A Little Birdie Told me
(Chapter 1-3 put together from my AO3)
Paige is the head writer and editor for a widely popular and well received newsletter and magazine company called Written In Ink. Azzi is three months out of college with a BFA in photography from Northeastern University and a bowl full of something called a "broken heart".
Side note: I'm a slow writer with zero motivation to do anything, so chapters will probably come out every like week or whenever I get motivation. Also this is extremely slow paced so do be wary.
Warnings: Age gap and minor cases of whiplash(for the readers)
WC: 5.8k
Get a grip, Fudd.
Azzi's POV
September 6th, 2025. 07:33 PM
Azzi lay face down on her bed surrounded by a handful of unhelpful friends who seem to be unhealthily interested in her life- or the life Azzi claims to not have anymore after her boyfriend of three and a half years broke up with her an hour ago to be with his "girl best friend". On top of that, she had a job interview scheduled in one day as a photographer for Written In Ink, great.Â
Azzi groaned as Caroline swiftly pulled off the blanket covering Azzi in one fluid motion, throwing it to the floor.Â
"Get up, Azzi. Sulking in bed won't do you any good if you have a job interview that determines the rest of your life in"- Caroline checks her phone for the date-"one day." Caroline said as she crossed her arms, standing over Azzis bed like a disappointed mother.Â
Sarah quietly folded the discarded blanket and placed it on the edge of Azzis bed.
"Ughhhh. Just leave me alone. And where did my blanket go?" Azzi mumbled into her pillow, burying her face deeper in the soft cushion.Â
Kk rolled her eyes and pounced on Azzi like a cat who just realized it could jump, ripping the pillow out of her tight grasp and pushing her until she rolled onto her back.Â
"Girl boo this is why you should date women instead. Those types of people are just...disgusting." Kk makes a gagging sound, physically unable to say the word "Men"(ew even I gagged- #lesbian!!!)
Azzi looked at Kk incredulously, as if she had just said that 1+2=93 and not... whatever it did equal. Azzi didn't have time to dwell on what Kk had just said, maybe she'd circle back to that later- or never for all she cared.Â
All she could think about were the last four words her boyfriend- or ex boyfriend - had said to her before he walked out of Azziâs apartment with his arm around his girl best friend- or now girlfriend she supposes. Those four words had just been the new kryptonite to her superwoman.Â
'You'll get over it.'
Those words replayed in her mind thousands of times before Yanna snapped her fingers at Azzi.
"No overthinking muchacho. You've done quite enough of that in the last hour. You need to loosen up a bit. Doesnât hurt to get back out there when your ex is garbage anyway.â Yanna shrugged
Azzi made a mental note to never let Yanna share her opinion on relationships ever again.
âNow thatâs a woman with common sense! See, Azzi? You just need to let go of Ethan! Plenty of fish in the sea.â Kk said with far too much jubilation for a grown woman whose best friend just got their heart broken.
Azzi added Kk to that mental note with Yanna.Â
âJust leave me alone.â Azzi groaned while trying to grab the pillow back from Kk.
Sarah, Yanna, Kk, and Caroline all shared a knowing look before Sarah finally spoke up after being quiet the entire time.
âLook, we get that youâre hurt, and angry, and sad, and everything else in between. But you have to understand, weâre not letting you hang onto some guy who just broke your heart by cheating on you. You donât deserve that. Youâre Azzi fucking Fudd. The most beautiful, kind, caring, smart, and deserving girl we know. So youâre going to get the fuck out of that bed and come out with us. And yes, I said âusâ.â
Azzi made a mental note to always go to Sarah first for quite literally anything.
âDamn girl you got Sarah to swear twice in one day and come out with us? That's a win in itself.â Kk said with the most pure of excitement.Â
âFine, but I'm not going home with anyone and if I catch any of you plotting to set me up with someone Iâm leaving. Got it? Now leave so I can get ready.â Azzi said while swinging out of bed and rolling her eyes so hard they might as well have just gotten stuck.
