His To Owned

8. Ex-girlfriend

But staying meant being near Diois, and the thought alone made his skin crawl. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to escape, but the fear of hurting Sofia’s feelings kept him rooted in place, caught in a trap of his own making.

As they stepped into the café, the rich scent of freshly baked pastries and brewing coffee filled the air, wrapping around them in a comforting warmth.

The lively buzz of students chatting and laughing created a cheerful atmosphere, but for Henry, it only heightened his anxiety. The tension between him and Diois was suffocating, making it hard to enjoy the carefree scene unfolding around them.

Sofia, full of energy, eagerly led the way to the counter. “Okay, guys! What do you want? They’ve got the best ice cream flavors here!” Her enthusiasm was contagious, and the group began placing their orders one by one.

Henry, however, hesitated. He hadn’t planned on ordering anything, hoping to slip under the radar. But Dylan, noticing his silence, spoke up, “Hey, Henry, aren’t you getting anything?”

Henry looked up, about to respond, but Diois cut him off before he could say a word. “He can’t have ice cream. He’s got a cold”

The group fell silent, and all eyes turned toward Henry. Shocked, Sofia was the first to speak. “Henry? You’re sick? Why didn’t you say anything?” Her voice was filled with concern, but it quickly turned into confusion as she glanced between Henry and Diois. “Wait... how do you know he’s sick?”

Henry’s heart raced. If Sofia found out about what had happened between him and Diois, it would lead to questions he wasn’t ready to answer. He could feel Diois’s eyes on him as if daring him to explain.

“We... uh...” Diois began to speak, but Henry jumped in quickly, panic flooding his voice.

“No, no, I’m fine. He—” His mind scrambled for an excuse, something that would make sense. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, but none more intense than Diois’s. Diois was watching him closely, his expression unreadable, waiting to see what Henry would say next.

“I... I just ran into him this morning, at the pharmacy. I guess he noticed I wasn’t feeling well then.”

Sofia furrowed her brow, still confused but seemingly accepting the explanation for now. “Okay... but if you’re not feeling well, you should’ve told me.”

Henry forced a smile, trying to ease her worry. “I’m really okay, Sofia. It’s not a big deal. I can have one .”
Sofia seemed unconvinced but nodded anyway.

“Well, if you’re sure. But if you feel worse, we’re leaving, okay?” She gave him a stern look before turning her attention back to the counter and continuing with her order.

Henry let out a silent breath of relief, but he could still feel Diois’s eyes on him, scrutinizing his every move.

As everyone finished placing their orders and moved toward a table, Henry lagged behind, hoping to put some distance between himself and Diois. But just as he thought he was in the clear, Diois brushed past him, his voice low and teasing.

“Nice save, Henry,” Diois whispered, just loud enough for Henry to hear, sending a chill down his spine.

Henry didn’t respond, clenching his fists as he followed the others to their table, trying to ignore the rapid beating of his heart. This whole situation was spiraling out of control, and he had no idea how to fix it.

Their orders arrived, and soon everyone was deep in conversation, enjoying their food. Henry, however, barely spoke.

He busied himself with his ice cream, nodding occasionally to seem engaged, but his mind was elsewhere. Every few bites, he found himself stealing glances at Diois.

It was hard not to notice how different Diois was with his friends—laughing, cracking jokes, completely at ease. Yet every time their eyes met, Henry felt a cold, unsettling chill. The warmth Diois showed to the others seemed reserved only for them; all Henry received was a frigid stare.

He couldn't understand why Diois treated him this way, or what he had done to deserve this torment.

In the middle of their conversation, Sofia’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen, then slid it toward Henry.

"It’s Karen. She’s probably calling for you," she said, gesturing for him to take the call.

Setting his spoon down, Henry picked up the phone.

"Hello?" His voice faltered slightly as his eyes accidentally locked with Diois across the table.

Diois stared at him coldly, just as he always did, but Henry quickly looked away, forcing himself to focus on the call. "I’m at the café..."

"What? Oh, sorry. I must’ve accidentally put my phone on silent."

As Karen’s voice continued on the other end, Henry responded absently, still feeling the weight of Diois’s gaze. "Alright, I’ll be out soon," he said, and hung up.

He turned to Sofia. "Sorry, I have to go. Karen’s on her way. I promised to meet her today and completely forgot."

"Is she coming here?" Sofia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Henry nodded. "Yeah, she’ll meet me outside."

"Alright," Sofia replied with a hint of disappointment.

Henry quickly grabbed his things, feeling an overwhelming need to escape. The tension between him and Diois had been suffocating all afternoon, and now, the thought of leaving was the only relief in sight. With a hurried goodbye, he made his way out, his heart racing as he stepped into the fresh air.

As Henry stepped outside, a sleek white car pulled up in front of him. The door swung open, and a beautiful girl in a black short dress stepped out, her face lighting up when she saw him.

"Henry!" she called out, rushing over to him with a wide smile. Before he could react, she threw her arms around him in a tight, happy hug. Her energy was contagious, and though Henry felt overwhelmed by everything, he couldn’t help but return her embrace.

As the car disappeared from sight, Dylan turned to look at Diois, whose expression had darkened, his eyes fierce with barely contained emotion. Dylan's heart sank at the sight.

Trying to comfort him, he patted Diois’s hand under the table.

"Who is she? They seem really close," Dylan asked, his voice cautious.

"Oh, they are," Sofia replied casually, putting another scoop of ice cream into her mouth. "She’s his ex-girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend?" Dylan repeated, stunned. The revelation hit harder than he expected, and he glanced at Diois, whose face grew even colder at the mention of it.

Henry wasn’t feeling well, his head throbbing and body aching, so he decided to skip his evening job and head straight back to his room after spending time with Karen.

As he approached the building, the last thing he wanted to see was Diois, standing there, leaning against his car like he owned the place. The sight of him made Henry feel even more drained.

Lowering his gaze, Henry tried to walk past as if Diois wasn’t there, hoping to avoid any interaction. But just as he was about to pass, Diois’s hand shot out, grabbing Henry’s arm firmly.

"Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer my calls or texts?" Diois’s voice was sharp, laced with frustration.