
Author POV
Justin had driven, of course. He parallel parked like a man in a cologne, stepping out.
Liam had gone dead quiet since Sarah sat next to him-shoulders barely touching. She offered him half her menu and he nearly knocked over his water trying to accept it.
Andrew, on the other hand, was already halfway through the cafe's dessert menu out loud: "We're getting this chocolate lava thing. I don't care if it costs a kidney."
Katherine was sprawled out in her seat like she owned the rooftop. She had claimed the spot next to Ryan, and as always, poked him in the ribs while pretending to point out things on the menu.
The waiter arrived overwhelmed immediately. Amelia initiated, "We'll start with hot chocolates for everyone."
The group ordered in bits and bursts, full of inside jokes and half-muttered insults. Somehow, the chaos landed.
The plate of "Deathwish Nachos" hit the table with a heavy thud, radiating the kind of dangerous red that screamed regret.
Katherine leaned forward, chin propped on her hand, grinning like she'd just declared war.
"Loser buys dessert."
Ryan smirked. "You just wanna see me cry."
She raised a brow. "Don't flatter yourself. I've already seen you cry. Remember that Pixar movie?"
His smile twitched, but he didn't deny it. "That was a collective trauma."
They each picked up a chip drowned in hot sauce. As their fingers brushed the same one, Kat's eyes flicked up. His hand lingered a second too long before pulling back.
Then-crunch.
Katherine's eyes watered almost immediately, but her grin never faltered.
Ryan's jaw tightened, a drop of sweat threatening to betray him.
"I'm good," she lied, cheeks flushed.
He cleared his throat. "Same. This is basically... flavor."
She reached for water, but he beat her to it, sliding his own glass toward her without a word. Their fingers touched again-light, warm, and quickly gone.
"Chivalry or surrender?" she teased, voice slightly raspy from the heat.
"Neither," he said, softer than she expected. "Just didn't want you to die before dessert."
They both laughed, but it hung there-something unspoken.
Katherine coughed once, wiping her eyes with the corner of her sleeve. "This was stupid."
Ryan leaned in, voice low. "But worth it?"
She looked at him, eyes shining-maybe from the spice, maybe not.
"I don't usually lose bets," she murmured.
"Then I guess I'm lucky tonight," he said, gaze never leaving hers.
The table's noise faded for a moment, as if the world had given them a brief pause-just them, the city lights behind, the sparks between, and the ridiculous plate of nachos between them.
Andrew leaned over from the other end of the table, deadpan: "Do you guys need tissues or therapy?"
Justin didn't even look up. "They need a fire extinguisher."
Katherine, mouth half on fire, still managed: "You're just mad you don't have our spice tolerance."
Then she immediately gulped water like it was life-saving elixir.
They both burst out laughing again, but this time-the tension stayed, hanging like smoke in the cool night air.
At the far end of the table, away from Ryan and Katherine's spice war and Andrew's chaotic monologue, Liam was quietly stirring the ice in his drink. Not drinking it-just moving it around, like his thoughts were too loud.
Next to him, Sarah was sipping her chocolate milk shake-half-listening, half-somewhere else.
Liam watched her for a moment longer than he meant to. Then, softly, he asked,
"You still working on that sketchbook?"
Sarah blinked, surprised-but then she lit up.
Not just smiled-actual lit up.
"Yeah," she said, turning toward him, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "I actually started something new last night. It's messy, but... it's alive, you know?"
Liam nodded, eyes fixed on her like she was the one glowing.
"I'd like to see it sometime. If that's okay."
She paused-then slowly handed him her phone, showing to a beautiful sketch of her album 'Sketches🎀'
A forest at night, ink shadows, soft light bleeding through the trees.
He leaned in to look. "Wow. This is... incredible."
"You're just being nice," she mumbled, but her voice was warm.
"I'm never 'just' anything with you," he said, then blinked-like he hadn't meant to say it out loud.
Sarah stilled. Looked at him.
Their eyes met-nervous, shy, soft.
And then- "You have some chocolate on your cheek," Liam said quietly.
She laughed, a little flustered. "Where?"
He reached out without thinking, brushing his thumb gently across her cheekbone.
"Got it," he whispered.
Her laugh faded into something quieter. "Thanks."
He dropped his hand, heart pounding like it might knock over the table.
"Anytime," he murmured.
They sat like that a while longer-shoulders nearly touching, silence full of everything unsaid but somehow understood.
Just as Liam was warmly looking at Sarah and Ryan leaned a little too close to Kat under the excuse of "sharing dessert," chaos reared its adorable, annoying head from the far end of the table.
