Melodies Of The Heart (Completed)

Chapter 7

I walked through the bustling cafeteria, my eyes scanning for the familiar sight of the vending machine that held my favorite delight drink. The noise of chattering students and clinking utensils surrounded me, a constant hum that had become part of my everyday soundtrack at school. As I approached the vending machine, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with Zhyron, the guy who had tried to flirt with me at the mall. He was smiling, his eyes twinkling with the same mischievous glint I remembered.

"Marguerite," he greeted, his voice smooth and confident. "It's nice seeing you here."

I nodded, a bit surprised but managing a polite smile. "Hi, Zhyron. What brings you here?"

"Just visiting," he said, leaning casually against the vending machine. "I'm not a student here anymore. I transferred schools. But I couldn't resist coming back for a visit."

"Ah, I see," I replied, feeling a bit awkward. "Well, welcome back. Sorry about last time... not accepting your invitation."

He waved off my apology. "No worries. Maybe we can make up for it today?"

Before I could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air. "Maggie."

I turned to see Zavier approaching, his expression a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite place.

"This is Zhyron," I explained, without him asking. "We met at the mall. Zhyron, this is Zavier."

Zhyron playfully extended his hand, but Zavier ignored it, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What are you doing here?"

Zhyron shrugged, his easy demeanor unchanged. "Just visiting. Nice to see you again, Zavier."

The tension between them was palpable, and I glanced nervously between the two. "You two know each other?"

Zavier's jaw tightened. "Yeah, we do. We used to be friends before he transferred."

Zhyron chuckled, but it sounded forced. "Still sore about that, huh?"

Zavier stepped closer, his eyes never leaving Zhyron's. "What do you really want, Zhyron?"

"I just wanted to say hi to Marguerite," Zhyron said, his voice dropping a notch in warmth. "Is that a problem?"

I could see Zavier's fists clench at his sides, and I quickly stepped between them, trying to calm the situation. "Hey, it's fine. We’re just talking."

Zhyron's smile returned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Right. Just talking."

Zavier finally looked at me, his expression softening. "Be careful with this guy," he whispered.

Zhyron scoffed, but I could see the hurt in his eyes, even if only for a split second. "I don't think that's fair, Zavier."

"Maybe not," Zavier shot back. "But it’s the truth."

I looked between them, feeling caught in the middle of something much bigger than I realized. "Okay, can we all just calm down?"

Zhyron sighed, stepping back. "Look, I didn't come here to start anything. I just wanted to see you again, Marguerite. I'll leave you two to it."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me and Zavier standing in an awkward silence.

"What was that about?" I finally asked.

Zavier shook his head, his eyes filled with concern. "Just... be careful around him, okay?"

I nodded, still unsure of what had just happened. "Okay, I will."