The afternoon air is soft with the real warmth of spring. Blossoms dust the sidewalks, little explosions of pink and white, and everything smells fresh—like cut grass and new beginnings. Ah, who doesn't like spring? Well, maybe people who have allergies to flowers or grass.
It's the kind of day that makes it impossible to stay inside while working. So here I am, stepping into a cozy little cafe with Theo at my side, feeling a little reckless and alive.
Theo holds the door open for me, and a light breeze trails in behind us, carrying the faint scent of flowers. He flashes me that easy, small dangerous smile—the one that feels like it's pulling me into some secret I haven't learned yet—and I try to ignore the flutter it stirs in my stomach.
Inside, the cafe is sun-drenched and warm, all worn wood tables and vases stuffed with fresh wildflowers. We pick a table by the window, and golden light spills over us like honey.
I shrug off my jacket, realizing how warm it's gotten, and Theo's gaze lingers a second longer than polite. Not that I mind.
"You sure you don't have a dozen other offers for lunch today?" he says, leaning back lazily to the chair.
I smile. "I promised you my afternoon first, didn't I?"
His grins, a slow, satisfied thing. Oh. That's charming. He's not totally a cold-cold person. "Ill keep that in mind."
We ordered sandwiches and coffee, nothing fancy. Theo asking about my classes, my projects, the art show coming up next month—well, everything about academy that makes me feel like talking to a professor. But it's so nice. Maybe because I never received this kind of attention before. The way he listens—really listens and pays attention to every single word I say—makes me stupidly easy to open up, though I still keep certain things tucked away. Like the orphan stuff, the mess of my real past, the so-called "family" that adopted me ... that stays locked tight inside.
Outside, cherry blossoms drift past the windows, caught in the lazy spring breeze.
"You're kind of a mystery," Theo says calmly.
"I'm sure you're just talking about yourself," I reply after take one sip of my latte.
He leans in a little, voice dropping low. "So, we think of each other as a mistery," he says, "and mysteries are meant to be solved."
Something tightens sweetly low in my belly at the way he looks at me. Like he's planning to take his time unraveling me, thread by careful thread. He's staring at me again with his intense gaze.
The door jingles. I glance up, still smiling, and feel my stomach drop. It's Felix. He's standing just inside the door, his jacket slung over one shoulder, sunlight catching in the lighter strands of his hair. His eyes sweep the cafe and then find me. Us. Me and Theo.
For a beat, he just stands there, taking it in: Theo sitting in front of me cozily and the almost-finished food. Something flashes across Felix's face, too quick to catch. But I know that face. Elliot made that face a lot when we were still together. Jealousy.
Then Felix walks, easy and confident, straight for our table.
"Hey," he says, voice smooth, takes the seat next to me without asking. Not that I don't mind, though.
I blink. "Felix ... hi." Wow. Super. Awkward.
Theo shifts subtly, making a face that says: I should've taken that seat. But then his face back to the factory reset—poker face.
Felix smiles, slow and not at all friendly. "Didn't realize this table was reserved."
Theo's mouth curls at the edges. "Didn't realize you were invited."
The tension crackles, sharp enough to taste. I hardly swallow my sandwich. What even is this situation? Felix grabs a menu, flipping it open with a casual flick of his wrist. "I saw Liora and thought I'd say hi." He says it lightly, but there's a weight under it—something coiled and hot.
Theo just hums, lazy and mocking, and I have the sudden, sinking feeling that these two know each other in a way I don't understand yet.
Felix turns his focus back to me, his expression softening. "So," he says, "how's your lunch date going?" A sarcasm. I see.
I stammer something incoherent, my face flaming. Theo answers smoothly for me, "Perfect, thanks. Before someone walked in uninvitedly."
Their eyes lock across the table. The spring breeze rattles the windowpane softly, and somewhere outside a bird trills a high, wild note but inside, the tension is thick, almost choking.
Felix orders a macchiato coffee without looking at the menu, lounging back like he owns the place. "You know, Liora," he says, voice light but cutting, "Theo's a real charmer. Not at the same level as me, of course, but he always has been."
Theo raises an eyebrow. "And you've always been jealous."
Felix's mouth twitches, like he's holding back something mean. "You should be careful," he says, eyes flicking to me. "Not every story ends the way you think."
"Maybe she's not scared of a little risk," Theo murmurs.
Felix leans closer to me, the spring sunlight catching the gold flecks in his eyes. "Or maybe she's smart enough to know when to walk away."
I barely touch my food after that. The conversation limps along, brittle and jagged beneath the surface. Felix asks about my classes, Theo makes a joke about stealing me away for a real art project, and I smile too much, laugh too loudly, feeling pulled between them like a rope about to snap. God, please take me out from here.
Outside, more petals drift down, swirling against the sidewalks like a snow globe. I finally push my plate away, heart hammering.
"I should get going," I say, fumbling for my bag.
Felix stands first, offering his hand to help me. Theo lingers a second longer, his eyes unreadable. "You good?" he asks quietly.
I nod, swallowing around the lump in my throat. "I'm fine. I'll go by my own. See you ... two."
I can't wait any longer. I don't even see their reactions. I walk out of the cafe. Outside, the breeze is stronger now, tugging at my hair, scattering pink petals. I take a deep breath. Oh my God. That was more awkward that I thought it would be.
I really want to know what happened between them. What's their relation.