The group of four immediately scrambled to get out, not pushing further with Caroline yelling back âWeâre picking you up at 8:45!â
______________________________________________________________
Azzi had left the shower with just her towel on, wrapping it around her tightly and folding it in at the top so it didnât fall down and have her accidentally flash the whole of Boston(yes, Boston. Not sorry for being a basic bitch).Â
She crossed the room to her armoire and pulled out the bottom drawers. She dug through her endless pile of clothes before settling on a black leather mini skirt with a small two-inch slit at the left thigh. She then opened her top cabinet of the armoire and pulled aside hangers of clothes before her hand found the familiar feel of the soft cotton brown long-sleeve top she had. Azzi also pulled out her black leather jacket and her leather boots(Iâm in a leather mood ig) that rode to a few inches under her knee.Â
Azzi had let her towel drop and pulled on a pair of underwear along with the rest of her outfit. She let her hair be left out, knowing it would look fine being untouched, and grabbed her favorite pair of sunglasses. She glanced at the clock, 8:43, perfect.
Moments later, she heard the unmistakable sound of Kkâs hushed yelling, followed by the sound of a knock at her door. Azzi walked over to open her apartment door and was immediately met with the sound of gasps and jaws halfway to Australia.Â
âHoly shit.â Sarah muttered
âYou just got a third swear out of Sarah, Azzi. Three. In one day.â Yanna said, barely getting the words out of her mouth.
âAzzi, you look like⊠like a princess. No, a fucking queen.â Caroline gushed
Kk hadnât said a damn word. Maybe the first time in her life she had stayed quiet for more than thirty seconds.Â
Azzi held her car keys up in her hand, jingling them. âLet's go?â
The five made their way down to the garage under Azziâs apartment where her car was kept. The group kept squealing about how good Azzi looked and how sheâd find a new man in no time, which earned them a stern look in the rearview mirror.Â
They arrive at a bar downtown just twenty minutes from where Azzi lives, the four already unbuckling before Azzi can even park the car properly. After Azzi parks, the five hop out of the car and make their way into the bar via the back entrance(fancy ik).Â
âWoah, this place looks⊠insane.â Yanna raved as they entered after the security guard checked their IDâs.
The interior was complex to say the least. Having the old fashioned polished wood type of finish that was lined with blue and red LED lights, yet it still held an expensive sort of modern luxury. A look that said âWeâre expensive, but we still love to party and do crazy shit.â
Which is exactly what the group was met with. Rich frat boys in one corner of the bar at a table hyping two guys up as they threw back seven shots of tequila at once trying to race each other in who could finish them faster. The other corner held a group of girls in tight dresses who looked all too judgy sipping on their radioactive looking cocktails while laughing loudly at anything one of the girls said. Azzi immediately knew they all secretly hated one another.
They took their spot in the corner of the bar and Azzi offered to take everyone's order, offering to pay for drinks as well.
âIâll have whatever Caroline's having.â Kk prompted
âSame here.â Yanna added
âIâll take a gin and tonic.â Caroline shrugged
âGet me something fruity, k?â Sarah said, which earned many groans from the group.
âYouâre no fuuuuuuuuuun.â Kk groaned which received an eye-roll from Sarah
âOkay so, three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and I'll get a rum and Coke?â Azzi clarified, earning her a nod back from the four.
Azzi left the table and started weaving through the crowd to get to the bar. She started to notice men eyeing her from across the bar- which for the first time in her life, actually felt gross. She pushed the unfamiliar thought aside and focused on the task at hand. Three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and a rum and Coke.Â
Three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and a rum and Coke.Â
Three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and a rum and Coke.Â
Three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and a rum and⊠Coke?
Why Coke? Why not Pepsi? Not like Coke did anything special. Fuck it, Iâm asking for Pepsi instead.Â
Three gin and tonics, one fruity drink, and a rum and Pepsi.Â
Azzi waves the bartender down and starts her order. She also chose to make Sarah drink something a bit stronger(heh, strong. Ik im funny haha).
âThree gin and tonics, a gin and juice, and a rum and Pepsi.â
âPepsi, you sure? Not an order we usually get.â The bartender replied with a kind smile only a father could make.
âJust thought I'd switch it up, yâknow? Not like it's illegal.â Azzi shrugged.
âYouâre a funny kid, yâknow that?â
âIve been told.â Azzi laughs out.
âThree gin and tonics, a dry gin and juice, and a totally legal rum and Pepsi coming right up, maâam.â
Azzi nods back politely and sits at a stool waiting for her drinks. She pulls her phone out to check any updates about her interview the following day and sees it's been rescheduled to 5:30 PM instead of the original 3:30 PM time, which helped loosen her shoulders knowing she had extra time to prepare.
