Work Text:
"I have a flat white for Nyra!"
Imogen's call brings me back to reality as I finish preparing an iced latte next to the coffee machine. It's about midday, and the café is a bit crowded, but it keeps my mind occupied as I continue fixing up our customers' orders. I find comfort in the routine of making drinks, knowing the exact measurements and ingredients for each one. It's almost like a dance, a familiar rhythm that I've grown to appreciate.
It's been almost half a year since I started this gig, and I can't complain. The pay is actually decent; I work flexible hours, and I get free coffee. Plus, a couple of months ago, I met my girlfriend, Violet, when I took her order. She's a fellow student at the University of Basgiath, and we instantly hit it off. It's a job I enjoy, and I'm in a relationship that makes me happy. It really can't get any better than this.
"I have an oat iced latte for Dain," I call out, placing the plastic cup on the pickup counter.
An unfamiliar guy around my age comes up to grab his coffee. He's about Liam's height and looks average: brunette, tan, sandy-brown eyes, and trimmed beard. I have worked here long enough to tell the regulars from the irregulars, and this dude is definitely the latter. I admit I'm not a social butterfly on campus, but I'm almost sure he is not attending the University of Basgiath like the rest of our customers, either.
"Thanks, man," he replies with a nod and leaves right away.
"Have you seen that guy before?" The question slips out of my mouth without any prompting when I stand next to Imogen as we wait for the next rush of customers.
Out of my four friends, she is surprisingly the most sociable of all. Her appearance can be deceiving, with her half-shaved pink hair and plenty of piercings decorating her ears. Yet, she is usually the one waving back the most around campus.
"Never in my life," she answers back, flipping a spoon in her right hand. "Why?"
I shrug in response, not even knowing the answer myself. There is no time for her to insist because a group of sorority girls shuffle in, and Liam takes their orders patiently.
"Hey, hottie!" One of them leans at the pickup counter and motions for me to come closer with her finger. "Can I get your number?"
This doesn't get any older. I ignore her and get back to my orders, turning to face the coffee machine. I am not in the mood to even reject her properly. Her voice gives me a headache.
"Hello?" I hear her insist, but I make myself busy, pouring the espresso shot in a cup full of ice and milk.
"Sorry, blondie. He's happily taken."
Now, this gets my attention, and I can't help but turn around. Violet looks surprisingly smug, standing at her 5-foot-nothing height, glaring back at the blonde who asked for my number. My girlfriend's statement clearly takes aback the other girl and glances back at me for an explanation. But I don't have time for that, not when the woman I'm obsessed with is raising her brow, demanding my attention.
"Hey, babe." I place the coffee order I just finished on the pickup counter and reach out my hand to hold hers. "I'm almost done with my shift." I look down at the stopwatch pinned on my black apron. "Can you wait for 5 minutes? I will get you a drink."
She nods her head and squeezes my hand tightly. "Sure, I'm not in a rush to leave. And you don't have to get me anything."
"Okay, just sit. I'll be with you in a bit, okay?"
Vi smiles at me, and my stomach flips. She squeezes my hand one last time and lets go. I watch her take a seat near an empty table by the window, taking out her phone to kill time. My eyes sweep around the café, and I notice that the sorority girls are now coddling the blonde, whispering and giggling among themselves.
"I can take it from here, Riorson." Imogen pats my arm and nods. "Don't keep Sorrengail waiting."
"Thanks, Im."
I don't need to be told twice. I quickly make my way to the kitchen and take off my apron, leaving it in its corresponding hanger. I grab my wallet and backpack from my locker and take a brownie from the fridge before I leave. I barely notice Liam and Im waving me goodbye because my eyes are on Violet. The end of my shift brings a sense of relief, a feeling of freedom, knowing I can now spend time with the person I care about most.
My girl is still on her phone when I approach her table. She is clearly concentrated on whatever she is watching because she almost jumps when I wrap my arm around her shoulders. I can't wait to spend the rest of the day with her, and the thought fills me with excitement.
"Ready to go?" I lean down to kiss her forehead, sighing in contentment. It's been a long morning, and I want to crawl onto the couch with Violet in my arms.
"Yeah." She cups my face with her small hands and pecks my lips briefly. "Ready to go."
We leave the café hand-in-hand as she tells me about her morning classes. I hardly saw her last week because we were both busy with deadlines, so I am taking any chance to see her before we get buried in schoolwork again. We usually hang out at my place after my shifts, and this time, we take the longer route. Garrick won't be back until dinner time, and Bodhi has classes until 3, so at least we will have the apartment to ourselves.
"Does it still happen often?" Vi looks up at me before we cross the street.
"What does?"
"Girls asking you out when you are working." I tap my key fob on the reader to enter my building, and I hold the door for her to come in first.
