Chapter Text
"Isn't it nice being back?"
"Not really."
Early April 2015. A warm spring morning. Malia knew Theo better than anyone, and she knew for a fact that he was actually happy to be back in Beacon Hills, he was just grumpy because it was eight in the morning. Theo dropped the last bag on the wooden floor of their little house in the woods, which they would soonly enough start calling home. Malia smiled and went to her room, leavin Theo alone in the living room.
Outside, Theo took a deep breath, taking in all the smells the forest had to give. He remembered living there when he was just a kid. He remembered playing hide and seek with his mom and dad. He remembered when life was simple, when they were a happy family. Theo tried to shake his parents off his head -this was a fresh start away from them, after all- but he couldn't. How could he? The way things were left off the last time they saw each other was far from perfect. The yelling, the crying, the door slamming. Oh, what wouldn't Theo do to forget all about it.
Before he would get lost in his thoughts, Theo focused on the breeze that swept over his face, on the color green that burst from everywhere, on the sound of the birds, on the smell of nature, on the fact that he was there, conscious, awake. Theo tended to forget that. And when he did, it was hard to remember it again.
About an hour later, Malia convinced him to go to the coffee shop she used to go when she was a kid. Theo wasn't the biggest fan of coffee, but he could use one cup or two. It was a small place, warm and cozy. Outside, it read "Romero's". Once inside, Theo had to check if the place was actually open, because it was totally empty.
"Hello?" Malia called. Seconds after, a dark-brown-haired girl stood behind the counter.
With a smile on he face, she introduced herself: "Hi, I'm Hayden. What can I get you?"
"I'll take a mocha."
"Just a black coffee for me," Theo replied.
"Black and mocha coming right up. Names?"
"Theo and Malia."
"Are you new in town?"
"Something like that. We used to live here a long time ago."
"Well, welcome back."
"Thank you."
Hayden turned around as Malia and Theo went to take a seat in the far left side of the shop.
"You're so boring. I bring to the best coffee shop in town and all you get is a black coffee?"
"I'm a simple man. And we've lived together long enough for you to know that I don't enjoy drinking coffee."
"How are you my best friend?"
"Because no one else can stand you?"
"Right. Thanks for the reminder."
Their conversation was interrupted when a loud group of people entered the coffee shop. Theo counted seven people walking in and greeting Hayden like they had been friends for a long time. Malia rolled her eyes in response to the loud voices and looked at Theo, who was too busy staring at the just-arrived group to say anything.
The blue-eyed boy with the blonde glossy hair.
"It's nine in the morning. How are they so loud?" Malia complained.
Theo took his eyes off the boy and looked back at Malia: "Please, don't make a scene".
"They're already making a scene."
"Look, our drinks are coming. Can't we just enjoy them and leave peacefully?"
In silence, still with a smile plastered on her face, Hayden placed the mocha in front of Malia, and the black coffee in front of Theo. She then walked toward the other table, and Theo catched some names. Lydia, Kira, Liam, Mason. Or at least that's what he heard. Then he watched Hayden kissing the blue-eyed boy, and thought: Of course, because why would anything good happen to me?
Malia growled under her breath when the voices became louder, and turned around to look at the group for the first time.
"Malia... "
Theo kept drinking his coffee, wanting to disappear as Malia asked -not so politely- if they could keep their voices down.
Ten minutes later, Malia and Theo stood outside, the former banned from entering the coffee shop for life.
"Told you to not make a scene. Did you have to try to pick a fight?"
"I didn't start it."
"You did."
"So? If you weren't so blown away by that guy, you would've helped me."
"First, I wasn't blown away. Second, no, I wouldn't have helped you, because it was stupid. Couldn't you just have drank your coffee peacefully? Do you see why I avoid going out with you?"
"Okay, I'm sorry. Whatever."
"We're here looking for a fresh start, Malia, trying leaving our past selves behind. I'm trying. So should you."