BANE OF HIS EXISTENCE

Chapter 26: AWKWARD BRUNCH

MAYA.

     "Earth to Maya!"

Sasha exclaimed, her fingers snapping sharply in front of my face, jolting me back to reality. I blinked, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks as I met the concerned gazes of my friends. Eric's brow was furrowed, his eyes crinkled with worry, while Sasha's expression was a mixture of amusement and alarm.

"Babe, are you okay?" Eric asked, his voice low and soothing. "Your body is here, but it seems your mind is a million miles away."

Sasha nodded in vigorous agreement, her ponytail bobbing behind her. "Yeah, we've been trying to get your attention for ages." I let out a deep sigh, feeling a sense of embarrassment wash over me. Eric's eyes sparkled with amusement as he noted,

"And there comes the sigh. This is like the hundredth time already."

I couldn't help but wonder if I'd been zoning out all day, my mind preoccupied with the events of the past few hours. The encounter with my father, Andrew helping me again... it was all still swirling in my head, refusing to be ignored.

"I'm sorry, guys," I apologized, feeling a pang of guilt for dampening the mood. "I just have a lot on my mind." Sasha and Eric exchanged understanding glances, their expressions soft with empathy.

Sasha's hands enveloped mine, her fingers rubbing gentle circles on my skin. "Let us know if there's anything we can do to help, alright?" Eric added, his hand settling on my shoulder with a reassuring pressure. Sasha's voice dropped to a soothing baby-talk tone. "Yeah, we're here if you need us, sweetie." I couldn't help but chuckle at her antics, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

As we sat there, hands entwined and smiling at each other, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. "You guys...thank you, seriously. I mean it." My words were heartfelt, and Sasha and Eric smiled back at me, their eyes shining with kindness.

Just as we were basking in the warmth of our little moment, Andrew's voice cut through, his tone light and playful.

"This looks fun, can I join?"

Min's cheerful greeting followed close to his heels. "Hey ladies, mate!" he nodded at Eric.

Hossein settled in beside me, his deep voice a gentle rumble. "Hello, everyone; good to see you here." He stretched out his right hand, and Eric shook it firmly.

I muttered a hasty "Hello," my eyes darting everywhere but Andrew's face. The tension between us was palpable, and I could feel my heart beating just a little bit faster.

What are they doing here?

The awkwardness between Andrew and me had reached new heights after he'd rescued me from my father the previous night. Then, his casual suggestion that I change into some of his clothes in his room, as that was one of the unlikely places my father would look for me, had sent me bolting, and I could still feel the tension lingering between us.

As our eyes met, Andrew's teasing gaze sparkled with amusement, and he called me that infuriating nickname: "Hey, snooty." I scowled, feeling my defenses rise.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the turmoil brewing inside. Andrew's nonchalant demeanor only added to my frustration.

He shrugged, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. "Whatever do you mean? I'm here to eat. I heard the coffee is to die for." I raised an eyebrow, skepticism written all over my face. Andrew hated coffee, so what was he playing at?

I called him out on his bluff. "Cut it out, you don't even like coffee." Andrew's smile faltered for a moment before he laughed awkwardly, running a hand through his hair.

"That was before. I like coffee now," he claimed, his tone unconvincing. I turned to Hossein, searching for some insight, but he just grimaced, clearly perplexed by Andrew's behavior. Min shrugged, equally baffled, and I was left wondering what Andrew was really after.

"Really, you like coffee now?" I asked, my skepticism evident in my tone.

Andrew nodded, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice. "Yep, my taste can always change, right guys?"

Hossein and Min, oblivious to the undercurrents, chimed in with agreeable nods. "Absolutely, it's normal for people's tastes to change over time," Hossein said, and Min added, "Yeah, I used to hate spicy food, but now I love it."

I groaned inwardly, frustrated by Andrew's evasive maneuvering. I wasn't buying his sudden coffee conversion for a second. This was just another ploy to get under my skin, to pick a fight.

Andrew's gaze roamed the café, his eyes scanning the room with an air of nonchalance. "Are you guys alone here?" he asked, his tone casual, but I detected a hint of probing beneath the surface.

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?" I asked, but Andrew suddenly became engrossed in the menu, using it as a shield to avoid my question.

I tapped on the menu, my fingers drumming against the cardboard. Andrew reluctantly lowered it, his eyes meeting mine with a sigh as if I was disturbing his peaceful reverie. I scowled at him, my patience wearing thin.

"I'm just saying, this looks like a nice dating spot, and it's Sunday, so I should have brought someone," Andrew said, his voice dripping with mock concern, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "What? No one would go on a date with you?" He raised an eyebrow, his gaze glinting with amusement, as if daring me to take the bait.

I rolled my eyes, exasperated by his dramatics, feeling a familiar sense of frustration wash over me. Our friends, seemed blissfully oblivious to the tension between us, too caught up in their own conversations to intervene, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

"You are kidding me, right?" I was baffled by this moron's suggestion.

Andrew's smirk grew wider, his lips curling up into a sly grin. "Could it be that no one wants to go on a date with you, snooty?" His tone was playful, but I detected a hint of sarcasm beneath the surface.

My eyes narrowed, my patience getting thinner by the second. What was his problem? Why was he always pushing my buttons, always trying to get under my skin?

Sasha, sensing the escalating tension, intervened with a mischievous grin, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Actually, Maya was supposed to come here with someone else, but something came up, so we came instead."

Andrew's eyes lit up with intrigue, his grin turning positively wicked. "Oh...now it's getting interesting," he purred, his voice low and conspiratorial, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Who was it?" he asked, his voice dripping with curiosity, his gaze boring into mine as if daring me to reveal more.

I swiftly yanked Sasha away from him, my eyes flashing a warning, my heart racing with anxiety. "Don't tell him that!" I hissed, desperate to prevent Andrew from uncovering more secrets to use against me, my mind racing with the possibilities of what he might do with that information.