"Sometimes." Actually, it's more than that, but I don't want her to worry. She is the only girl I think about, and if I could tattoo her name on my forehead, I would.
Violet sighs as I open the door to my apartment and let her in. "I mean, I can't complain much because that's how I got your number," she reminisces with a soft grin. And I'm so glad she did because these have been the best months of my life.
"I usually ignore them." I drop my backpack next to the couch and tug her closer to me. She wraps her arms around my back, tucking her head into my chest. "You're the only one I've willingly given my number to."
"Really?" She pulls back slightly to look up at me with her amber-blue eyes.
"Yes, love." A smirk plays at the corners of my mouth. "And I don't regret it for a second."
Violet pushes on her tiptoes and brings her lips to mine in a passionate kiss. Her fingers play with my hair as my hands travel down her back. Gods, she is gorgeous. Especially when her long silver-tipped waves fall down her chest.
"Why do you always say the right things?" she ponders between softer kisses.
"I guess I like the rewards," I reply before I pull her in for one more peck.
*****
[Apt 304 + Im] - Thursday 09:22 pm
Xaden: Vi and her friends are going to Chantara tomorrow night
Xaden: And she extended the invitation to us
Garrick: Really? What's the occasion?
Garrick: Actually, there's no need for an occasion
Garrick: I just need a drink, bro
Liam: Same
Bodhi: Same
Xaden: @Im, you coming?
Im: Sorry boys, having a sleepover with Quinn this weekend
Garrick: Your loss, Cardulo *wink emoji*
Liam: What time tomorrow?
Liam: Also, are we meeting you there or you coming with us?
Xaden: Vi told me they are planning to leave the dorms around 10
Xaden: We could meet them there around 10.30
Bodhi: Sounds good to me
*****
Chantara, the renowned sports bar a few blocks from our apartment, was the chosen spot for our night out. Despite my reservations about the jock-filled, one-night-stand-seeking crowd and the overpriced drinks, Vi's infectious excitement was enough to sway me.
The bar, surprisingly, wasn't as packed as I had anticipated for a typical Friday night. We managed to secure a table near the back, close enough to the bar. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with people enjoying themselves on the dance floor and in the dark corners.
Liam and I head straight to the bar to grab us drinks, when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out, and an unconscious smile tugs my lips when I read my girl's message.
Vi: Just arrived, babe. Where are you?
Xaden: In the back. I'll go and get you.
Vi: Okie *kiss emoji*
I ask Liam to take our drinks to our table when they're done, while I bring Vi and company. The bar is dimly lit, but I can make out four figures near the entrance. I make my way to the other side, bumping shoulders and pushing some others, until I finally reach them. And I almost drop to my knees when I take in what my girl is wearing.
"You like?" Vi shimmies her shoulders with a sinful smile playing on her red lips, coming closer to me. Like is an understatement.
She knows what she is doing to me, wearing black from head to toe: a lacey bra top that hugs her sweet curves, a tight mini leather skirt, and her cherished platform boots. My favorite color is on my favorite person on the planet. She looks divine, and I am more than ready to worship her.
"Very much, yeah." Her arms loop around my neck as I bring her closer to me. "Hey, gorgeous."
I kiss her lips softly and tuck a stray strand from her updo behind her ear. "Hey, handsome. You look great, too."
Vi pulls back almost reluctantly and adds, "You know my friends already." She motions to them with her head. "Rhi, Sawyer, and Ridoc"
"Hi, Xaden," they wave in chorus. I've met them a couple of times when I pick up Vi from her dorm. They are a weird bunch, but deathly loyal to my girlfriend, so I respect that.
"Hey," I nod in response. "We grabbed a table near the back. Let's go."
I grab Vi's hand and lead her through the chaos inside, trusting that her friends will tag along. The DJ is now playing some EDM mix I've never heard before in my life, yet the people on the dance floor don't seem to mind as they keep moving to the rhythm of the beat. It's getting warmer and louder in here, so I really need a drink to endure the rest of the night.
"Vi!" Liam stands up from the booth with a wide grin and hugs her from the side. "Good to see you! Xaden here doesn't like to share… You were my friend first."
Violet snickers, patting his arm. "I know, he's a bit of a hogger. But I like him very much." She looks up at me, and I can't help but lean down to kiss her forehead.
We exchange quick introductions with our friends, and they go surprisingly well. Liam had met Ridoc in his freshman year, and Garrick had met Rhiannon in a sports event on campus a while ago. Bodhi and Sawyer hit it off quickly and leave for the bar to get us more drinks and snacks. As we wait for them to return, Vi shares about the paper she was working on this morning, and I can see the fondness in her eyes when she looks at me.
"So, Sorrengail, how did you convince Xaden to come to Chantara?" Garrick leans back against the booth after we all manage to scooch in. Vi is now sitting on my lap, so I can't really complain.