She suddenly feels more aware of her surroundings as a woman sits down a few stools from her, giving her a slight side-eye before she sits. The woman looks to be late twenties to early thirties, blonde hair up in a slick-back bun tied neatly at the middle-back of her head and hands that looked far too good to be anything other than gay. The woman appears to be wearing purple rimmed glasses that rested neatly on the bridge of her nose along with a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and black suit pants with dress shoes.Â
Azzi Fudd had never felt more confused in her life. But also never more certain.
______________________________________________________________
Paigeâs POV
September 6th, 2025. 09:05 PM
Paige had just left work after staying four hours overtime doing paperwork for having to fire her chief editor after she had a plethora of complaints about him from women around the office saying he âalways looked too longâ and âdidnât know what personal space wasâ. Which Paige had zero tolerance for, no matter how well the employee performed.Â
Before she left though, she had informed her secretary, Aubrey, who was also one of her close friends, to postpone the job interview she had for the new photographer position. Aubrey set it to 5:30 instead of 3:30, which also meant Paige could have a little time to herself before the interview to collect herself.Â
Paige had gone straight to her friend's bar downtown, walking in the door and immediately feeling lighter. She walked over to the bar and saw that a girl she hadnât recognized was sitting at her usual stool, she didnât mind though, just sat at one three stools down.Â
Paige could feel the girl looking at her, but she kept a straight face until the bartender had handed the girl a tray of drinks, which she assumed had been for the girl's friends. Paige waited until the brunette left before she opened conversation with the bartender, Abe, who had known Paige as a regular and already had her usual drink in front of her.
âWho was that?â Paige inquired as she took a sip of her whiskey.
âI dunno, wish I did though. The girl ordered a rum and Pepsi, though. Said she thought she'd switch it up, since it's not illegal. Funny gal.â Abe replied as he cleaned a mug.
âRum and Pepsi? Maybe you outa give me a try.â Paige grinned.
âIâll let you nurse that whiskey for a little bit like you always do before that.â Abe said knowingly.
âYou got me this time, Abe.â
âDonât I always?â Abe smirked before being waved down by a separate group.
Paige took this time to think about the girl from before. Tall, almost as tall as her, curls that framed her face perfectly, her face looking structured but not fully grown into yet, definitely muscular yet seemed more feminine. Paige could once again feel the eyes of the girl burning into the back of her head. But she felt⊠uncertainty? As if the brunette was trying to figure something out and she couldnât.Â
She didnât dare to look back, keeping her eyes on the drink in front of her and the polished wood it sat on. She only looked back up when Abe walked back to her after serving the other group.
âSomething on your mind, kiddo?â Abe asked.
âI⊠I think that girl from earlier at the table back there is staring at me.â Paige responded with uncertainty.
âYouâre right, sheâs been lookinâ at ya for quite a bit.â Abe said knowingly without looking up.
âHow long?â
âOnly the last few minutes. Barely had any of her rum and Pepsi. Rude.â
âYeah⊠rightâŠâ
She takes a final sip of her whiskey, downing it in one go. The taste burned in her throat, but she needed it after her hectic day at the office.Â
âSlow down there, kiddo. Ainât you got work tomorrow?âÂ
âYeah, interviewing a new hire for a photographer position. But fuck it.â
âYou sure you wanna be drinking this much then?â
âAubs hasnât told me the girl's name yet though, never does. Always says she wants to keep it a secret so I can't do any research on the hire. But Iâll probably just hire the girl anyway. We need the position filled.â
âLucky you.â
âLucky me.â
Abe leaves to make rounds across the bar again, not before leaving Paige with a knowing wink. Once Paige thinks that the girl isnât looking anymore, she turns her head back to look at her. Boy was she wrong.
They held eye contact for what felt like centuries, the sky blue eyes against the leather brown ones. Neither one could look away, too captured by one another's presence.Â
The brunette girl finally snaps her attention back to her friends, but she was clearly still in a trance at the connection. After watching for a few more seconds, Paige watches the girl tell something to her friends before her view is blocked as the crowd in the bar gets larger. She finally turns her attention back to the empty glass in front of her, thinking deeply about the moment shared between her and the very, very, pretty girl in the corner of the bar.
Moments later, she feels a tap on her shoulder. Paige turns and is stunned to see the brunette behind her. The girl's smile splits her face in half as she reaches her hand out for Paige to shake.
âHi,â The girl starts. âIâm Azzi.â
âHey there, Iâm Paige.â Paige says as she takes the girl's hand to shake.
