Lizzy Bennít was feeling very pleased with herself today, and life in general, really. As of yesterday, school was finally out for the summer (FREEDOOOOOM!) and on top of that, she had a new regular at the QuickaSnack, who just made her shifts a little more bearable.

"Where on earth is this song from? It sounds like autotuned dog crap."

Lizzy didn't even have to look up to see the curled lip and exasperated expression. She grinned. "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: the Squeakqual."

A pause, as if the information was being digested just as well as expired milk. "But... wasn't it just playing a reggae version of Margaritaville?"

"Yyyyyup."

"And… what song's up next?"

Lizzy's grin widened. "19th century Italian opera."

"Jesus Christ."

"Yes I agree, this playlist is divine."

He snorted, and Lizzy happily turned up the volume, to which he responded by turning away with his hands over his ears. Lizzy smiled to herself. Will Darcy was a fun guy to be around.

At first, she had almost classified Will as.. arrogant and aloof— almost unfeeling. But, as he came by the QuickaSnack more and more, and they spent more and more time together— browsing and bickering and creating stupid inside jokes about gummy bears— Lizzy began to see him a little differently. He was… sweet, sort of. Will was.. persnickety, and even a bit overly judgemental at times, but he was also incredibly nice and awkward beyond belief— which… was kinda cute, if Lizzy was being totally honest with herself. He also got flustered easily, which (on top of being hella adorable) was very fun to provoke. Lizzy thoroughly enjoyed teasing him, but liked it even more when he teased back.

"Is this the ENTIRE soda selection?"

Lizzy rolled her eyes amusedly. "No, we have a secret compartment in the freezer aisle. Igor, hit it!"

She looked up, and matched Will's glare with a grin. "What?"

He clicked his tongue and sighed. "It's just….," he trailed off, "Nevermind."

"Ah, c'mon Will," Lizzy teased, "You your big boy words!"

He glowered at her. She smiled back winningly. Will sighed again. "It's just… you don't have Pepsi."

She pointed to his left. "We have Coke."

He gave her a look. "That's not Pepsi."

"Oh lord, please tell me you're not one of those people."

"What people?" Will asked, his voice wary, readying himself to be offended.

"One of those people who CARES about Pepsi vs Coke."

"They're two different things!"

"Uh, HELLO?" Lizzy laughed, "They taste the EXACT same!"

Will gawked at her, mightily offended. "They do NOT!"

"Um, yeah, they do!"

"NO they don't!"

"They do!"

Will grinned at her. "Prove it."

She rolled her eyes again, but she was fighting a smile. "Will. Just take the damn soda."

He grumbled a bit, but Will did end up taking the damn soda. As he was bending over to grab the bottle, Lizzy had an opportunity to study him without being observed.

Yep. He was hot. No doubt about that.

Will's hair was thick and wavy, regally groomed with a few stray curls of ebony escaping to his forehead. His jawline was stronger than most, but somehow looked surprisingly soft, as if the underside was just waiting to be kissed tenderly. Will also had broad shoulders, muscular arms, and a tall, thickish frame that Lizzy was willing to bet was body-builder level underneath all those fancy suits and ties. And his EYES… dark pools of earth and soil, strata leading down to warm, complex abyss that resembled a soul. It was enough to make any girl swoon.

Which is why it was so weird to see that and have to only think 'friend.'

Sure, Lizzy liked him. Will was just her type: cute, clever, good sense of humor, well-read… Lizzy was, admittedly, very picky for someone who had no physical requirements for who she dated. Her last girlfriend (Mariah King, in sophomore year) had called it "selectively open-minded," which Lizzy had agreed with. But yeah, Will Darcy fit the bill just right.

It really was a shame he wasn't interested.

I mean, he never said it outright, but she could TELL, ya know? Lizzy just.. just got the feeling Will was ONLY looking for friendship where she was concerned. Whenever Lizzy would make an even slightly flirty comment, it would either go way over his head, he would brush it off as a joke and pointedly ignore it, or he would get all red and twitchy and change the subject.

Sure, he looked at her a lot (like, a LOT, a lot), but Lizzy was pretty convinced that was just his social awkwardness. Plus, he hadn't asked her out yet. Just kinda… hung around, laughing and talking and making slightly snobbish comments about Pepsi's obvious superiority to Coke. That didn't exactly scream 'romantic.'

