“Mind your own business,” he said, turning back and walking on.
“Can you just talk to me like a normal person?” she said, her voice rising.
He spun around. “Can you stop busting my balls?” he snapped. “I’m leaving. If you want a ride, come with me. If not, go back to your boring little couple.”
“What is wrong with you? They were being nice.”
“Yeah, sure.” He let out a short, humorless laugh. “The girl firing questions at me non-stop and her wimpy boyfriend.”
“They were just trying to make you feel comfortable and include you in the conversation!”
“I told you from the start I didn’t wanna go out with your friends and you kept pushing!” he shouted back.
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. She looked down and saw a message from a girl named Stella. There was a photo in the chat that she had to tap to open. “Who’s this?” she muttered before clicking. Her mouth fell open as her eyes lifted to Mano.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.
She turned the screen toward him, fury building inside her. Mano saw himself lying in a bed, shirtless. Stella was beside him, taking a selfie while he slept.
“Five days ago, huh? While you were going out with me! You asshole!” she shouted, shoving him as hard as she could. He barely moved. She turned and walked quickly in the opposite direction.
Back at the café, Anna frowned. “What was that about?”
“I don’t know. He was on the phone earlier. Maybe something came up. You wanna stay a bit longer?” Ody asked.
“No, baby, let’s go. I don’t think this was such a good idea.”
“It was a bit awkward, and he was pretty cold, but—”
“He was worse than I thought. I don’t even know how Katerina’s with him,” Anna said, disbelief in her voice.
“I’m gonna go to the bathroom and then we’ll leave, okay?” He stood and gave her a quick kiss.
Inside the men’s restroom, something clinked under his shoe. He lifted his foot and looked down.
A silver necklace.
He bent to pick it up, turning it in his fingers. A thin chain with a small cross. His mind flashed back to the table, to the necklace around Mano’s neck when they first sat down.
It had to be his. How did it end up here?
He returned to the table, the necklace resting in his palm.
“Ready?” Anna asked, shifting in her seat, about to stand.
“I found this in the bathroom.” He opened his hand, revealing the necklace.
“Oh.” She leaned in. “Someone must’ve dropped it. Let’s give it to the staff.”
“I think it’s Mano’s.” He turned the chain between his fingers.
“Mano’s?” She frowned.
“Yeah, he was wearing one just like it. Didn’t you notice?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
