Hearts of Deception (Whychoose Romance)

1.

(Aria's POV)

The morning air was crisp as I shuffled out of bed, the faint sunlight filtering through my curtains. Kourtney's incessant knocking rang through our small apartment. "Aria! Get up! We're going to be late again," she called, her tone part teasing, part serious. This was typical Kourtney—always punctual, always the one making sure I wasn't dragging behind.

I sighed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Today was nothing special, just another Wednesday filled with classes. But something about the chill in the air made me wish I could stay under the covers a little longer. Kourtney, however, wasn't going to allow that.

"You're way too responsible for someone our age," I groaned, opening the door. Kourtney stood there, her jet-black hair pulled into a messy bun, and an exasperated smile on her face.

"You'd be late to your own funeral if it weren't for me. Now, get dressed," she quipped, throwing my favorite hoodie at me.

As I scrambled to pull myself together, Kourtney made herself comfortable on the edge of my bed, scrolling through her phone. She had that effortless "I-woke-up-like-this" look about her, always so put together even when she wasn't trying. Her green eyes scanned her phone with an intensity that told me she was already knee-deep in social media drama.

Once I was dressed and ready, we headed out the door. The rain had started, a soft drizzle misting the air. Kourtney's sleek black umbrella opened with a satisfying pop. "Don't tell me you forgot yours," she said, already knowing the answer by the sheepish look on my face.

"You know I hate carrying it," I mumbled.

"And yet, here we are."

We got into her car and drove through the misty streets, the windshield wipers rhythmically sweeping away the droplets. Our favorite cafe wasn't far, and soon we pulled up to the cozy little spot. It had become our unofficial pre-class ritual, something comforting and familiar in the midst of our hectic schedules.

"Since you forgot your umbrella, you're on coffee duty," Kourtney said with a smirk as we parked. I rolled my eyes but smiled. It was only fair. She stayed dry while I darted through the rain, pulling the hood of my jacket over my head.

Inside, the cafe was warm and smelled like freshly ground coffee beans. It wasn't too crowded yet, the early risers were already sipping their cappuccinos and working on laptops. I got in line and quickly realized something was wrong. My heart sank as I patted down my jacket and jeans. "Shit," I muttered under my breath. I had left my wallet in the car.

Before I could dart back out into the rain, a voice behind me said, "Need some help?"

I turned to see a guy standing there, tall, blonde, with an easy smile that immediately set me on edge—not because he seemed threatening, but because he was, well, attractive. Really attractive.

"Oh, no, I couldn't. I just forgot my wallet in the car," I said, waving him off. But he was already stepping forward, pulling out his card.

"Don't worry about it," he said smoothly. "I've got it."

I hesitated. It felt weird to let a stranger pay for my coffee, but something about the way he moved, with such confidence, made it hard to say no. Before I knew it, he was paying for both of our orders.

"What's this going to cost me?" I joked, trying to lighten the awkwardness I felt.

He smirked, leaning casually against the counter. "Your number."

I froze, my eyes widening slightly. I hadn't expected that. My brain was already scrambling for a response, but the playful smile on his face kept me from feeling too panicked. Instead, I found myself grinning.