And she was cool with that! She didn't have to date anyone (though her mother would disagree)— she was fine with just being friends! Granted, it was sometimes hard not to wish it was more, but if he wasn't interested, Lizzy wouldn't pursue. They had a good thing going— she didn't want to ruin their budding friendship.

"I can't believe you didn't have it," Will grumbled as Lizzy rang up his not-Pepsi, "I mean, this is a CONVENIENCE store! Shouldn't you have all kinds of soda?!"

She laughed. "Look man, I dunno what to tell you."

"Tell me you have Pepsi," Will begged. His eyes were darkly serious, but the sides of his mouth were twitching upwards suspiciously. "Or at least back ordering some."

"I'll look into it," Lizzy winked.

He grunted in appreciation and took his 'second-rate' soda. Instead of leaving however, Will lingered at the counter, only somewhat awkwardly.

Lizzy smiled at him sideways. "So.. you prefer— oh, sorry— STRONGLY prefer Pepsi to Coke, then?"

Will took a swig and grimaced. "Yup."

"Huh. That's like, only the fourth thing you've told me about yourself."

"Oh yeah? What are the other three?" Will asked with some interest.

"You're a real estate lawyer, you've never seen Aladdin, and you drive a Tesla. That's… literally all I know about you."

"Hey, it's not like I know much about you either!" Will protested mildly.

"Dude, I like, told you my entire family history the other day! And all I know about you is your damn Pepsi obsession!"

Will grinned in a way Lizzy was determined NOT to classify as sexy. "Maybe I like to maintain an air of mystery."

"Well, I'll get you to drop the act sooner or later," Lizzy promised jokingly.

She really wasn't prepared for the warm look of sincerity that entered Will's dark eyes. "I'd.. I look forward to that," he said, softly, smilingly.

Lizzy swallowed and decided, well, fuck it. "Hey, uh, maybe I can get you to drop the man-of-mystery act at the banquet tonight?"

He smiled. "Oh yeah, I can't wait for that! Gina and I have been looking forward to it all week!"

"No no, I mean.. if Gina's cool with it… maybe uh, you and I could go.. together?"

Will stopped, and looked at her for a moment, stone faced. Lizzy panicked internally as the seconds ticked by. His eyes were boring into her— dark and sultry and completely unreadable.. except for a stunned glazed look, and a slight widening around the eyebrows.

"It would be a totally casual thing!" Lizzy blurted, unable to take the silence any longer. "Just go together as friends! We'd hang out at the party and I could introduce you to people.. you'd just probably swing by casa de Bennít beforehand so we can drive over together!"

A bead of sweat trickled down her neck. Oh god. Oh fuck. Had she just ruined it?

"Oh… Kay..," Will said, slowly, not blinking for an interminable amount of time.

"Cool." She smiled, a bit uncomfortable. Then she shook off the feeling. They were just friends. Friends go to parties together all the time! So what's the big deal? NOTHING THAT'S WHAT. Hhhhhhhhh….

Lizzy huffed all the air out of her lungs. Murmuring half to herself, she said, "Shit, I have no clue what I am gonna wear."

Finally, Will blinked. His brow crinkled, confused. "Um. A dress..?"

"Uyyyy, I'll probably have to," Lizzy groaned, sitting back in the comfy behind-the-counter chair. "But then I'll have to wear HEELS because my MOM will have a FIT if I don't. UGH."

Will raised his eyebrows at her in a teasing sort of smile. "Then just wear dress pants or something," he suggested, almost innocently.

Lizzy gasped and clutched her hands to her chest. "PANTS!? At a BANQUET?! BLASPHEMY!" She dropped the act and ran a hand though her curls, sighing. "Nnneurghh, there are no good options…"

"Well, I look forward to you figuring it out."

"Me too, compadre. Me too."

He smiled at her, and Lizzy waved as Will took his not-Pepsi and left the QuickaSnack. The door closed. The bell jangled. Lizzy sighed. Suddenly, without Will's presence, the store felt a lot less like home.

Lizzy was quick to derail THAT train of thought. They were JUST FRIENDS. Nothing more. Even if… NO, just friends. With an effort, Lizzy put all thoughts of Will Darcy, possible relationships, and Pepsi out of her mind.

She cranked up the volume of the already ear-splitting Italian opera, and went back to work, not admitting to herself that she was counting down the hours until her shift ended and the banquet began— until Lizzy would (as friends) get to see him again.