You're not sure which is worse

 

"I don't think I have enough women friends," Chili sighed as they were cleaning up to close.

Dory was there and he was counting money.

"What are you talking about?" He didn't look up as he multi-tasked.

"Oh, I dunno."

"You've been strange since Christmas," he shook his head.

"Have I?" She wiped down the counter as if for good measure. She pulled a lock of her thick dark hair behind her ear and attempted to talk about Axton. "Things have changed between Axton and me."

"Did you have a fight?" He finally looked back at her and she laughed with an open smile.

"No, that's not it." She wanted to be closed-lipped about it, but who else could she vent to. "We finally..you know.."

"No, I don't know." Of course, he wouldn't.

"Have you and Cedric-"

"What? He lets me drive now. He's not bad to drive with. He thinks I'm ready for my driver's test." He nodded and said he hoped it didn't happen during a snowstorm. 

Just as she looked out the Coffee Shop window she saw the snow getting heavier. Naturally, she hoped Axton would stay again. 

"I guess..I guess I need to be nicer to Axton," she confessed. "I'm kind of off and on. I'm just not used to being with someone, so much."

"But you're friends," Dory told her.

"Yeah, that kind of makes it tough," she sighed as she went to put the damp cloth away and inspect the grease trap.

"Tough?" Dory squinted.

"Well, will you always be in the friend zone with Cedric?" She asked him.

"Um, we kind of kissed on New Year's," he let slip. "I'm just not very good at..you know affection."

"Maybe you just need to follow Cedric's lead. You know, it's kind of like a dance, you just go with it."

He scrunched a face as if he didn't want her to say another word about it. She held in a laugh.

"Try not to make Cedric too miserable. I mean, Axton is there for me and I know I need to be there for him." Chili had a feeling Dory knew more of what was going on with his romance than he would ever admit.