______________________________________________________________
(Continuation from chapter 1)
Lucky me.
âI noticed you looking earlier.â Azzi said.
âYou looked first.â Paige retortedÂ
The girl's face held a slight blush before she started again.
âDo you come here often?â
âOh yeah, all the time. My friend owns the place and Iâve known the bartender since I was like ten âcause he and my father are old pals. Abe practically raised me. What about you?â
âNever been before, but itâs been on my radar for a while after my boyfr-â-Azzi stops herself-â ex boyfriend mentioned it one time.â
âEx boyfriend huh?â
âLong story, well not really.â
âTell me.â Paige said while resting her chin on her knuckles and her elbow on the bar counter. The way Paige said it wouldâve folded Azzi in half(it did).
Azzi takes a seat next to Paige on the open barstool and sets her half drank rum and pepsi down onto the wood, which Paige doesnât seem to mind at all.
âHe broke up with me just aboutâŠâ - Azzi checks the time on her phone, it reads 9:27-â...three hours ago.â
âHow long were you two together for?â Paige asks. Sheâs unsure why she asks when people donât really talk about exes on first meetings, but sheâs too curious as to why someone would break up with a gorgeous girl such as the one in front of her.Â
âAbout three⊠and a half years?â Azzi thinks. âYeah, three and a half.â
âWow. What for?â
âSo he had this girl best friend, right?â
âI already donât like where this is going.â Paige rolls her eyes, which earns a laugh from both of them.Â
âI mean I always knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to be that paranoid and jealous girlfriend. So I let it slide. And it felt innocent enough because theyâd been âfriendsâ since like third grade.â Azzi exhales. âGuess I was the dumb one all along.âÂ
Paigeâs face softens. âHey, donât say that. It wasnât your fault.âÂ
âI mean good riddance I guess. Just wish I hadnât wasted so much time on him just for him to cheat. Or maybe I was the side piece all along?â
Paige felt a surge of anger at the last statement, but she keeps it in check. âAnyone whoâs stupid enough to have you as a side piece doesnât deserve to be around you.âÂ
âThanks.â
âWhat? Itâs true.â
âYou donât even know me.â
Paige shrugs âShow me who you are then.â
Azzi blushes. âI havenât been asked that in a long time.â
âLucky me.â Paige pauses, searching for something in Azzi's eyes. âWhat was his name?â
âEthan.â
Paigeâs eyes widened. âLast name?â
âClifford.â
âWait wait wait wait wait, blonde? Brown eyes? Like a bit shorter than me?â
âYeahâŠ?â
âHoly shit.â
âWhat?â
âThatâs my younger cousin on my momâs side.â
âOhâŠâ
âItâs okay. I always knew he was a bad kid. Called me a dyke when I was like twenty.â
âOh my god I canât believe I dated that piece of shit.â Azzi laughs out.Â
âMe neither⊠Anyways, tell me more about you. Enough about⊠him.â
âWell, I graduated college just about four months ago from Northeastern. Got a degree in communication studies andâŠâ
Paige was barely paying attention, too focused on the way Azzi lit up at every subject and how animated she was. She was too captivated by the way her lips moved and the way her hands motioned when she was describing something.Â
Paige was only snapped out of her trance when Azzi snapped her fingers in her face.Â
âStill with me, superstar?â
âYeah, sorry. Just spaced out for a minute.â
âSounds like a problem, you might need to get that checked.â Azzi joked, though it held an undertone of concern.
Paige chuckles, scratching the back of her neck where her baby hairs rested just under her bun. âNah I just⊠got distracted. Anyways, tell me about your family.â Paige smiled.
âLet's seeâŠâ Azzi thought for a little bit. âWell, my mom got remarried to my step-dad when I was like two. But to be honest, it doesnât feel like that at all. Weâve always been incredibly close and to me, heâs my real dad. I mean, I donât even know my biological dad.â
âWow. But it must be nice though, not having to have that awkwardness with him. Since youâve known him your whole life, I mean.â
âYeah, I hardly think of him as anything other than my real dad.â
âDo you ever wonder who your real dad is? And what heâs doing now?â
âSometimes. But then I remember Iâm lucky to have the one I have now, and that's all that matters to me right now. Maybe someday Iâll try to find him.â
âThatâs sweetâŠâ There's a beat of silence between them before Paige starts again. âAny siblings?â
Azzi beams. âYeah, actually. My parents adopted two boys, Jon and Jose, after their grandmother had sadly passed. I want to say they adopted the boys maybe⊠eight years ago at this point? Ugh and theyâre the sweetest little fuckers in the world i just love them so much. Itâs been such a gift to have them all this time.â
âWow. You really must love them if you light up like that.â
âI really do.âÂ
Thereâs another beat of silence before Paige speaks again.
