You have claws, little human. Usethem.
Hex’s voice echoes in my mind, warm and encouraging. Believing in me even when I don’t believe in myself.
Something snaps inside me. Something that’s been wound too tight for too long finally breaks free.
“No,” I say. My voice is steady. Calm. I have no idea where this confidence is coming from, but I’m running with it.
The man blinks at me like I’ve just spoken a foreign language. “Excuse me?”
“The coffee is hot. I just made it less than a minute ago. You can see the steam coming off it.” I gesture to the cup, where the evidence is right there in front of both of us. “I’m not giving you a refund for a perfectly good coffee just because you’re trying to prove how big you are.”
His face turns an alarming shade of red, his jaw clenching. “How dare you speak to me like that! Do you know who I am?”
“I don’t care who you are.” I cross my arms over my chest, channelling every ounce of Felix’s intimidating energy. My voice is still calm but there’s steel in it now. “You’re being rude and you’re lying about the coffee being cold. The answer is no. You’re not getting a refund.”
The man’s mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air, clearly not used to being told no by someone in a service position. “I’ll have your job for this!”
“Go ahead and try.” I don’t back down, don’t flinch. “But you’re still not getting a refund.”
For a long moment we just stare at each other across the counter. The entire coffee shop has gone quiet, all conversations stopped. Everyone is watching this unfold like it’s theatre. I can feel their eyes on us but I don’t look away from the man.
Then he grabs his coffee with a huff, sloshes more of it onto the counter in his anger, and storms out. The door slams behind him hard enough to rattle the bell.
Silence hangs in the air for a heartbeat. Two heartbeats.
Then someone starts clapping.
I turn to see an older woman at one of the tables applauding, a broad smile on her weathered face. Then another customer joins in, and another, until half the coffee shop is clapping for me like I’ve just performed some great feat of heroism.
“Good for you,” the older woman calls out, her voice warm with approval. “That man’s a prick.”
My face is burning hot, my heart racing like I’ve just run a marathon. My hands are still shaking, but it’s not from fear anymore. It’s from adrenaline. From triumph. From the overwhelming realisation that I just did that. I actually stood up for myself, and the world didn’t end.
“That was amazing!” Felix practically shrieks from beside me, making me jump. He grabs my shoulders and shakes me enthusiastically, his face lit up with delight. “Oh my god, Adam! You absolute legend! Did you see his face? He looked like he was going to have a stroke!”
I’m grinning now, can’t help it. A laugh bubbles up from somewhere deep in my chest, surprised and genuine. “I can’t believe I just did that.”
“I can’t believe it either! You were so cool! So calm!” Felix is bouncing on his toes with excitement. “Where did that come from?”
Hex’s face flashes in my mind. Those red eyes burning with approval. That amused smirk that makes my stomach flip. The way he believes I’m capable of more than I think I am.
“I don’t know,” I say, but it’s a lie. I know exactly where it came from.
The rest of the shift passes quickly. Felix keeps replaying the moment and cackling with delight every time. I feel different somehow. Lighter, like I’ve shed some heavy weight I didn’t even know I was carrying around.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out expecting another guilt trip from my mother, probably about the dinner party or my hair or my life choices.
Instead, it’s a text from a number that’s all sixes.
I’m very proud of you, little human. Your claws are sharp indeed.
My heart stops for a beat, then starts again double-time, thudding hard against my ribs. It’s him. Hex. Somehow he got my number, somehow he knows what happened today.
My fingers are shaking slightly as I type back.How did you get my number?
The response comes immediately, like he was waiting for me to reply.I have my ways. Did you enjoy putting that pompous fool in his place?
I glance around the coffee shop instinctively, looking for shadows in corners, for any sign that he’s watching me right now. But everything looks normal. Just customers sipping coffee and tapping on laptops.
