Not a Happy Pill
Damien’s jaw tightened as he stepped into the dining room, his gaze falling on the half-eaten plates spread across the table. The laughter that had once filled the room was gone, replaced by a heavy silence. His eyes darkened, and his throat went dry as an image of Lila’s radiant smile flashed in his mind, the way she’d eaten every spoonful as if it were the best meal she’d ever had.
“B–Boss, we didn’t mean any of that. We were only joking,” Thorne stammered, forcing a weak grin while Rex and Graves nodded quickly beside him.
Blade and Crusher were also at the table, eating quietly, trying and failing to hide their amusement.
Damien let out a slow sigh, the hard lines on his face softening as he turned to Blade.
“Is it really that bad?” he asked, his tone low but edged with something that sounded almost… uncertain.
Blade glanced at the bowl in front of him, then back at Damien, a small, cautious smile tugging at his lips. “It’s not that bad, boss.
Honestly. For your first time, it’s impressive. You just need a little more practice, cook a few more times, and you’ll get it.”
Damien’s gaze lingered on him for a long second, emotionless before he swept his eyes across the table.
“Make sure you all finish that food,” he said finally, his tone calm but firm. “I’ll come down and have mine too.”
No one dared to argue. Spoons began clinking softly against bowls as the men resumed eating in silence, exchanging wary glances when Damien turned away.
He climbed the stairs without another word, the faint sounds of forced chewing following him until he reached the top.
Just as he reached Lila’s room, the door opened, and she stepped out of the bathroom, her damp hair falling loosely around her shoulders.
Their eyes met instantly. She was wrapped in a towel, her skin still dewy from the shower, her cheeks flushed from the warmth.
Damien simply stared, his breath catching somewhere between his chest and throat.
“Wolfe?” she said softly, clutching the towel a little tighter.
His name on her lips was enough to undo him. His gaze, usually sharp and cold, softened, tracing her face. The glisten of water at her collarbone, the way a single strand of hair clung to her jaw. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look back into her eyes.
“I—uh,” he began, his voice lower than usual. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Lila smiled and started walking toward him slowly. “Why did you come back?” she asked, her voice soft but curious.
Damien tilted his head, trying to recall the reason he’d returned but his mind came up blank. He swallowed, forcing a quick smile.
“I… wanted us to, you know, play outside. All of us,” he said, raising his brows slightly as though questioning his own excuse.
Lila’s face lit up at the idea. She nodded eagerly and took a step closer, but Damien instinctively stepped back.
His smile lingered, faint but careful. “I’ll be waiting for you,” he said quietly, before turning on his heel and walking out the door.
Lila’s smile faded as she watched him go, confusion flickering across her face. Ever since he’d returned, he hadn’t made a single move toward her and it was starting to bother her.
Was he mad at her? Had she done something wrong?
She groaned softly, running a hand through her hair. “God, I’ve missed his touch so much,” she muttered, stomping her foot against the floor in frustration.
Asher stared out the bus window, his thoughts miles away from the laughter and chatter filling the air around him. Some of his classmates were joking loudly, others mumbled sleepily to each other, and a few had already dozed off.
They were on their way to the school trip; the one he’d been looking forward to but Lila hadn’t shown up. He’d texted her, and even Tessa had tried, both asking why she suddenly changed her mind. All Lila said was that it was nothing, that she just wasn’t interested anymore.
The words replayed in his head, each one stinging more than the last. He had been hoping this trip would give him the chance to talk things through with her, to fix whatever was breaking between them.
On the other side of the bus, Tessa sat quietly beside another student, her gaze fixed on the seat in front of her. She, too, was lost in thought. Lila’s absence bothered her deeply, but what worried her more was how distant her best friend had become lately. Lila wasn’t the same anymore, something had changed.
And a small, uneasy thought crept into Tessa’s mind: Had Asher told Lila about what they did?
Thinking about it, Tessa tilted her head slightly toward Asher. He was still gazing out the window, lost in thought, his expression distant and unreadable.
“Uhm… excuse me.”
The voice beside her pulled her attention away. The guy sitting next to her who had seemed nervous since the start of the trip, finally mustered the courage to speak. He shifted in his seat, glancing at her with a shy, uncertain smile.
“I’m sorry, Tessa,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck, “but I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while now.”
Tessa blinked in mild surprise before giving him a small nod, her expression softening. “Go ahead,” she said, curious about what he had to say.
“You see, I’ve always liked you since our first year, but I never had the courage to tell you,” the guy said shyly, fidgeting with his fingers.
Tessa stared at him for a moment, then a small smile curved her lips.
“Is that why you begged your friend to switch seats with you?” she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
The boy’s eyes widened. “You saw that?”
Tessa laughed softly and nodded. “Yeah, I saw everything.”
Within moments, their laughter filled the space around them, light and easy like they’d known each other forever.
The sound drew Asher out of his thoughts. He turned his head slightly, watching Tessa and the boy laugh together. For some reason, irritation flared in his chest.
He scoffed under his breath. “Is she friends with everybody now?” he muttered, turning back to the window with a scowl.
No, he definitely wasn’t swallowing a happy pill at that moment.