âI have a weird question."
âShoot.â
âAre you named after-âÂ
Azzi cuts Paige off. âYes, Jeniffer Azzi. You have no idea how many people have asked me that.â Azzi chuckles.Â
âWas your mom a basketball fan?â
âOh yeah, huge. My mom actually played for Georgetown in college.â
âWow, thatâs cool. Did you ever play?â
âYeah, all in high school. I always thought Iâd play in the W one day. But it always felt like something was missing, so I didnât try to pursue it. You know UConn tried to recruit me for college? I said no, though.â
âWait, that's insane. I played for UConn my freshman like⊠a decade ago at this point.â
âWhyâd you stop?â Azzi asked, more intrigued than before.
âBlew the fuck out of my knee my sophomore year, couldnât play ever again.â
âOh god, that sounds horrible.â
âIt really was. In eighth grade, I got put on the high school varsity team. First to do it.â
âHoly shit.â
âYeah, right.â Paige paused. âAll in the past now though.â
âIm sorry.â
âDonât be. You werenât even in high school when I was at UConn.â Paige joked, but it came out sounding slightly wrong.
Azzi decided to fill the silence with more family questions. âOh my god, how rude of me. Tell me about your family.â
âEverthying except Ethan?â Paige jokes.
âEverything but.â
So Paige does, and they talk for what feels like hours just about family and family dynamics. Truthfully, it's only about thirty minutes, but Azzi couldnât care less. All Azzi is thinking about is how the woman singlehandedly changed her sexuality in less than an hour.Â
âSo, tell me about the rum and Pepsi.â Paige grins.
Azzi rolls her eyes. âOh my god.â Azzi blushes and covers her face in her hands. âDonât even.â
âWhat?â Paige teases further. âItâs cute.â
Azzi turns even redder and opens her fingers to look at Paige through her hands.
âWhat? Canât handle a little teasing?â
Azziâs hands drop from her face but sheâs still grinning from ear to ear. âI thought Coke was so basic. And whatâs wrong with a little change? Like you know that Smashmouth lyric from All Star?â
âDo I know that Smashmouth lyric?â Paige looks at Azzi in disbelief. âIâm like seven years older than you at least.âÂ
âOkay grandma.â
âDonât remind meâŠâ Paige grumbledÂ
Somebody once asked, "Could I spare some change for gas?
I need to get myself away from this place"
I said, "Yep, what a concept
I could use a little fuel myself and we could all use a little change"
Paige suddenly leaned into Azzi's ear, which prompted Azziâs brain to fully stop working.Â
âLook,â Paige whispered. âyour friends back there are looking at us.â Paige grinned.
And she was right, all four of them have been looking at Paige and Azzi flirt for the past forty-five minutes. Most of their faces held some form of shock while Kk leaned over to whisper something in Carolineâs ear, her gaze still fixed on the two, who just shrugged in disbelief.Â
Paige gently takes Azziâs chin in her fingers to stop her from looking directly at them, which sent Azziâs heart flying past the speed of light. âDonât look, okay?â
Azzi just nods, keeping her eyes on the woman in front of her and the grip she has on her own chin. Paige lifts her eyes and they make eye contact, the brown and blue clashing against one another for the second time that night- which was already two more times than Azziâs straight(no more hehe) little heart could take.
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(Continuation from chapter 3)
Hey there, old pal.
Azzi's POV
10:07 PM
Azzi looks down briefly and suddenly remembers how close the older woman is to her. Sheâs breathing heavy now, and Paige can feel it. The blonde drops her fingers and pulls back from her ear, which leaves Azzi disappointed more than anything. âShit- I'm sorry.â Paige apologizes quickly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks as she scratches the back of her head.Â
âNo, youâre good. Theyâre just being nosy, like always.â Azzi rolls her eyes in amusement to cover the fact that sheâs 100% going to die from her heart exploding out of her chest.
