As expected, they were in the middle of a heated argument. Tiffany was gesturing dramatically with her hands, her nails flashing under the diner lights, while Jamal leaned back against the booth, looking unimpressed.

“—I’m just saying,” she insisted, jabbing a finger toward him. “You’re an idiot for letting Sydney cry all over your hoodie instead of just giving her a tissue.”

Jamal exhaled in exasperation. “What was I supposed to do? Sometimes people need more than a tissue⁠—”

“Jamal, that was your favorite hoodie. Now it’s drenched in heartbreak, mascara, and drama. That’s a tragedy, not a moment of compassion.”

He shrugged. “I was just being nice.”

“No, you were being dumb.”

“Okay, and?”

“And I’m revoking your rights to fashion,” she replied without missing a beat. “Hand over your sneakers. Now.”

“My sneakers?” he asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

“You heard me,” she said, arms crossed.

Beverly groaned against my shoulder.

Jamal finally looked in our direction, his brown eyes locking onto us. A slow smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Oh, good, the lovebirds are here.”

Beverly sighed. “My chauffeur was taking his sweet time…”

Tiffany narrowed her eyes, tapping her nails against the table. “If he pissed you off, blink twice.”

Jamal took a sip of his strawberry milkshake. “If you want us to jump him, blink three times.”

Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I set Beverly down on her feet beside the table.

She slid into the booth across from Tiffany, immediately stealing a fry from the basket. I took the seat beside her, resting my arm along the back of the booth.

“Finally,” Tiffany muttered. “Someone normal.”

Jamal made a disbelieving noise. “You’re calling Bev normal?”

“I am normal,” Beverly said with a frown.

Jamal leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “Beverly, my dear, beloved friend, you once cried over a commercial about a dog finding its way home. A commercial.”

Beverly’s face scrunched up. “It was emotional.”

Jamal shook his head and turned to Tiffany. “You hear this? This is the girl you’re defending.”

Tiffany shot him a glare. “I also cried at that commercial.”

I gave them both a deadpan look. “Are you guys done?”

She and Jamal locked eyes. “No,” they said at the same time.

I dragged a hand down my face. “Fantastic.”

“Tiff, you literally⁠—”

I grabbed a fry, shoving it into Jamal’s mouth mid-sentence.

“Hmph—” He glared at me, chewing furiously. “Rude.”

“Necessary.”

Tiffany grabbed her chocolate milkshake and sipped it as if she needed the sugar to deal with him. “I swear,” she said with a sigh, “one of these days, I’m going to snap.”

“You’ve been saying that for years,” Beverly pointed out.

“Because I haven’t committed a crime yet.”

“Please,” Jamal scoffed. “You’d miss me if I was gone.”

“I’d dance on your grave.”

“I’d haunt you.”

“I’d sage my entire house.”