Andrew suddenly paused mid-bite, staring at his nearly-empty plate with the horror of someone who just lost a war he didn't know he was fighting.
"Where. Are. My. Fries?" he asked slowly, like he was narrating a true crime documentary.
Daisy, across from him, was sipping on her drink like innocence personified-except she had that signature glint in her eye.
"I don't know. Maybe the universe took them back."
Andrew's eyes narrowed. "Daisy. There were nine fries left. Don't ask how I know, but I know."
She shrugged. "Should've eaten faster. Natural selection."
Ryan looked up briefly. "We're not doing this again."
"We are ABSOLUTELY doing this again!" Andrew said, full volume. "She's a habitual snack thief. A serial sauce dipper. A monster."
Daisy tossed a fry in her mouth, chewed slowly, and deadpan replied, "You licked the last cookie yesterday so I wouldn't take it."
"That was self-defense!" he cried. "You stared at it for ten minutes like a vulture!"
Meanwhile, Sarah was quietly trying to stifle a laugh behind her drink. Kat just pulled out her phone and started filming.
Caption: 'Day 49 of parenting these two chaotic kids'
Andrew lunged-not to hurt, just to reclaim dignity-but Daisy instantly grabbed a spoon and held it like a sword.
"I swear I will catapult this nacho cheese at you."
"I will eat it midair. Don't test me."
Amelia, without looking up: "I will Venmo someone five dollars to throw them both off this rooftop."
"Make it ten," Justin muttered.
Still locked in an intense fry stand-off, Daisy leaned forward. "You didn't even ask if I wanted fries."
"You said you weren't hungry!"
"I lied, Andrew! This is what I do!"
"WELL STOP DOING IT WITH MY FOOD."
In the chaos, she swiped one last fry. He stared at her in disbelief.
"Do you even like fries?" he asked.
She paused. Thought about it.
"Not really. I just like watching you spiral."
For a moment, he just stared at her. Then burst out laughing despite himself.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, reaching over to snatch the last fry back.
She let him.
Kind of.
Their hands brushed. Just for a second.
Both froze.
Then immediately made disgusted faces at each other.
"Ew, did you moisturize? Gross."
"Yeah, well, you have ketchup under your nails. Gremlin."
And the group laughed-loud and real and relieved, because somehow, their ridiculous bickering was the soundtrack to everything good.
Amelia casually glanced up toward the far end of the rooftop.
"Is that a garden area?"

Sarah immediately catching on, "I think it wraps around the side."
Amelia was already mesmerized by the view and adjusted her clothes while getting up.
"I'll be right back."
Katherine fake whispered, "She'll absolutely not be right back."
Without missing a best, Daisy yelled, "Take your time. We'll hold your fries hostage."
The group was still loud-Andrew yelling something about fry-theft laws, Kat mocking him with a napkin crown, Daisy dramatically defending her honor with a spoon like a fencing sword.
Justin leaned back in his chair, holding his now-empty coffee cup, eyes drifting without much intention.
Amelia had left a few minutes ago, saying something about needing air or checking out the side garden. Nothing dramatic. Nothing unusual.
Except... his attention had trailed after her like gravity shifted.
He stared at the cup in his hands. No coffee. Just an excuse now.
He could get a refill. That was normal, right? That wasn't weird.
Still, he sat.
His eyes flicked toward the garden corner she'd disappeared into. Probably scrolling through her phone. Maybe humming something under her breath. Maybe thinking.
He should just sit here. Laugh at Andrew. Tease Katherine and Ryan. Pretend the ache in his chest was just caffeine withdrawal and not some restless, invisible string pulling him in her direction.
But... she'd been smiling more lately when they talked. Not the polite kind-the real one, the one she used when she forgot to be careful.
And he found himself saying things he wouldn't say to anyone else. Soft things. Sincere things. Stuff he didn't even know he thought until she was looking at him like she was listening all the way through.
Why was he thinking about this?
Why was he thinking about her like this?
It's not like he liked her. At least, he didn't think so. He wasn't the guy who followed girls out of rooftop cafés just to have "a nice chat."
Except maybe today... he was.
He exhaled. Picked up the cup.
"Need a refill," he said casually, rising from his chair.
Liam's eyes narrowed. "Sure you do."
He didn't respond-just gave the smallest smirk and walked toward the garden path, coffee cup dangling in one hand, heart doing that stupid flutter thing it only seemed to do when Amelia was involved.
And maybe that was the problem.
Maybe he was starting to care about her... without knowing why.
Here we are finally in the cafe..!!! Let's see what conversation takes place between Amelia and Justin in the next chapter
Please vote and comment if you liked this chapter. The next chapter will be updated soon. Take care, cuties 💙
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