"There wasn't much convincing, actually," she confesses, nursing her rum and coke. "I just told him that my friends and I were planning to go out and invited him."
"We've been trying to convince him to join us for drinks. For weeks," Bodhi accuses me. "So I guess from now on we will let you know first, Vi."
"Sure thing," she winks, grabbing my hand on her thigh.
The conversation drifts to our classes, enjoying our last bit of freedom before final exams take over our lives. We are all in different majors, yet we can all relate to a certain degree. Bodhi shares about the Thermodynamics project that is kicking his ass, and Sawyer offers to give him a hand. Liam then asks him about another class they have in common, quickly taking over their conversation.
"Well, I didn't come here to talk about science and shit." Ridoc interrupts, the rest of us having split into smaller groups for conversation. "So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to dance."
He stomps away and swiftly joins the group that took over the dance floor, swinging their bodies to the music.
"A little birdie told me you're not a dancer," Vi turns around to cup my cheek, and I give her a pleading look. "But save me a dance, will you? The DJ's playing our favorites." She glances back at her friends still at our table, and I nod.
She kisses my cheek and jumps off my lap, instantly followed by Rhiannon and Sawyer, making their way to catch up with their unhinged fellow. Ridoc notices and motions for Vi to come closer, as if pulling a rope. She snickers, waving her hands in the air, as they all come together. Ridoc is indeed the life of the party, prancing around with a big grin on his face, while Sawyer simply swings without much rhythm. Rhiannon twirls Vi as they move their hips to the beat, singing the lyrics out loud.
"Earth to Xaden?"
I glare back at Garrick, who wears a smirk on his face.
"You're staring, dude."
"She is my girlfriend."
"That doesn't make it any less creepy," Liam counters this time, his lips fighting a growing grin. He stands up and asks: "Anyone need a refill?"
Bodhi shakes his head, but Garrick hands him his empty whisky glass with a wink.
"I'll go with you."
Liam and I make our way to the bar and lean against the counter to wait for our drinks. My glance quickly looks for Vi, who is still dancing with her friends. She is mesmerizing. A soft smile decorates her lips, her beautiful body moving from side to side.
But out of nowhere, a guy approaches her from behind, tapping her shoulder. Vi turns around and beams at the stranger, pulling him into a hug. Who the hell is this guy, and why is my Violet hugging this loser? Before I can even think, I stomp towards them with only one objective in mind: get his ugly hands off my girlfriend.
"Wait, Xaden-"
Liam tries to stop me, but I'm already on my way.
"Who the fuck are you?" I grab his shoulder and push him away from Violet. He stumbles backward but regains his steps.
"Xaden, stop!" She comes between us, putting her hand on my chest. She looks up at me, her eyebrows furrowed and eyes dangerous. She certainly looks angry, not relieved. Am I missing something? I just saved her from this asshole and that's what I get in return?
I don't have time for this. I glare at the stranger who now looks somewhat familiar. Brunette, trimmed beard. Realization dawns on me. This is the same guy from Aretia. I knew he was suspicious. What the hell was he doing on campus this morning, anyway?
"It's okay, Vi. For a minute, I forgot you were taken, so I don't blame him," the jerk replies, glancing back at her. "I'm Dain, Vi's childhood friend."
That doesn't answer all my questions. He stretches out his hand, but I stare at it without even moving. Violet nudges me with her elbow and I shake his, almost reluctantly, but holding it tightly enough to make my statement. "Xaden. Vi's boyfriend."
"Let's go to the back. We are making a scene." Vi grabs my hand and his, almost dragging us to the empty side of the small dancefloor.
We stand tall, Violet still between us as her eyes switch from him to me. "Babe, this is Dain. The childhood friend I told you about. I had no idea he was in town."
"A heads up would've been nice," I mumble.
Violet gives me a hard look and sighs, her expression softening as she turns to her friend. "Dain, this is Xaden. Sorry, he acted like a jerk."
"It's okay, Vi," he repeats, rubbing the back of his head. "Just wanted to surprise you. I came here for a drink, but I wasn't expecting to meet you here. I looked for you this morning, but couldn't find you. I was going to visit the library tomorrow and was hoping to catch you there."
"You could've just called, you know?" Vi says. "Wanna get a drink?"
"Sure!"
I follow after them like a lost puppy, staying close as they catch up. Apparently, he is studying up north in Calldyr U, but managed to escape for the weekend. Vi shares what she's been up to, mentioning that she is looking for internships in her field. They keep going, back and forth, referring to people and places I don't know. It's clear as day that Vi's pissed at me.
I acted like a possessive jerk, yes. But in my defense, I had no idea who the hell he was. I moved instinctively to protect her, and now she's giving me the cold shoulder.
"You okay, Xay?" Bodhi approaches me, and Vi and Dain walk to our table, leaving me behind at the bar. She introduces him, and I watch as our friends wave back.
