By the time we finished breakfast, we'd found our old rhythm again. Eli mentioned he planned to stay longer this time and that we should meet up later in the week, maybe for lunch or a drink. I agreed.
He glanced at his phone and made a face. "I should probably head out. Got a few things to do today."
I nodded. "Yeah, no worries. Just let me know when you're free."
"Sure." He gave me one of those easy grins before standing up and walking away.
As I watched him leave, that old familiar warmth rose in my chest. Spending time with him always felt easy. But as the door closed behind him, the feeling turned into a strange mix of contentment and unease.
Eli had been a constant in my life since I first moved here as a teen. Someone I could always count on. But now, with Marcus in the picture, things felt off-kilter. And I couldn't tell if that was because of Marcus or because of me.
When I got back to my flat, a stuffy late morning heat was already starting to set in. I dropped my keys onto the table by the door, the familiar clatter grounding me for a moment. Ahint of guilt crept in when I realised I forgot to tell Marcus I was meeting Eli.
I half-expected to find a message from Marcus when I checked my phone, but there was nothing. After a second, I sent a quick text:Just got back from breakfast with Elias. What time are you free later?
His reply came pretty quickly:Glad you got to catch up. Free around 4. Grab an early dinner?
I let out a breath, relieved at his normal response. Guess I was overthinking it. Marcus just liked to check in and make sure I was okay. Maybe more than I was used to, but that wasn't a bad thing.
Sounds good. See you then.I hit send and plugged my phone in to charge, then flopped onto the sofa.
As I sat in the silence, my mind kept replaying bits of my conversation with Eli. His curiosity about Marcus still bothered me. I almost wondered if I detected a hint of jealousy in his words, but I knew that was wishful thinking. He was just surprised I never mentioned Marcus.
My phone buzzed and jolted me out of my thoughts. When I went to check it and saw the time, I was startled to see that I'd wasted an hour. There was also a notification for another message from Marcus:Looking forward to later. Miss you.
I smiled. I missed him, too. Marcus always seemed to know what I needed before I did. It caught me off guard sometimes, but I couldn't deny it felt good to have someone like that around. I just needed to focus on what was right in front of me.
Eli
7
I'd been looking forward to this dinner all week. After the weirdness at breakfast the other day, it felt like Rowan and I still needed a chance to catch up properly. Just us, without anything feeling off. I was still getting used to the idea of Marcus being around, but I hoped this would be a good way to shake it off.
We were meeting at a cosy restaurant tucked away on one of the quieter streets in town. It wasn't fancy, but it had character. Mismatched wooden chairs, a few colourful paintings from local artists on the walls, and the smell of roasted garlic and herbs wafting from the kitchen. It was the perfect spot for an easy night of conversation and laughs.
When I stepped inside, I scanned the tables for Rowan. The place was comfortably busy, with the low drone of voices and the warm glow of hanging lights making it feel welcoming. It didn't take long to spot him near the back, but as I made my way over, I saw that he wasn't alone.
Marcus sat beside him with his arm casually draped over the back of Rowan's chair. His whole presence looked so relaxed that it almost felt rehearsed. When Rowan saw me approach, he smiled – but there was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite place. Maybe a hint of uncertainty?
I tried to brush off the unexpected change of plans witha forced smile. I guess I didn't really mind Marcus being here, but this wasn't what I'd pictured.
Rowan stood to give me a quick hug and a warm greeting. "Sorry, hope you don't mind Marcus joining us. It was kind of last-minute."
"Of course not." The lie came out too easily, and I couldn't help glancing at Marcus as I took my seat across from them. "Good to see you both."
Marcus's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Rowan mentioned you were planning this dinner. Thought I'd tag along. You know, get to know you better."
I nodded, but that phrase "tag along" rubbed me the wrong way. I'd come back to town to spend time with Rowan, not some stranger. Still, I tried not to make a big deal about it. The three of us could still have a good time. It was just dinner, after all.
As the evening went on, though, I found myself more on edge than I expected. Marcus was ... charming, in his own way, I supposed. But the longer I listened to him talk, the more I picked up on little things. Offhand comments that left a weird taste in my mouth.
"Rowan's been telling me about some of the stuff he's working on for the school," he said at one point, glancing at Rowan with a grin. "He's always so busy. Sometimes I have to remind him not to take on the whole world by himself."
Rowan gave a small laugh, but I saw the way his fingers tightened a little around his glass. "Yeah, he likes to joke that I take on too much."
Marcus leaned back in his chair with that easy smile. "It's not a bad thing. You just need to remember to ease up."
That exchange sounded harmless. Affectionate, even. But it still made me bristle. Maybe it was just the way he worded it, like Rowan's dedication to his work needed to be managed. I glanced at Rowan, expecting to see a hint ofannoyance, but he just nodded as if it made perfect sense.
