Page 67 of Kiss Me, Maybe

The bar isn’t as packed as it usually is for a Friday, but Krystal still manages to avoid me half the night. Not that it matters, because I came here to see Marcela and Leti anyway, but it stings nevertheless. They arrive as I’m ordering my second drink of the night from another bartender, and we take the upholstered chairs in a corner.

The first thing I notice about Leticia Maldonado is that she’s stunning. She’s wearing a dark dress with cutouts along the sides that show off her curves and a small handbag with a gold chain crossed over her body. As we take our seats, multiple heads turn her direction and outwardly stare.

“Wow, Leti. You clean up nice.”

“So do you.” Her eyes sparkle as a smile takes up her entire face. “It’s so nice to finally meet you in person.”

“All this time, how did I not know you’re a library worker too?”

“We never mentioned where we work, I don’t think,” she says. “I didn’t know that about you either.”

Marcela leaves to order a second drink fifteen minutes in, and then mysteriously disappears. She’s not slick. I know exactly what my best friend is doing. I’d appreciate the gesture more if I didn’t have a perfect view of Krystal over Leti’s shoulder. But there’s no hope there. With Leti, there might be.

I learn that Leti’s not much of a reader despite her profession, but when she does, she prefers audiobooks and graphic novels. She’s taken her side hustle as a cozy gamer on TikTok to Twitch as well, and we’re able to commiserate about our time spent largely in online communities. An hour passes, and I hardly notice.

“So, what do you think?” I ask. “Still want to join the scavenger hunt?”

“Of course I do.” She places her hand on top of my mine. “I know we were mostly joking in the beginning about saying we should date each other, but it feels like fate that we’re in the same city with the same connections, doesn’t it?”

“It was certainly a surprise.” Her soft hand warms my palm, and though it’s not an unpleasant feeling, something about the contact feels… wrong. I pull my hand away and cover by grabbing my drink. “And remind me again, are you single?” My brows waggle as she rolls her eyes, but her smile is fond. “Because it’s sort of a requirement that you have to be single in order to participate. You wouldn’t go through the trouble of winning my first kiss just to break my heart, would you, Leti?”

“Funny.” She takes a sip from her drink. “And no, Angela, I wouldn’t do that to you. Lucky for you I’mextremelysingle. So single, in fact, I’m the last single sibling in my family. Last of them to have my life figured out, really.”

“I don’t have any siblings, but I get it. I’m living with my parents until I graduate and find an open librarian position.”

“I just moved out of my parents’ place,” she says. “We have so much in common already.”

“We sure do.” For the first time since Leti walked in, I catch Krystal’s gaze across the bar. Her eyes quickly dart away as she turns and disappears into the back. Shaking my head, I continue. “Say you win the scavenger hunt.” Leti mimes raising her arms in victory. “What would the next step look like? Would you say you’re looking for a relationship?”

“That would be the goal, yes, if we agree there’s a connection here. I’d say it’s looking pretty good so far. Wouldn’t you?”

A crash from the bar saves me from answering. Krystal is mumbling beneath her breath as another bartender returns with a broom.

“Sounded like a bottle broke,” Leti says before turning back to me. “Anyway, where were we?”

“Um…” I blink a couple times before turning away from the bar, where Krystal is cleaning up whatever mess happened back there. “Right. Dating. Aside from messaging accidental thirst trappers on TikTok, have you been dating anyone recently?”

“Not at all.” Her mouth purses. “I haven’t been on a date in four years. After the worst first date in history, I pretty much gave up on dating until I figured out my identity. I’m trying not to be a cynic about dating, or the idea of returning to dating apps, but it’s hard not to be when you know what’s out there.”

“Yeah, I’m a little happy not to know what’s out there yet.” I laugh. “Aside from you, but I doubt anyone would become a cynic after dating you.”

She smiles shyly, casting her eyes down, and I wait to feel something. Some sort of spark or connection like she mentioned earlier. But that’s not why we’re meeting up. This isn’t a first date, and romantic feelings don’t happen instantaneously for me. They grow over time—slowly, inconveniently, until they swallow me whole.

Leti leaves soon after, and Marcela quickly takes her vacant chair.

“Well?” she asks, looking far too excited for her own good. “How’d it go?”

“She’s going to join the scavenger hunt.” When Marcela’s expectant look doesn’t change, I sigh. “What?”

“That’s it? That’s all I get?” she yelps. “This was your first time meeting your flirtationship in person! What did you think about her? Is there something there?”

“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “Maybe. It’s too soon to tell,but I…” Krystal has finished cleaning up whatever mess happened behind the bar and is now taking orders when a group of women enter. “Is it wrong of me to go through with this if my head is somewhere else?”

Marcela turns to where my gaze has landed, and then looks back at me. “That depends. Is it your head or your heart that’s elsewhere?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Come on, Angela.” She shakes her head slightly. “We both know that’s not true.”

---