Chapter 24 Ella

Chapter 24 Ella
I opened my eyes and saw Sophia's face hovering in front of mine. I screamed.

“You scared me!” I said, clutching my chest.

“You seemed to be having a fantastic dream,” she said, lying on my bed. I blushed, the memory of the kiss flashing in my mind, and my hand instinctively went to my lips.

“So you guys kissed!” She let out a loud squeal, jumping up like she’d just won a prize. I looked at her suspiciously—she looked way too happy.

“Tell me why you’re this excited.”

“Camille, Alex, and I made a bet last night for $100!” she said, still bouncing.

“I’ll guess. You and Camille said we were going to kiss or something along those lines, and Alex bet against it.”

“Spot on!” she laughed.

“So… how was the kiss?” she asked, nudging me. I hid my face under my pillow as heat rushed to my cheeks.

“Leave me alone,” I mumbled from beneath the pillow.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the details of that date and the kiss,” she said, dragging the pillow away.

“First off, is he a good kisser?” I nodded, cheeks already burning. I could feel them hurting from smiling so much this week.

“I knew he would be,” she said knowingly.

“I’m waiting… the date,” she added, eyes wide with anticipation.

“You’re not gonna let it go, right?” I said, already knowing the answer. I carefully narrated the date, the kiss, and how he had brought me home. By the time I finished, she’d said “Awww!” about a million times.

“That explains your sweet dream,” she teased. I playfully hit her arm, and we both laughed.

“Where did you go last night?” I asked, curious about how far she and Camille had gone.

“We went to the celebratory party—except the victor wasn’t there,” she said with a wink. I laughed.

“How was Camille?” I asked.

“She’s surprisingly very cool and fun,” Sophia said, smiling. “Alex had to drag us home, and Damien picked her up,” she added.

“I love their relationship. It looks like they really get along as siblings,” I said. She nodded. Sophia offered to tell me all about her night, the trouble they caused and how much they’d drank as we got ready for work.

The day was bright, a gentle breeze brushing through the streets. The café was busier than usual, packed to the point where squeezing between tables felt impossible. The air smelled of roasted coffee beans and vanilla syrup, and the hum of chatter filled every corner.

I was carrying a cup of hot coffee, carefully navigating the crowd, when someone bumped into me from behind.

The cup slipped from my hands, and before I could react, the coffee spilled onto the man sitting in front of me.

“Oh my God—I’m so sorry!” I blurted, grabbing napkins in a panic. “I didn’t mean to… please, let me…”

The man’s expression darkened. Without a word, he grabbed the glass of water in front of him and raised it toward me.

I froze. My heart thumped wildly.

Before the water could reach me, someone stepped in, blocking it completely. The cold liquid soaked his shirt, dripping down his shoulders and chest.

I blinked, speechless.

Damien.

He turned slightly, eyes meeting mine for a fraction of a second—calm, protective, unreadable.

My breath caught in my throat. The café seemed to fall silent. Even the clatter of cups faded as everyone stared.

Damien stood there, his shirt soaked, while the man who’d thrown the water froze, realizing his mistake.

I didn’t know what to say. My hands trembled slightly as I stared at Damien, still trying to process what had just happened.

Before I could speak, Sophia let out a squeal.

“Oh my God!” she shouted, practically bouncing in place. “That was so heroic!”

“Are you okay, Ella?” She asked, slightly worried.

I shot her a look, face burning. “Sophia, stop,” I whispered, but her grin only widened.

“Are you kidding? He just saved you!” she said, fanning herself dramatically. At times, I appreciated her drama, but not now. She was making everything worse.

Damien gave a small sigh, running a hand through his damp hair. “You okay?” he asked quietly, low enough that only I could hear.

I nodded, heart racing. “Y-yeah… I’m fine.”

Sophia squealed again behind me, unable to contain herself.

I couldn’t tell who was redder between us, her from excitement or me from embarrassment.

Damien turned toward the man who’d thrown the water. His expression wasn’t angry, just sharp enough to make the man flinch.

“That was unnecessary,” Damien said evenly, his voice low but firm. “It was an accident and She apologized.”

The man’s shoulders slumped. “I… I didn’t mean to…” he stammered, clearly realizing he’d gone too far.

Damien gave a small nod. “Then let’s leave it at that.” He reached for a napkin, wiping water from his hands before turning back to me.

“Go change,” he said softly. “I’ll handle this.”

I hesitated. “But—”

His gaze softened. “It’s okay, Ella.”

Something in his voice made my chest tighten. I only nodded, stepping back as everyone’s eyes lingered on me.

Sophia practically vibrated beside me. “Did you see that?” she whispered as we slipped into the staff room. “He didn’t even hesitate, he just jumped in like some kind of movie hero!”

I pressed my hands to my cheeks, trying to hide the heat. “Sophia, please…”

She laughed, hugging me from the side. “Don’t ‘please’ me. You’re blushing like crazy, Ella.”

I rolled my eyes, but the smile tugging at my lips gave me away.

After closing, the café finally grew quiet. I was wiping down the last table when my phone buzzed.

Damien: Meet me at the back of the café.

My heart skipped. Without thinking, I untied my apron and headed for the back door. The night air was cool against my skin. Damien leaned against his motorcycle, the faint lamplight tracing the edges of his face.

He turned when he heard me. “You’re here.”

“Yeah,” I said softly, trying to sound calm, though my heart was pounding. “You wanted to see me?”

He nodded, gaze steady. “I have to leave the city tonight,” he said quietly. “Just for a day or two. I only came to see you before I go.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence was heavy, not awkward, just full of words neither of us knew how to say.

The memory of last night’s kiss lingered in the air, almost tangible. Part of me wondered if he called me out here to say it had been a mistake. Maybe he regretted it. Maybe that’s why he was leaving.

But then he spoke, cutting through my thoughts.

“That kiss…” he said slowly, eyes meeting mine. “It was never a bad idea.”

Before I could respond, he stepped closer, his hand brushing gently against my cheek. Then he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on my cheek—warm, lingering just long enough to make my breath hitch.

“I’ll see you soon,” he murmured.

Before I could say anything, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the night, leaving me standing there, heart racing, the ghost of his touch lingering on my skin.

For a long moment, I just stood, staring at the spot where his motorcycle had vanished. The cool breeze brushed my skin, but all I could feel was the warmth of his kiss. I didn't even get to thank him for saving me earlier in the day.

My heart pounded, each beat echoing louder than the rain tapping on the pavement.
It wasn’t a bad idea…

His words replayed in my head over and over until a shy smile slipped onto my lips. I didn’t even notice it until I caught my reflection in the café window, my cheeks flushed, eyes glowing in a way I hadn’t seen before.

Sophia leaned against the counter, scrolling through her phone, when I walked in. She looked up the moment she saw me.

“Where did you go?” she asked, curiosity written all over her face. I hesitated. “Just… outside.”

Her eyes narrowed, a knowing grin forming instantly. “Don’t tell me—Damien?”

I tried to hide my face, but it was too late. Sophia gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “Oh my God, Ella, what happened? Did he say something? Did he…”

“Sophia,” I cut in, half-laughing, half-flustered, “nothing happened.”

She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe a word. “You’re glowing, girl. Don’t even try.”

I rolled my eyes, but my heart fluttered all over again. “He’s… leaving the city for a night. He just came to tell me.”

Sophia softened, her smile gentle. “He must really like you, you
know that?”

I didn’t answer. I just looked down, fingers brushing over my cheek where he’d kissed me.

“Yeah,” I whispered under my breath. “Maybe he does.”