floor was an equally tempting option.
With no one else around, Cora freely yawned as she walked, only pausing when movement beside her caught her eye. In the middle of the aisle she was passing, Farron was examining the shelves with her shopping basket in one hand and a cup of instant noodles in the other.
Farron turned towards Cora; Cora clamped her mouth shut mid-yawn.
For a few moments, neither of them moved. After their strange "conversation" at the bus stop the night before, the day's shift had been awkwardly uneventful, at least for Cora. She had tried her best to not be distracted from her work, whether it be by Farron's challenges or the recollections of their recent interaction, but it wasn't easy. Instead, every time she remembered Farron's hushed, husky voice amidst the quiet night, or the taste of creamy apple cinnamon coating her tongue, she was tempted to peek across the food court just to make sure Farron couldn't hear her thoughts.
Those same memories raced through her mind at the sight of the other woman, and this time, Cora couldn't hide.
But did she want to? Farron's words from the night before resonated in Cora's ears, and nothing could distract Cora's mind from them. Was hiding really what she wanted?
She knew the first answer that came to her exhausted mind was probably the truth. Cora just had to follow it.
Before she could rethink her decision, Cora continued down the aisle and away from Farron, picking up her pace ever so slightly. With a plan in mind, she suddenly felt more alert, and she pushed herself upright with her newfound energy. Farron wanted a challenge? She was going to get one she would never expect.
As Cora neared her destination, her brisk walk turned into a light jog, then almost a run when she rounded the corner and approached the finish line: the last remaining bread loaf. Just as she grabbed the package, rushed footsteps followed her path. Behind her, Farron appeared with narrowed eyes, and she shifted the look from Cora, to the carbs, then back.
For a moment, Cora wondered if she made the wrong move. Then, Farron grinned.
"Looks like you're the undefeated breadwinner, coffee cake," she said.
When Farron winked, Cora couldn't help but smile as well.
They parted ways after that, and Cora hurried through the rest of her shopping list, running off the adrenaline that fueled her race to the bread. She didn't see Farron again during her speedrun through the grocery store, nor as she checked out at the sole open register, but that didn't faze her. She could complete the rest of her plan the next day.
As soon as Cora stepped out in the parking lot, she froze in her tracks. Not only was Farron there, but it looked like she had been waiting. She was leaning on the seat of a glossy black motorcycle, grinning wide. Her crossed arms made her toned muscles somehow more prominent, and with one of her feet propped on the footrest, her thighs looked—
Cora's gaze snapped to Farron's face.
"Long time no see, coffee cake," Farron said, her voice like the rumble of the motorcycle she pushed off of.
"Is...that yours?" Cora asked as she forcefully averted her eyes to the motorcycle, hoping her voice didn't waver as much as her thoughts were doing. "Or are you just going to give a death glare to the actual owner if they happen to show up?"
Farron chuckled—another low rumble. "It's mine."
Cora made a point to dramatically roll her eyes as she sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"
Farron's eyebrows raised, but her smile remained. "What's that supposed to mean? Do I really seem like the motorcycle type?"
Absolutely, Cora wanted to say. But if Farron asked any follow-up questions, she wouldn't be able to answer them—not honestly at least.
Of course, Farron seemed to know exactly what Cora was thinking, judging by how her grin shifted to something mischievous. "Does it have anything to do with my tattoos? Or maybe my muscles? Or maybe...my sexy voice?"
"You are so full of yourself," Cora snapped, though her face grew warm with each of Farron's chuckles. "Why did I even—nevermind, see you tomorrow."
"Wait, I'm sorry," Farron said, rushing alongside Cora as she headed for the bus stop. "It's just... You always have this personality that doesn't seem...you. Now, sure, I don't know what the real you is, but that's what I'm trying to find out. If you'd let me."
Cora pursed her lips, but she couldn't refute Farron's words. That didn't mean she wanted to hear them either, and she quickly picked up her pace across the dark parking lot.
"Wow, really?" Farron asked with a breathless laugh from a few steps behind. "I may be in decent shape, but my legs are still a hell of a lot shorter than yours are."
A few seconds before they reached the bus stop, Cora sighed. Sure, Farron was persistent, but she wasn't necessarily a bad person. On the contrary, she had been kind and thoughtful on multiple occasions, even if Cora hadn't done anything to deserve it.
So Cora stopped. A beat later, Farron bumped into her back with a soft "ow," and Cora turned around.
As Farron looked up at her, gently rubbing her nose, Cora felt the edges of her lips curl up against her will. Even when she noticed the shift, she didn't bother to hide it.
"Thanks," Cora said, her soft voice sounding loud in the small distance between them. "For...waiting with me last night. And for the drink. I...I really needed that."
For a moment, Farron watched her quietly before nodding. "No problem."
"There's...something..." Cora began.
But when she couldn't find the rest of her words, and Farron was waiting for her expectantly, Cora rummaged through her reusable shopping bag instead. Before she could think twice, she pulled out the bread loaf and held it out to Farron.
"For you," Cora said, shaking the bread for emphasis. "As thanks."
When Farron stared at the bread for a few seconds, then looked up at Cora, Cora grew self-conscious about the absurdity of the situation: two women standing in an empty mall parking lot in the middle of the night discussing a loaf of bread.
"I didn't pay for that drink," Farron said, still not taking the peace offering. "Not with money, at least. It was one of my free drinks for my shift."
"But you waited with me," Cora insisted, her arm already getting tired. Surely Farron's toned arms wouldn't have the same issue.
"Those rowdy creeps were in the area. I wouldn't want to be on the road with them anyway."
"You paid with your time."