Paige laughs awkwardly and then they both remember the four are still looking at them. âDo you want to⊠get out of here?â
âI think thatâd be wise of us.â Azzi agrees. âBut I⊠I'll leave my keys with them since I drove them here.â To which Paige nods in agreement, prompting Azzi to throw back the rest of her rum and Pepsi(im still stuck on it im sorry) and walk back to her friends with her car keys in hand.Â
Azzi reaches the back corner once again and is immediately bombarded with questions before she can even open her mouth.Â
âAzzi Jazlyn Fudd, you dirty little freak.â Caroline gawks. And Kk obviously has to have her piece.Â
âSince when do you like women?âÂ
âSince now, apparently.â
âI canât believe it, you sneaky little-â Yanna butts in, which is then cut off by the sound of Azzi dropping her car keys on the table, earning a surprise jump from all four.
âIâm giving you guys my keys since I drove you all here. I expect my car back before my interview tomorrow, got it? And have Sarah drive. I trust her the most.â
âYes maâam.â Sarah says mock responsibly as she takes the keys.Â
âSheâs hot, and way out of your age range.â Kk observes suspiciously. âAnd didnât you say earlier that you didnât want us setting you up with someone?â
âChanged my mind.â Azzi shrugs. âAnd she's only like thirty.â She adds with a sly grin.
âGirl boo you canât just change- WAIT DID YOU SAY THIRTY?!â Kk yelps. Which cues Sarah to cover her mouth to stop her from attracting attention, which is impossible since the bar is loud enough.
âNo biggie. Anyways- love yall!â Azzi uses it as her quick escape.
âWait where are you going!?â Caroline yells back, but Azziâs too far gone to see anymore as she disappears into the crowd.Â
Azzi finds Paige waiting near the entrance on her phone leaning against the wall near the back door, holding Azziâs brown leather jacket from earlier she momentarily forgot existed.Â
âHey,â Azzi said as she approached Paige. âIâm going to go pay my tab and then I'll be back, âkay?â
âNo worries,â Paige started. âI already paid for it.â
Azziâs eyes widened in shock. âYou didnât have to do thatâŠâ
âIt was nothing, donât worry about it.â Paige said, handing Azzi her coat and putting her phone away.
âThank you. I promise ill pay you ba-â
âReally,â Paige cut the younger girl off. âdonât worry about it.â
âOkay.â
Azzi shoots a quick text to Yanna. Paige paid the tab. Then put away her phone. âWhere are we going?â.
âFollow me.â
And Azzi does. She probably shouldnât follow a stranger blindly through the streets of Boston, but she thinks Paige is the exception. Maybe just this one time, for the rest of forever. Sheâd go forever with Paige. Sheâd follow anywhere those strong ha-
The younger girlâs thoughts were interrupted by the sudden motion of Paige stopping in front of what resembled an ice cream parlor. âWeâre here.â Paige said. She sensed the confusement on Azziâs face and continued. âTrust me. Once you have this, youâll never want to go anywhere else for ice cream.â The blonde reassured.
Azzi felt her shoulders loosen as a warm feeling spread through her body. That warmth quickly morphed into a burning heat as Paige took her hand to lead her into the shop, which Azzi immediately folded into(simp alert).Â
Azzi was immediately captivated by the cutesy interior of the place, a black and white checkered tile stripe wrapping around the place with a pastel baby blue paint caging it in all around. There was a wood sign on the wall behind the counter that had âEst. 1954â carved into it. Behind the counter, there was an old looking man, who looked around mid fifties, who held a kind smile and a girl next to him who looked to be about fourteen, she was on her phone. The girl looked slightly less enthusiastic than the old man, which Azzi assumed was teenage angst, but when she looked up and saw Paige, her whole face lit up in surprise. âPaige!â The girl jumps up from her stool.
Paige walked up to the man, only letting go of Azziâs hand once they got to the counter, leaving Azzi with a pang of disappointment. âHey there, old pal.â Paige smiled as she rested her left palm on the cool marble counter and held out her right hand for the man to shake, which he did gladly.Â
âWell welcome back here Paigey. Itâs been a while, hasn't it?â The man smiled.
âYeah, sorry. Iâve been so busy lately.â Then Paigeâs attention shifts to the girl next to the man, holding her fist out to the girl. âAnd you. How ya been, kiddo?â
The girl excitedly bumps her fist with Paigeâs. âIâve been good. But I havenât seen you in so long.â
A small hint of guilt flashes across Paigeâs face, only noticed by Azzi, before she responds. âYeah, looks like youâve grown quite a bit since then.â Paige laughs off.
