Heart Buffs, Coffees & Cats

15

I sank onto the couch, letting out a long sigh with my eyes closed. Ryle had been texting me non-stop, enough for me to finally block him. Ayden's voice echoed in my mind, reminding me of what he'd said— 'You can't avoid him forever, Sia.' Yeah, I knew he was right, but this was not the time to deal with that mess.

What would he say? Explanations? Persuasions? Promises he never meant to keep? All those carefully spun words meant to pull me back into a story I no longer wanted to be a part of. They were shits that no longer mattered to me.

So why was I hesitating?

If it didn't matter, why was I taking so long to cut the final thread and walk away? Maybe it was the familiarity — the comfort of something I once believed in. Or maybe I was still holding onto the hope that somehow, he'd say something different this time, something that would justify it all. But deep down, I knew. Nothing he could say would make a difference. The damage was done. I was just delaying the inevitable, trapped in this awkward dance with the past, too scared to let it go completely.

I sighed again. It was basically becoming part of my personality at this point.

The door creaked open, and Ayden strode in, not even bothering to knock. How did I know it was Ayden? The damn cologne and attitude.

Typical.

"You know," I started, without even opening my eyes, "there's this magical thing called 'knocking.' Ever heard of it?"

"No." I heard him say as the door clicked shut behind him. I tensed, hearing his faint footsteps.

I opened my eyes, my heart racing out of nowhere, when I saw him rummaging through his locker. The dark green shirt he wore somehow made him look even more annoyingly good, hugging his lean frame perfectly. His hair fell loosely, and the slight frown on his face deepened with every second.

"You're staring, Sia."

My cheeks flushed instantly. "No, I'm not," I muttered, looking away quickly.

"Sure."

I rolled my eyes, refusing to look back at him. "Can you just get whatever you're looking for and leave already?"

He clicked his locker door shut and faced me, eyes on something in his phone, his usual unreadable expression back on his face. I was about to look away when something shiny caught my attention around his neck. Without thinking, I blurted out, "How are you so rich?"

Ayden stopped scrolling and looked at me, a small sigh escaping him. "What kind of question is that?"

Realising how ridiculous it sounded, I waved my hand dismissively. "Ignore it."

He raised an eyebrow. "I used to work somewhere else before. They paid well. Maybe that's why."

"Oh." I nodded, trying to act casual, but I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. I mentally kicked myself for asking such a stupid question. The silence hung awkwardly between us, and I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt dress, wishing I could take back the entire conversation.

Ayden didn't say anything further, and I was thankful for it.

"Please get out."

"You're coming with me," Ayden said, his voice calm but assertive.

I snapped my eyes at him, annoyed. "No. Why would I go with you? I have to meet Lucie."

"It's urgent."

I rolled my eyes, already feeling exasperated. "You can go. I'll find my way home by myself."

"To get a missing report filed by morning?"