Third person pov;
The day after their adventure, Addy, completely unaware of Anna's escapades with Davis, casually asked, "Where were you yesterday? I thought you came to college. I saw you in the morning."
Anna shrugged, feigning indifference. "Oh, I was just... kinda sick, so I left after the morning class," she replied, her voice as casual as she could manage.
"What happened?" Addy asked, with a little concern.
"Uh, nothing major, just seasonal cold," Anna said quickly. The excuse wasn't entirely a lie; she had been sneezing since the change in weather triggered her allergies.
"Well, let me tell you about this new assignment. It's due by the weekend, and it's so long."
Anna groaned dramatically, dropping her face into her hands. "It's ridiculous how much they expect us to write."
"I know, right? Sucks," Addy grumbled, slumping into her chair with an exaggerated sigh.
Later, they hit the cafeteria to grab coffee before their next lecture. The comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as they sat in the table, chatting and exchanging gossip. Addy leaned closer, her tone dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "You know that girl, Nia? I asked her a simple question about the assignment, like, what books we should refer to, and she starts giving me these mean-girl vibes, asking if I wasn't paying attention in class or something."
Anna rolled her eyes, biting back a grin. "Huh! Don't know why she acts like she's the professor's assistant or something."
"I swear, I'd rather fail the assignment than talk to her again," Addy huffed. Their conversation drifted to lighter topics—inside jokes, their shared annoyance at the cliques in their class, and how they always managed to vibe better with each other than anyone else. Addy playfully nudged Anna. "Honestly, if it weren't for you, I'd have gone crazy amidst these mean bitches."
Anna smiled, grateful for the camaraderie, but her thoughts began to drift. In the back of her mind, the memories of the day before resurfaced—the laughter, the games, and the carefree time she had spent with Davis at Marietta Square. It lingered like a soft echo, reminding her that she vibed the best with him.
Addy scrolled aimlessly through her phone her coffee growing cold on the table. Across from her, Anna sat with her own cup, her attention locked on her screen, a faint smile playing on her lips. She stifled a chuckle at a meme Davis had sent her, shaking her head slightly. Addy glanced up briefly, raising an eyebrow at Anna's amusement before shrugging it off, too absorbed in her own scrolling to pry.
Anna and Davis had spent most of the previous night texting, their conversation flowing seamlessly as usual. They had shared pictures from their hangout, laughing over the chaos of the arcade videos, especially the one where Anna's simulated driving could have caused a digital car crash. Even now, a part of her mind replayed those moments, the joy lingering like a warmth she couldn't quite shake.
Davis had texted her mid-chat earlier, asking about her schedule. When Anna mentioned she had just one more class left, he suggested tagging along afterward. It was an easy plan—The Corner Brew, the cozy restaurant they'd stumbled upon. Addy was cool joining in since she'd met Davis, even took them to a Chinese place last time on demand. Still, she was quite curious about the whole plan.
During their coffee break, Davis mentioned something about their hangout the previous day, but Anna quickly shot him a look, deflecting the topic. Addy didn't know about it, and Anna wasn't ready to share. Instead, she steered the conversation elsewhere. When Davis stepped away to take a call, Addy seized the moment. "So... what's going on with you two?" she asked, her tone casual but her gaze sharp.
Anna let out a soft laugh, her expression carefully neutral as she delivered the effortless answer, "Nothing, We're just best friends, duh!" Addy didn't push further, but wasn't entirely convinced that Anna wasn't hiding something.
..
When Anna got home, in exhaustion she tossed her bag onto the floor and flopped onto her bed, her phone immediately in hand. The doomscrolling began— mindlessly swiping through reels. Time blurred until a pang of hunger pulled her out. It was already evening, and the craving for a snack was insistent.
Dragging herself to the kitchen, she retrieved her packet of chips from the cupboard.. But as she crunched on a handful, her mind wandered to something sweeter. The chocolate! Excitement bubbled up as she headed to the refrigerator, anticipation building as she opened the door. And then—her excitement fizzled.
It was gone. The bar of chocolate Davis had given her, the one she'd carefully tucked away to savor, had vanished. She stared at the empty spot where it should have been, disbelief washing over her. She'd only eaten two pieces, two! A mix of frustration and disappointment simmered as she turned toward the living room.
Alice and Rowan were sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to the TV, sharing an unspoken camaraderie as siblings often did. Anna marched in, her voice sharp. "Alright, who ate my chocolate?"
They both doubled down on their innocence, playing the victimized, accused of an unspeakable crime. Anna huffed, her frustration bubbling over as she realized she wasn't getting anywhere with them.
Later, she texted Davis about the whole scene, venting her annoyance. His response was swift and lighthearted. "Don't worry, I'll get you another one." But it didn't quite soothe the irritation. Sighing, she tossed her phone aside, missing the taste of what was now irretrievably lost.
...
Determined to start her assignment, Anna headed to the library the next day. She was scanning a shelf when her eyes landed on a familiar figure at a corner table. It was Davis which was quite amusing as he was not the kind of guy to spend his time in the library alone, when I moved a bit away from the shelf I saw that he was sitting with Sasha, one of his friend from their group.
Anna spotted them huddled over a laptop, seemingly deep in discussion. She hesitated, thinking she might say hi if it were just Davis, but seeing them engrossed in their work made her pause. Deciding not to intrude, she went about collecting the books she needed for her assignment.
As she browsed the shelves, she felt a gaze on her. Turning, she saw Davis waving. She smiled faintly and returned to her table, intent on sitting alone, but Davis gestured for her to join them. Reluctantly, she walked over and took a seat next to him.
"We've got a project," Davis explained casually. "We could pick our partners, and Sasha picked me."
His words stirred a small annoyance in Anna that she couldn't quite place. She simply nodded, trying to mask her irritation.
As she flipped open a book, Davis leaned over. "Heading to The Corner Brew later?" he asked, clearly planning to tag along.
Before Anna could answer, Sasha chimed in, her tone brisk. "Dude, we have to finish this project by the weekend."
Davis shrugged, seemingly unfazed, but Anna's mood soured further. She tried to focus on her notes while Sasha drew Davis's attention back to their project. The easy camaraderie between them only added to Anna's discomfort.
After a few minutes, gathering her things, she stood up, ready to leave. Davis immediately noticed. "Leaving already?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Yeahhh I-" Anna replied, stretching the word with an air of nonchalance. "I'm hungry."
It was a lie, of course. She wasn't hungry—just uncomfortable and bored. Without waiting for a response, she gave a quick smile and headed towards the door.
YOU ARE READING
Invisible String.
Romance"She built a fortress around her shattered heart, each stone laid with ache of love lost. But someone knew her before the walls were raised, he knew her far beyond than anyone else. Even though, she always kept him at arm's length, he danced with h...