"I don't know."
I'm being honest. In all the four months and 12 days that we've been dating, Violet and I have never had a real argument. We banter, sure, but it's not serious. She is completely ignoring me now, and I don't know how to proceed. I feel like I'm on thin ice. One wrong move and I will sink.
"Childhood friend, huh?"
"Yeah, looks like it." I'm not really in the mood for small talk, but I appreciate my cousin's concern. He's always had my back.
"Take it easy, cuz." He pats my back. "He is just a friend. It's not the end of the world."
Easy for him to say. My girl met her childhood friend, and I was left behind. I also made a scene thinking he was trying to take advantage of her, and she apologized to him for my impulsive behavior.
"This is going to be a long night."
I toss back the rest of my whiskey and ask for another.
*****
Vi: Hey, can we talk?
It's been two days since the Friday night fiasco. It's Sunday morning, but unlike other days, I'm wallowing in my pity with no plans to leave my bed. I read her message. Once. Twice. Once again. I don't even know what to answer.
Is she going to break up with me? I know I did wrong, but I'm ready to grovel if she asks me to.
Vi: Babe?
Vi: C'mon, don't leave me on read…
Vi: I'm outside your apartment, so please let me in.
That gets me out of bed. I throw on a clean T-shirt from my closet and bolt to the main door. Taking a look through the peephole, I notice that she is indeed behind my door and not a product of my imagination. I take a deep breath and twist the knob open.
"Hey, you," she greets me with a shy smile tugging on her lips.
"Hey, you." I step aside to let her in, but it surprises me when she stands on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.
"Are the guys out?" she asks, making her way to our small kitchen and hanging her purse on one of the chairs.
"They went out to grab some groceries."
She nods and turns around to face me. I'm leaning against the kitchen counter, keeping my distance because I don't know how to handle this. Does she want space? Does she want to talk first?
"I can almost hear you thinking from here." She looks up at me and takes two steps towards me to hold my hands. I give them a squeeze because I don't want to let go, but I don't even know what to say. "I'm not breaking up with you, Xaden. You look like a lost puppy."
That's exactly how I felt when she left to introduce Dain to her friends, and practically ignored me for the rest of the night until we parted ways.
"Then, why are you here?" I didn't want to sound like a jerk, but the words slipped out of my mouth before I could even take them back.
"Ouch." She flinches, and I feel even worse. "You know, couples talk things through when things get weird."
"Yeah…"
"So, I'm here so we can talk." Vi lets go of one of my hands to caress my cheek, and I lean against her touch. "Why did you push Dain like that?"
"I didn't know who he was. I thought he wanted to flirt with you, or something…"
"I can take care of myself, you know." She lifts a brow, but does not let go of my face. "Plus, Ridoc and Sawyer were there."
I doubt they can hit a proper punch, but I don't tell her that. "I know, angel. I just acted on instinct."
"Wait, were you jealous?" her voice laced with amusement.
"Yes, love. I was jealous." I repeat as if it were an obvious statement. "This random guy shows up out of nowhere and acts all friendly around you. What was I supposed to do? Stand by and watch?" I can feel her understanding in her silence.
Her expression softens, and she pinches my cheek softly. "There was no reason for you to be jealous. He is a friend. You are the guy I am in love with."
My heart skips a beat at her confession. It's not the first time that we've said it to each other, but it still makes me want to be better for her. Be worthy of her love.
"I know now." I lean down and nudge her nose with mine. She wraps her hand around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. I caress her lips with devotion, trying to express my regret and how lucky I am to have her in my life. "I'm sorry, Vi. I'm sorry I ruined last Friday night. I'll make it up to you."
"You didn't ruin it, baby." She shakes her head and kisses me again. "But you still owe me a dance."
"Friday night? Just you and me." I propose peppering kisses down her jaw.
"You've got yourself a date, gentleman." A beautiful smile plays at her lips, and I'm a goner.
"Can't wait, angel," I say, my heart full of warmth for her.
*****
(DELETED SCENE)
[the REAL Iron Squad] - Thursday, 09:43 pm
Ridoc: I hope y'all cleared up your calendars tomorrow night
Ridoc: Cuz we gonna get wastedddd *beer emoji* *wink emoji*
Sawyer: Yes, for the nth time this week, we have
Rhiannon: Ngl, I'm looking forward to it *dancing girls emoji*
Ridoc: Yas queen *crown emoji* Save me a dance, please!!
Ridoc: @Vi you're coming, right??
Vi: Yes, yes
Vi: Wait, can Xaden and his friends join us?
Vi: I kinda told him already *flushed faced emoji*
Ridoc: YES! The more the merrier!
Ridoc: His cousin is hot af tho
Rhiannon: Okay, let's meet in the lobby at 10 sharp
Ridoc: Be there
Ridoc: Or be square *side eye emoji*