In Love, Against All Odds

In the Company of Friends

The next day at uni, the vibes were buzzing as usual. I strolled into the halls, low-key feeling both hyped and kinda nervous. Yesterday with Patrick was still fresh in my head, and honestly, I couldn't stop smiling. It felt like a break from all the drama, and for once, I wasn't carrying my breakup baggage like a badge.

As I got closer to our usual spot, Adri was already there, practically bouncing on her toes. Her face lit up like she had front-row seats to some juicy tea session.

"Kat! You're finally here! Spill the tea already," she said, dragging out the words for dramatic effect.

I laughed, giving her a quick hug. "Chill, Adri. We just went to that cute café downtown. It was chill—coffee, convos, and a little studying."

Adri wasn't buying my "low-key" attitude. She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Uh-huh, 'just studying.' What kind of convos, though? His future? Your future? The future?"

"Both," I admitted, feeling a bit giddy. "I told him about Arymeline Fashion and how I wanna work there after graduation. And he told me he's thinking about helping out at his dad's textile business. But he's kinda torn—like, he wants to work elsewhere for a bit before jumping into the family biz."

Adri clasped her hands like she'd just heard the plot twist in a K-drama. "Stop. That's so cute! And honestly, I can totally see you at Arymeline. It's your vibe. And Patrick? Sounds like a solid dude."

We started walking toward class, and before I knew it, the squad was assembling. Brailey and Vinita joined their energy on 100. Alista, though? She was hanging back a little, quiet but observant. Not her usual vibe, but I brushed it off.

Brailey grinned as soon as she spotted me. "Ooooh, so I heard someone had a little café hangout yesterday. Was it romantic? Did you guys order, like, one of those 'lovers' lattes' or what?"

I rolled my eyes, but my smile gave me away. "It wasn't a date. We were just vibing and studying, okay?"

"'Vibing and studying,'" Vinita mocked, putting air quotes around the words. "Sure, Kat. That's totally a thing."

Alista, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, cut in. "You sure you're not moving on too fast? Didn't you just break up with Bradwin?"

Her tone was chill, but the words hit differently. The squad went quiet for a second, and their teasing paused.

I blinked, caught off guard. "It's not like that. We're just friends."

Adri swooped in to back me up. "Girl, let her live! It's coffee, not a proposal. Right, Kat?"

"Exactly," I said, grateful for Adri's rescue. But in the back of my mind, Alista's words lingered. Was she genuinely concerned, or was something else going on?

The day went on, and class was a blur of half-hearted focus. The squad kept teasing me here and there, and I played along, even though my brain was still stuck on Alista's comment. By lunch, I'd had enough of the tension and decided to address it head-on.

As we all walked to the cafeteria, I slowed my pace to match Alista's. "Hey, can we talk for a sec?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

She nodded, her expression neutral but guarded. "Sure."

I hesitated for a moment, then went for it. "Are we good? I feel like... you're off about this whole Patrick thing."

Alista sighed, her gaze softening. "Look, I'm not trying to be a hater. I just don't want you rushing into something and getting hurt again."

Her honesty caught me off guard, but it also warmed me. "I get it. And I appreciate you looking out for me. But I promise, it's nothing serious. We're just getting to know each other."

"Okay," she said after a beat, offering a small smile. "I trust you. Just don't forget we're here for you, okay?"

"Always," I replied, feeling a bit lighter.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter, assignments, and random squad banter. Still, now and then, my mind would drift back to Patrick. His easy smile, the way he listened, how he made everything feel... simpler.

Was it too soon? Maybe. But it didn't feel rushed—it felt real. And for the first time in a while, I was excited to see where it would go.

---

If you enjoyed it, don't forget to hit that vote button and show your support! 💜✨