a very fun cafe idea

As I made my way back to the garden where we'd decided to brainstorm, I tucked the fiery necklace into my shirt, hiding its glow. The last thing I needed was to draw attention to something so obviously valuable—and even more obviously gifted by Evelyn. I could already imagine the teasing if anyone found out. Nope. Better safe than sorry.

The garden was bustling with energy when I arrived. Claire was gesturing animatedly, Lillian listened with a serene smile, and Camille was dramatically sprawled on a bench like some theatrical heroine in distress. Diana sat with her legs crossed, looking like she was judging everyone from her throne of judgment, and Tessa was lounging casually with her arms folded, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

I took a seat next to Tessa and let out a sigh. "So, have you guys come up with anything yet?" I asked, hoping they had at least narrowed it down.

"Actually, we've got a few ideas," Claire said, looking a little too excited. "But everyone has different opinions, and we can't seem to agree."

"What are the ideas?" I asked warily, already bracing myself for whatever chaos was brewing.

"We create a drama—a play!" Camille announced, sitting up dramatically and placing a hand over her heart like she was mid-performance. "We can use Ms. Sinclair's classroom as a stage, and I'll direct it. Obviously, I'll take the lead role too."

I gave her a blank stare. "Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and veto that one."

Camille gasped as though I'd just told her she couldn't act anymore. "You wound me, Sera! I would've made you my co-star!"

"That's exactly why I'm saying no," I muttered, earning a soft chuckle from Tessa.

Diana leaned forward with a sweet smile that immediately made me nervous. "Or we could turn Ms. Sinclair's classroom into a therapy office," she said in a honeyed tone. "That way, I'll get to know everyone's deepest, darkest secrets. And if anyone ever thinks about crossing me…" She clasped her hands together with mock innocence, her smile darkening slightly. "Well, let's just say they'd regret it."

I shivered involuntarily. "Yeah, let's also veto that one."

Claire cleared her throat, looking sheepish. "Well, the last idea is a maid café."

That caught my attention immediately. A maid café? Seeing all five heroines in maid outfits? This… this could be the greatest idea in history.

But before I could even voice my thoughts, Claire continued, "I suggested it, but everyone went silent, stared at me, and then went back to debating."

"Obviously," Diana said, rolling her eyes. "We have Lillian here. She's the daughter of the king and queen. Who are we to suggest she become a maid?"

Surprisingly, she sounded genuinely protective. Or maybe it was just because it was Lillian.

Lillian, ever the voice of calm reason, smiled and shook her head. "I'm okay with being a maid," she said. "It sounds different. Fun, even."

"It's not a bad idea," Tessa chimed in, shrugging nonchalantly. "I mean, it's something people would enjoy, and it's not as messy as a drama or… whatever Diana was planning."

"What do you think, Sera?" Camille asked, leaning in with a curious glint in her icy blue eyes.

Actually, I thought it was an amazing idea. Seeing all five heroines dressed in maid outfits would probably be the highlight of my entire existence. God, just the thought—

"Are you having dirty thoughts?" Tessa interrupted, her voice dripping with amusement as she smirked at me.

"What? No!" I quickly defended, feeling my face heat up. "Why would you even—no, I wasn't!"

"It's okay," Camille teased, resting her chin on her hand and giving me a knowing look. "You don't have to lie to us. We all know how imaginative you can be."

"I'm not lying!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I genuinely think it's a good idea. It sounds fun and… different, alright?"

The group exchanged glances before Lillian's soft laugh broke the tension. "Then it's settled," she said, her voice carrying an air of finality. "We'll do the maid café."

"Yes!" Claire cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "Finally, someone appreciates my idea!"

"Don't get too excited," Diana said, though her lips twitched with a faint smile. "We still have to figure out the logistics."

As the group dove into planning, I leaned back slightly, letting out a long breath. This was definitely going to be an interesting festival. And, for reasons I wasn't quite ready to admit, I was looking forward to it. Something about the chaos this group brought made life a little less predictable—and maybe even a little enjoyable.

