Sam exhaled deeply, finally allowing himself to relax after Elena left. The tension that had been gripping him for the past few days was slowly dissipating. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tracing the rim of his coffee cup as he processed everything. The disastrous incident with Kate had left him feeling hollow, but now, for the first time in a long while, he felt lighter, as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He took a sip of his coffee, a genuine smile creeping onto his face.
But his moment of peace was short-lived.
A sudden, sharp voice cut through the café's atmosphere.
"Take your hand off me, you scumbag, or I'll call the police!"
Elena.
Sam's body tensed, and he shot up from his seat. His heart pounded as he sprinted toward the source of the voice—the café's counter. There, a hooded man stood, his hand tightly gripping Elena's wrist. She was struggling against his grasp, her face a mixture of fear and fury. The man's face was concealed by a mask, but his posture exuded arrogance and entitlement.
"I like you, beautiful girl," the hooded man sneered. "Just name your price. I'll pay double, even triple. Just say it."
Elena's eyes widened in shock, her breath hitching. Her free hand clenched into a fist, her knuckles white.
Without thinking, Sam launched himself at the man, his fist connecting with the masked face. The sudden impact made the attacker stumble back, his grip on Elena loosening. She quickly took a few steps back, putting distance between herself and the man, her chest rising and falling heavily from the rush of adrenaline.
The hooded man regained his footing and growled, "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Get the fuck out of here, you piece of shit," Sam snarled. "Or you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
The masked man scoffed, adjusting his hood. "Oh, I get it. You want to play the hero, huh? You think if you protect her, she'll fall into your bed?" His voice turned lecherous, dripping with filth. "We're all the same, man," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Who wouldn't want a girl like her? Just look at her. Those curves, that perfect body… I bet she'd feel amazing—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Sam's fist struck him again, harder this time. The impact sent the man stumbling against the counter. His mask shifted slightly, revealing a glimpse of a sneering mouth twisted in anger.
The hooded man let out a disgusting chuckle. Enough," Sam growled. "Get the fuck out of here before I make sure you leave in pieces."
Elena, still shaken but composed, took a step forward. "I already called the police," she said, her voice steady but cold. "They'll be here any minute. You won't get away with this."
The hooded man's bravado wavered for the first time. His eyes darted around the café, assessing his escape routes. He muttered a curse under his breath. "Shit."
Like a rat sensing danger, he turned and bolted toward the exit, pushing past a few stunned customers before disappearing into the night.
Sam didn't chase after him. He knew better than to blindly follow someone who might be armed. Instead, he turned to Elena. "Are you okay?"
She exhaled shakily and nodded. "Yeah. I mean… not really. But I will be."
"You did the right thing calling the cops," Sam reassured her. "Let them handle it."
Elena bit her lip. "I… I didn't actually call them. I bluffed."
Sam blinked. "Wait, what?"
"I was scared he might run or hurt someone if I actually called while he was still here," she admitted. "So I just pretended."
Sam ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Damn, Elena." He shook his head, then let out a small chuckle. "Well, it worked. But next time, call them for real, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the encounter still pressing on them.
"Let's get out of here," Sam finally said. "You shouldn't be alone right now."
She didn't argue.
They left the café together, stepping out into the crisp night air. The cold wind brushed against their faces, sending a shiver down Elena's spine. She felt unsettled, as if unseen eyes were watching her from the shadows. The eerie sensation made her instinctively move closer to Sam, her fingers lightly brushing against his hand. Without hesitation, he took her hand in his, gripping it firmly. His warmth was reassuring, grounding her amidst the chaos still lingering in her mind.
Neither of them spoke as they walked toward their apartment building. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was understanding. They had both been shaken, but neither wanted to leave the other alone.
As they reached their building, they hesitated at the gate, reluctant to say goodbye. The feeling was mutual, unspoken yet understood.
Sam finally broke the silence. "Alright, Elena. Take care. And… thanks for earlier.( Regarding his girlfriend conflict )."
She met his eyes, a soft gratitude in her gaze. "No, thank you. If you hadn't been there…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I don't even want to think about it."
"Hey," Sam interjected gently. "It's over. And if you ever need to talk, I'm here, okay?"
She nodded. "Okay."
Another pause. Another moment of hesitation.
Then, finally, she turned and headed inside.
Sam watched her disappear through the entrance, a strange warmth settling in his chest. Tonight had been unexpected, terrifying even. But as he turned toward his own apartment, he couldn't shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change.