âItâs only been three months.â The girl rolls her eyes, but a bit of hurt hides behind them.
âThree months too long. But I promise to come more often from now on, âkay?â Paige holds her pinky out to the girl, who took it gladly.Â
âAnyways, what can I get for ya?â The man, Charles, his name tag read, said as he looked between the two.
Paige looked at Azzi, a warm smile spread across her face, which did unimaginable things to Azzi. âWhat would you like?â
âWhat do you recommend?â
Paige thought for a few seconds with a hard thinking expression on her face, looking absolutely adorable. âHmm⊠I think youâd like their Everything Berry. Iâm more of a vanilla person myself, though.â
âEverything Berry it is then.â
Paige turned back to Charlie and the girl, Gia, her name tag read, with that charming smile âOne scoop vanilla and one scoop of Everything Berry, thanks.â
âHere or to go?â Charlie asked as Gia got to work.
âTo go.â
âGotcha.â
And before Azzi could even blink, Paige had already tapped her card on the reader and paid, being handed the two cups of Ice cream, hanging the berry one to Azzi with a spoon.
They walked out of the parlor with the ghost of Paige's hand on Azziâs lower back and Gia yelling âCome back soon!â to Paige.Â
âYou just know everyone, donât you?â Azzi teased once they left the shop.
Paige rolled her eyes and a small smile cracked through her lips. âCharlesâ father founded that Ice cream shop with my grandfather in like the fifties or something. My father didnât want to continue the shop's legacy, so he gave all his ownership of it to Charles when my grandfather passed. The girl is Charlesâ niece, by the way.â
Azziâs expression turned a little less teasing and more empathetic. âSorry to hear about your grandfather.â
âDonât be, he was an old man when he passed anyway. Ninety-two I think.â
âStill, I get that. My grandad died when I was like seventeen. It wasnât the easiest since he and I were always close.â
Paige nodded in respect, clearly softening at the similarity. They walked in comfortable silence for a couple minutes, eating their ice cream scoops and silently observing small things about one another. Azzi noticed how Paige was clearly a faster walker, but holding back to walk with Azzi even though it clearly agitated her. She also noticed how Paigeâs eyes looked a little dimmed. How even the bright sky blue looked suppressed with the weight of Paige's unfinished and unshared story. The weight of someone who was pushed far too hard for far too long and is only just re-learning how to rebuild what was smashed into pieces from that pressure of being pushed.
Finally, Azzi broke the silence after her long observation. âYou didnât need to pay.â Azzi muttered
Paige just shrugged âWhatâs the point of having money if you canât spend it?â then grinned.
âNext time I'm paying though. Okay?â
âBold of you to assume there will be a next time.â Paige smirkedÂ
Azzi flushed red and tried to keep it cool, failing miserably. âI mean- I just meant that-â god Azzi get it together âIâm just saying Iâd like it if we saw each other again.â Azzi managed to pull out before she embarrassed herself further.Â
Paige grinned once again(God is that all she does?) with a spoonful of ice cream on the way to her mouth âI would like that too.â
âShit.â Azzi mumbled.
âWhat?â Paige asked curiously.
Azzi checked the time on her phone, 10:29. Shit, I need to get home soon. Ethanâs coming by to get his stuff. Then she turned and looked at Paige. âHow would you like to come to my apartment and watch my ex move out?â Azzi asked slightly nervously, but she was too confident to back down.
Paige was taken aback for a moment at the bluntness, then she lit up and smirked mischievously. âAnd watch my baby cousin realize how badly he fucked up? Hell yeah!â
God sheâs so hot when she swears Azzi thought, already feeling slightly too much for a woman she met just an hour ago. âCome on, he should be at my apartment in like thirty minutes.â Azzi challenged.
âLetâs get walking then.â Paige said, boldly holding her arm out for Azzi to loop hers through- which caused Azziâs heart to do a few somersaults and backflips, the usual, before she looped her arm through Paigeâs gently. Azzi knew she was making obvious heart eyes at the blonde, but she couldnât give two shits about how she looked. She also couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, but she pushed it off as being nervous for her first somewhat "date" in three and a half years.Â
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K I'm done with this for a few. Feedback is much appreciated for the next chapters cuz I'm not putting my 100% effort into this, even though I should. Mostly just started this for shits & giggles.










