The two girls stared at each other as the waiter nodded and walked off. Spencer and Aiden did a double take between them.

“Wow,” Kyla spoke up, “I’ve never heard someone else use that expression.”

“No kidding,” Ashley agreed. “I got it from my dad.”

“Huh, me too.”

“Interesting,” the blonde spoke, finally.

“So,” Aiden cut in, “what brings you to La La Land?” he turned to look at the small girl next to him.

“Oh, just basically random occurrence.” Kyla stated simply.

“Do tell,” Spencer piped in. Out of the group, she knew the newcomer the best, but she hadn’t bothered to ask for the girl’s story.

“Well I—”

“Here y’all go,” the bland waiter had returned with their coffee. Either today was a bad day, or he really did not want to be here. He practically threw the drinks at them before stalking off.

Kyla scoffed, “RUDE!” she called out after him, but he didn’t giver her a second thought.

“Eh,” Ashley cut in, “that guy’s just mad ‘cause Spencer turned him down a couple weeks ago.”

Kyla’s eyes widened, and she leaned over the table to the blonde, “You turned him down? He was hot! And he had a southern accent!”

Spencer shrugged, “Conflict of interests,” she said bluntly. She glanced at Ashley, and the brunette smirked. Aiden rolled his eyes.

“Wow,” Kyla gushed as she leaned back and reached for the sugar dispenser. She tipped it over her cup and let the waterfall of sugar spill into her coffee. And she let it…for a long time.

The blonde raised a single brow, “You, uh, want some coffee with your sugar, there, Ky?” the nickname hadn’t gone unnoticed and Ashley shot the girl a look.

“I like sugar,” Kyla said flatly as she finally set the dispenser back on the table.

“Apparently,” the jock added, “Anyway, you were telling us why you’re here?”

“Oh, yeah,” Kyla continued. “I lived in Baltimore for all my life, and all the sudden my mom wants to get me out in the world, so she stuck me on a plane and sent me out here.”

“You mean you’re here alone?” Aiden asked, genuinely interested.

“Oh, no, no!” she waved her hand as if to erase the statement. “I’m staying with a, uh…friend of the f-family. Yeah…that!”