"Alright!" Claire suddenly exclaimed, springing to her feet with an energy that seemed boundless. "Now that we've got our idea locked in, it's time to get all the materials! Sera! Tessa! You're coming with me to the city of Fiore to shop for outfits!"

"Wait, what?" I blinked, startled by how quickly she'd assigned roles.

Claire didn't even pause, pointing at Lillian with the enthusiasm of someone delivering orders on a battlefield. "Lillian, you can handle making the list of materials we'll need! Camille and Diana, you're helping her!"

"Excuse me?" Diana arched a brow, crossing her arms. "Why do I get stuck with list duty? Wouldn't it make more sense for me to oversee the shopping trip? I have an impeccable eye for detail."

Lillian smiled warmly, as always the voice of calm amidst the chaos. "You're very detail-oriented, Diana, which is why I trust you to help organize the list. I promise it won't take long."

Diana looked like she wanted to argue but, under Lillian's serene gaze, relented with a soft huff. "Fine. But only because I have standards."

Camille, meanwhile, was already pulling out a notebook, her icy blue eyes sparkling with interest. "This could actually be fun. Let's make sure the café looks perfect. I'm thinking elegant but approachable—something that will draw in crowds without being too overwhelming."

Claire clapped her hands. "See? Camille's already on board! And Tessa—you're coming, no excuses!"

"Sounds good to me," Tessa said easily, stretching her arms behind her head before glancing at me with a sly grin. "Besides, Sera could probably use my help carrying all the shopping bags."

"Hey!" I protested, frowning at her. "Why do you assume I'm going to be buried under shopping bags?"

Tessa chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. "Because I know Claire, and when she gets into shopping mode, she doesn't hold back."

"I heard that!" Claire said with a grin. "And you're absolutely right."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Fine, fine. Let's just get this over with."

Lillian's soft laugh made me glance her way. "Don't worry, Sera. I'll make sure the list is as concise as possible. Have fun in Fiore, and let us know if you need anything."

"Fun," I muttered, glancing at Tessa, who was already smirking at me. "Sure. That's exactly what this is going to be."

With that, the group split up, each of us heading to our respective tasks. As we left the garden, Claire practically bouncing with excitement, I found myself glancing at Tessa again.

Her easy smile hadn't faltered, and when our eyes met, there was a glimmer of mischief there that made my stomach do an odd little flip. This trip was going to be chaotic. And knowing Claire and Tessa, it would probably be anything but calm.

"By the way," Claire called over her shoulder as we started walking, "make sure to grab the materials too, Camille. We'll need a lot of decorations, food ingredients, and maybe even furniture. We have to go all out this year!"

Camille raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed as she stopped mid-step. "Furniture? You want me to just casually carry a whole café's worth of furniture back to the academy?"

Claire grinned, completely unbothered by Camille's sarcasm. "You've got Diana and Lillian to help! Between the three of you, I'm sure you can manage. And don't start complaining about the cost, either. I know all three of you come from very wealthy families—especially you, Lillian."

Lillian chuckled softly, the picture of grace and composure. "It's not exactly like I'm hiding it, considering I am a princess," she said with a small shrug. "And if we need additional funding, I'm happy to contribute."

Camille sighed, flipping her notebook closed. "I suppose I could start calling in some favors. I can already hear my parents grumbling about 'unnecessary expenses,' but this is for the festival, so I'll make it work."

"Look at you all so responsible," Diana said, her voice dripping with mock approval. "Don't worry, Claire. Between Lillian's royal coffers and Camille's stubbornness, we'll have the perfect setup."

"That's the spirit!" Claire said, giving a double thumbs-up before turning back to me and Tessa. "Alright, you two. We've got outfits to find and some creative brainstorming to do. Time to hit Fiore!"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?"

Tessa patted my shoulder with a smirk. "Because you probably will. But hey, at least you'll have company for the chaos."

"Comforting," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

As we walked away, I glanced back to see Lillian watching us with an amused smile. Diana and Camille were already debating over color schemes, with Camille holding her notebook like a weapon and Diana looking like she was ready to start a full-blown power struggle.

This was going to be interesting. No, scratch that—this was going to be exhausting.