The bathroom cubicle had been our private world, but now it was time to face the outside again. I pulled back from our kiss, my lips tingling, our breaths mingling as we stood so close, practically breathing into each other’s mouths. Aeri’s eyes were still locked on mine, soft and warm, her cheeks flushed pink.
"It surely did," I said, my voice low, finally answering her earlier tease about making my heart skip. A grin tugged at my lips as I brushed my thumb across her cheek.
"Ohh..." Aeri said softly, her voice barely a whisper, a shy smile spreading across her face. Her eyes sparkled, and for a moment, we just stood there, wrapped up in each other, the faint drip of the faucet fading into the background.
"Let’s go out now," I said, my grin widening as I stepped back, smoothing my shirt. "We can’t stay locked in here forever."
"Hmm, yeah, let’s go," Aeri said, flashing me a toothy smile that made my chest feel light. She adjusted her mini skirt, tugging it down, and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to look like we hadn’t just spent who-knows-how-long in a steamy haze.
I unlocked the steel door and pushed it open, letting Aeri step out first. The narrow hallway felt cooler than the cubicle, the faint smell of lemon cleaner hitting us as we made our way back to the restaurant.
The place was bustling, but the crowd had shifted—new faces filled the tables, strangers sipping coffee and laughing over plates of food. Our booth was still there, the half-eaten pasta and my cold coffee waiting like we’d never left, but it felt like a lifetime had passed.
As we walked, I caught sight of two waitresses—Mandy from earlier and another one with short blonde hair—standing near the counter. They were whispering to each other, their eyes flicking toward us, their cheeks pink. Mandy nudged her friend, nodding our way, and I could practically hear their giggles from across the room.
"That’s them," I overheard Mandy whisper, her voice hushed but excited. "The couple who went to the bathroom and came out after, like, an hour."
The blonde waitress smirked, fanning her face like she was overheating. "God, they’re so hot together. No wonder they got all heated up in there," she said, her voice low but not low enough.
Aeri’s hand tightened in mine, and I glanced at her, seeing her cheeks flush again, a mix of embarrassment and amusement in her eyes.
"Sighhh..." Aeri let out a long exhale as we slid back into our booth, her body relaxing into the cushioned seat. "So, what should we eat now?" she asked, her voice light as she tried to shake off the attention. She glanced at the cold pasta on the table, her lips twisting into a playful pout. "We left our food midway."
"Yeah... it’s all cold now," I said, laughing as I poked at the congealed dessert with a fork. "Not exactly appetizing anymore."
"Yeah, thanks to someone," Aeri said, her pout deepening as she shot me a look, her cheeks still pink. She crossed her arms, but the way her lips twitched told me she wasn’t really mad.
"Sorry, sorry," I said, holding up my hands with a grin, trying to look innocent. "Didn’t mean to get us so... distracted." I leaned closer, nudging her shoulder with mine. "Worth it, though, right?"
She rolled her eyes and she looked out the large window beside our booth, where the amusement park sparkled under the evening sky. The rides were lit up, colorful lights twinkling against the dusk, the air alive with music and laughter.
"Let’s order some cold coffee and get back out there," she said, her voice picking up with excitement. "We still need to hit a few more rides."
"Cold coffee sounds perfect," I agreed, nodding. "And we can’t miss that giant Ferris wheel. You’ve been talking about it all day."
Aeri’s eyes lit up, her smile wide and genuine. "Yes! It’s gonna be so fun. I want the whole view from the top—the lights, the stars, everything." She leaned forward, her hands clasped together, practically bouncing with anticipation.
I chuckled, loving how her excitement was contagious. "Alright, it is settled then," I said, turning to catch the eye of the waitress—Mandy, who was still stealing glances at us.
I couldn’t help but notice the waitress, Mandy, as she took our order for cold coffees. Her cheeks were pink, and she kept stealing glances at Aeri, her lips twitching like she was fighting a smile. Aeri caught her eye and flashed a small, knowing smile back, and for a moment, it felt like they were sharing some secret I wasn’t in on.
Mandy walked off with our order, her blonde coworker nudging her with a giggle as they disappeared behind the counter.
Aeri let out a soft sigh, leaning back in the booth, her fingers playing with the edge of her napkin. "Sighh... she realized it for sure," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible, like she was talking to herself.
I tilted my head, confused. "What? Who realized what?" I asked, completely clueless.
Aeri’s lips quirked into a mischievous grin, and before I could press her further, she reached over and pinched my cheeks, pulling them hard.
"Nothing," she said, her voice flat.
"Ouch! Ouch!" I yelped, "I didn’t even do anything now!"
She raised an eyebrow, picking up her glass of water and taking a sip, her movements slow and deliberate.
"You’re the one who’s doing everything here," she said, her tone mock-serious, her eyes flicking to mine over the rim of the glass.
"Whaa—I’m innocent!" I protested, throwing my hands up with a grin, leaning back in the booth.
Aeri snorted, setting her glass down with a soft clink.
"No, you definitely aren’t," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "You lost your innocence, like a weeks ago." Her eyes narrowed, a playful smirk tugging at her lips as she leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand.
"Oh, come on," I said, laughing louder now, the sound blending with the chatter around us.