The aroma of roasted coffee beans was a comforting balm against the afternoon chill, a familiar scent that always brought a sense of calm to Katana A. Vilamor. She was a regular at "The Grind," a haven of caffeine and conversation, a place where she could escape the pressures of senior year and the emptiness that lingered in her heart.
She sat at her usual spot by the window, her fingers drumming a restless beat on her worn backpack. The stress of upcoming exams and a looming deadline for her school paper was starting to get to her, but it was the weight of her personal life that truly weighed her down. Her mom, always busy with her career, seemed to have forgotten what it meant to be a mother. She was a distant figure in Katana's life, a ghost in her own home. The only constant source of love and support was her father, but he was working overseas, leaving Katana with only a handful of video calls and fleeting moments of connection.
"Katana, it's your mom. Get home now. I need you here."
The voice on the other end of the phone was sharp and cold, a stark contrast to the warmth of the coffee shop. Katana sighed, her heart sinking. She knew this call meant another lecture, another reminder of how much she was failing to meet her mother's expectations.
"Mom, I'm in the middle of studying. I can't just leave."
"Don't give me that. You're always studying. When will you ever have time for anything else?"
Katana's fingers tightened around her phone, her knuckles turning white. She wanted to scream, to tell her mother how lonely she felt, how much she craved her attention, but the words got stuck in her throat.
"I'll be home later," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. She hung up the phone, her heart heavy with a familiar ache.
As she was about to take a sip of her coffee, a hand grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the street. She turned, her eyes widening in alarm. A man, his face twisted in a menacing grin, was staring at her, his hand reaching towards her face.
"Hey, beautiful. You're looking mighty fine today," he said, his voice a low growl.
Katana tried to pull away, her heart pounding in her chest, but the man's grip was strong. She screamed, her voice lost in the din of the street. Just as she thought she was going to be dragged away, a figure emerged from the crowd.
He was tall and lean, his face obscured by the shadows of his baseball cap. He moved with a quiet grace, his eyes fixed on the man who was harassing her. Without a word, he shoved the man aside, sending him sprawling onto the pavement.
"Get out of here," he said, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down Katana's spine. The man, his face contorted with rage, scrambled to his feet and disappeared into the crowd.
Katana stood there, trembling, her eyes wide with fear and gratitude. She looked up at her savior, her gaze meeting his for the first time. He was wearing a crisp white polo shirt and dark jeans, his hair neatly styled, a stark contrast to her own messy curls. His eyes, a piercing shade of blue, seemed to hold a world of unspoken emotions.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that seemed to come from a distance. He was the SSG President of Southville High, Aldrich C. Hernandez, the boy who was rumored to be as cold as the marble statues in the school's courtyard.
Katana nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you," she managed to say.
He nodded curtly, his lips barely curving into a smile, and turned to leave. But before he could disappear into the crowd, Katana called out, "Wait!"
He turned back to her, his gaze piercing. "Yes?"
"I'm Katana," she said, her voice a little shaky. "I'm in your English class."
He nodded, his expression unreadable. "I know," he said, his voice a low murmur. Then, he turned and walked away, leaving Katana standing there, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and fascination. She had just met the cold SSG President, and he had saved her from a dangerous situation. But what was it about him that made her feel so uneasy, so drawn to him, despite his icy demeanor?
She took a deep breath, her mind racing with a thousand questions. She had a feeling that this encounter was just the beginning of something unexpected, something that would change her life forever.
YOU ARE READING
Coffee and Conversation
Любовные романыKatana A. Vilamor, a vibrant and passionate senior at Southville High, finds solace in the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She's a regular at "The Grind," a cozy coffee shop near her school, where she spends hours studying and daydreaming. One afte...
