Chapter 4: The coffee looks more intresting
Leonel slid into the seat beside Aiden with unhurried grace, as if the café itself had shifted to make space for him. He didn’t even look at the menu before telling the waiter, "Black coffee. Two sugars. For him."
Aiden blinked, then let out a laugh. "Wow. You even know how I take my coffee? You’ve been paying attention."
Cassian’s fingers tightened around his own cup. He avoided Leonel’s eyes, scooping sugar into his coffee like it was the most fascinating task in the world.
"Hey, Cass," Aiden said lightly, nudging him. "This is Leonel. I told you about him."
Cassian stirred, the clink of the spoon against porcelain far louder than it needed to be. Without glancing up, he muttered, "I know."
Aiden tilted his head, curiosity flickering. "Oh? How?"
Cassian set the spoon down with forced calm, lifted the cup to his lips, and took a long sip. Only then did he say, casually but a little too quickly, "He came to our dorm. Said he wanted to meet me. Because I’m your bestie. Guess he’s jealous."
The words left his mouth before his brain could stop them. His stomach dropped.
Silence followed.
Aiden blinked, confused, while Leonel’s gray eyes locked on Cassian like a predator narrowing in on its prey.
Cassian kept his gaze glued to the swirl of coffee in his cup, every nerve in his body screaming. Oh no. Oh no. He’s going to flip the table. Or stab me with a fork. Or pour this coffee on my head. Why did I say that out loud?
"Jealous, huh?" Leonel’s voice was low, almost amused but there was something sharp beneath it.
Cassian dared a glance upward. Leonel’s smirk was back, only deeper this time, like he’d found a puzzle piece he hadn’t expected.
Aiden laughed awkwardly. "Cass, you say the weirdest things sometimes."
But Cassian barely heard him. His pulse thundered in his ears as Leonel leaned slightly closer, eyes never leaving his face.
"Interesting," Leonel murmured, as if tasting the word.
Cassian’s grip on his cup tightened. I’m dead. This is it. Goodbye, cruel world.
The waiter arrived with Aiden’s coffee, breaking the tension for just a second. But Leonel didn’t look away.
And in that heavy silence, Cassian realized one thing: Leonel wasn’t just curious about him anymore. He was interested. and maybe that was gonna be the reason he gets killed
Which was somehow worse.
Leonel finally leaned back, lips curving into that infuriating smirk again. "So... Cassian. Tell me more about yourself."
Cassian nearly choked on his coffee.
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