Sonic Brew was a popular coffee shop near Dez's high school. The drinks were pretty expensive, even for a coffee shop, but the place was always packed after classes because of the stage in the side room of the shop. There were a lot of really good singers and performers at Marino High, so there was always live music. But, today, Dez wasn't there for the music. He had practically ran to the coffee shop after his Future Filmmakers Club meeting. He wanted to be sitting and sipping his favorite warm drink by the time Carrie arrived. And so far, everything was going according to plan.

"My head is filled with ruins…"

Dez looked up from his favorite warm drink, a hot chocolate made with white chocolate topped with pumpkin flavored whipped cream, at the sound of singing. He had been sitting at a two-seat round table near the front of the shop where people ordered their drinks. He had strategically picked this table so that he would see Carrie as soon as she walked inside. The beautiful voice of the singer continued to cause Dez to look around the shop for its source. He stood up from the table and walked out into the small crowds at the couches and tables.

Suddenly from the corner of Dez's eye, he saw Carrie walk into Sonic Brew. He turned his head to see her better and butterflies fluttered in his belly. This is what he had been waiting for ever since Carrie and Jace broke up, an opportunity to ask her out. And now here was his chance. He took a few steps toward the counter.

"They are empty. They are worn…"

Dez froze. He looked over his shoulder to the direction of the side room where the singing stage was located. The powerful voice called to him through the words of a sad love song. He turned on his heels and walked toward the side room.

"Hey, Dez!"

Carrie's cheerful voice stopped him before he could cross the threshold to the side room.

"Oh, hey, Carrie!" he greeted her brightly.

Dez felt a few more butterflies fluttering around his tummy. Carrie looked as pretty as ever with her brightly colored feather-earrings and matching feather tutu. Her fashion sense was one of his favorite things about her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Dez grinned. This was it! All was going according to plan. He would tell her that what he was doing here was waiting for her. Waiting so that he could tell her that he thinks she's cool and pretty and fun to be around. Waiting to tell her that he wanted her to be his homecoming date for the dance. But then the voice that had been drawing him forward sang boldly and full of emotion.

"You're that one I can't ignore…""

Dez's speech that he had been rehearsing for the past three days in the bathroom mirror was no longer important. So instead of saying the words that he had been practicing, he answered Carrie's question with, "I'm watching her sing."

"Who?" Carrie asked.

"I don't know," Dez replied honestly. "But I think I gotta go."

"Oh."

There was a hint of disappointment in Carrie's voice. It was almost enough to make Dez stay. But not enough. He waved her goodbye and walked into the side room. The lights were dimmer in this part of the coffee shop. Bistro lights and fairy lights were strung all around the room. Dez glanced at the faces intently watching the performer on stage. He looked up and saw the one person he had never seen perform at the coffee shop before: Trish de la Rosa.

"Whaaaa," Dez whispered to himself.

He couldn't believe that the voice tugging at his soul belonged to his lab partner. The lab partner that put a dissected frog in his backpack two weeks ago. But there she was.

"But real love is never a waste of time," she sang.

Their eyes met and Dez felt like he had been hit by a truck. It wasn't exciting and tingly like the butterfly feeling. It was disorienting and forceful and powerful. He had to stumble over to the armchair closest to him, but he kept his gaze on her the entire time.

Trish looked away and continued to sing. Dez watched in awe. He was in a stupor until everyone was clapping and Trish was walking off the stage. He practically ran up to her and stood in her way of leaving to the front of the coffee shop.

"Can I help you?" She said with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"Can I buy you a rubber chicken?" Dez asked.

Trish furrowed her brow. "What? We're in a coffee shop, weirdo."

"Right!" Dez scratched the back of his head. "Can I buy you a coffee then?"

Trish gave him a skeptical look. She raised her eyebrow and loosely crossed her arms. "Why?" she asked sternly.

Dez gulped. He hadn't had any speech prepared to give Trish. He hardly ever thought of Trish except for when they were forced to work together in class or if she sat with her best friend, Ally, and his best friend, Austin, at lunch. Now he felt like he was going to be thinking about her for a long time. He stared at her wordlessly.

"Never mind," Trish grumbled. She tried to step around him, but he blocked her path again.

"Wait," he stammered. He exhaled and said in a rush, "I don't know why. I just feel like I should. When you sang that song and looked at me didn't you feel it too?"

Trish's eyes widened. She took a small step back from him but didn't say anything. He waited patiently, hoping he hadn't said the wrong thing.

"Okay," she said in a quiet voice. She cleared her throat and added louder, "Be glad I like free stuff."

"Yes!" Dez cheered.

He turned to unblock her path and held his arm out to indicate the clear way. She rolled her eyes and walked forward, but Dez saw the small smile on her lips. It gave him that same feeling that her voice did and he couldn't wait to make her smile more.

End note: This oneshot was based off the prompt warm drink from the September OTP Prompt Challenge posted by . Thank you for sharing prompts, person from the internet.