𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬 || 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬

ʜ ɪ ʙ ᴀ ᴄ ʜ ɪ

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙝 𝙖𝙫𝙚. - 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙤 ◁◁ ▐ ▌ ▷▷

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ꜰʀᴀɴᴋɪᴇ ᴘᴏᴠ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

✩‧₊˚ꜰʀᴀɴᴋɪᴇ ᴘᴏᴠ✩‧₊˚

The morning air was crisp, wrapping around Maggie and me as we strolled down the nearly deserted streets toward our favorite café. The early sunlight painted everything golden, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. The city felt tranquil, like it hadn't fully woken up yet, and I savored the rare quiet.

"Tell me this doesn't feel like a movie," Maggie said, hugging her oversized cardigan tighter around her. "Chilly morning, sleepy streets, the promise of coffee..." She shot me a grin. "We're the main characters."

"You're definitely the comic relief," I teased, earning an exaggerated gasp of offense.

We reached the café, its familiar green awning fluttering gently in the breeze. The bell above the door jingled as we stepped inside, and the warmth hit me immediately. The soft glow of the light bulbs, the low murmur of conversations, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee made the space feel like a cozy retreat from the cold outside.

Maggie exhaled dramatically, her shoulders relaxing. "This is what I live for," she said, taking in the room. "Hot coffee, comfy vibes, and no one rushing us out."

I nodded, already feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. "Same."

The barista greeted us with a friendly smile, clearly recognizing us from our frequent visits. "The usual?"

"Two lattes," Maggie confirmed, her voice brimming with excitement as if she hadn't ordered the same thing three days in a row.

While we waited, we snagged the corner booth by the window, the sunlight streaming in and warming the wooden table. Maggie slid in across from me, immediately pulling out her phone to scroll through her notifications.

"So," she said after a moment, setting her phone down, "what's the plan for today?"

I took a sip of my latte, letting the warmth spread through me. "Classes and assignments, obviously. Then I'm meeting the women's basketball team for preseason interviews."

"Fancy," Maggie said, raising an eyebrow. "Does this mean you're officially in your sports era?"

"Hardly," I replied with a laugh. "It's work. Besides, I'm coming back in time to binge Modern Family with you and Becca."

"You better," Maggie said with mock seriousness, pointing her finger at me. "Becca's been hyped about this all week. You don't want to disappoint her."

"I'll be there," I promised, already looking forward to the cozy evening ahead.