If it hadn't been for Emily, I might have already reported them...What they had done crossed the line; they broke the rules, and people were suffering as a result.I couldn't just stand by and watch, or even worse, put on a smile.
I had never been very skilled at concealing my feelings; no matter how hard I tried to manage or hide them, it always proved to be a struggle.Marco knew me all too well—how could he not?
When we took our seats again, the air was thick with tension.Marco turned his inquisitive stare toward me.“I'll ask again: is everything okay?You look like you might explode.Should I run away or attempt to deactivate the bomb?”he teased, leaning in to whisper.
“Everything's fine; we just had a disagreement with Jessica.Can you drop it?It's starting to feel awkward,” I murmured back, a hint of annoyance crept into my tone.
“So, what's on the agenda, everyone?”Zane interjected, grinning as he glanced between the three of us.Just then, our orders arrived, and we all began sipping our hot drinks in comfortable silence.
“So, Zane… you go to school with my Luna, which means you probably see her more than I do,” Marco said, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Zane replied, returning Marco’s gaze.
It was clear that we had been in the same school for a long time, but I never paid much attention to him.By the end of last year, I vaguely remembered him joining theVipers,but before that, he seemed like a ghost—someone who had either slipped through the cracks or transferred to our school recently.I didn't have the best memory for faces, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew nothing about him.But he did; he did remember me.
“And what's your major?Fashion?”Marco threw out another joke, his irritation evident.
“Architecture,” Zane replied curtly.
“Oh, so you're planning to design skyscrapers?”Marco pressed on.
“Mostly.I hope to move to New York one day.People there don't care about who you are, what you do, or where you come from.It's a city full of dreams, vast opportunities, and fresh starts,” Zane said, his eyes shifting to me with a wry smile.
“I've always wanted to visit New York; it's so stunning.Maybe it should be my next adventure, or we could go together once school wraps up.”Jessica suggested, her gaze lingering on Zane as if inviting him to join her.
Jessica was acting as if our earlier conversation had never happened.How could she just brush it off like that?Didn't she care at all?
“I want to be a writer,” she declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement.“That way, I can live anywhere I choose, maybe even travel.I could spend no more than six months in one place writing novels—thrillers, especially.I love thrillers!”She gestured animatedly, lost in her dream.
“Don't you need a degree in communications or journalism to pursue writing?”I interjected, my tone sharper than I intended.Her smile faltered as she replied, “There are plenty of independent writers who do it as a hobby.”Her eyes locked onto mine, challenging me.
“But you just said you wanted it to be your career, not just a hobby,” I shot back.I was definitely in a mood to pick a fight.
“I know what I said.Do you have an issue with that?”she retorted, her voice rising with frustration.
“Not at all, just having a discussion,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.The atmosphere grew tense again, and Marco and Zane exchanged uneasy glances.
“Are we ready for the movies?”Zane asked, forcing a smile.Jessica shot me a look that clearly said no.
“Sure, I'm ready,” Marco answered first.
“I guess it's movie time then,” I said, still focused on Jessica.
“Wait for me outside; it's my treat today,” Jess said, managing a tight smile.
As the three of us headed outside, Jessica stayed behind to settle the tab.
“Oh shit, it's raining,” Marco exclaimed.“Stay here under the awning while I grab the car,” he said, running in a hurry.I couldn't even say a word.Fantastic.
“Well, this was fun,” Zane said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Absolutely,” I replied, mirroring his attitude.
“We should do this again sometime,” he suggested with a grin, which only made me scoff.
“Why are you messing with Jessica?”I asked, glaring at him.
“Messing with her?I'm just going out with a beautiful girl,” he shot back.Well, I couldn't argue with that.
