Chapter 142 Fifth Street

Chapter 142 Fifth Street
Skylar's POV

The coffee shop on Fifth was exactly the way Elias described it, small, and a little worn at the edges . It smelled like cinnamon and old paper.

He closed his book and looked at me across the table. “I think we've spent more time talking than studying.”
I glanced at the untouched page in front of me. “That's because your idea of studying involves explaining every interesting thing you find.” I stood up. “I'm going to get myself an espresso.” I pointed towards the counter at the front. “Want one?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Thanks.”

“I'll be right back,” I told him, turning to the counter, where the woman behind the register looked up with a polite smile.
“Hi. Could I get two espressos, please?”
She nodded. “Sure, anything else?”
“No, that's all.”
She tapped something into the register and told me the price. I paid, then stepped aside to wait. I looked around while waiting. The place wasn't so bad, it's actually really cozy. Yeah, it wasn't as expensive as most of the coffee shops I've been at but it was definitely very comfortable.
A minute later, she placed the small cup on the counter. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” I picked up the espressos, turning back toward Elias.

"Okay," I said, sliding into the booth across from Elias, placing his cup in his front. “I've walked past this place probably thirty times and never once come in."
"Seriously?" He raised the cup, taking a sip. "It's been here since I was a kid. My mom used to bring me here after dentist appointments, like a reward for not crying."
He smiled, glancing around. "I got my first cavity filled two blocks from here. Came straight after, still numb on one side of my face and ordered hot chocolate. Spilled most of it down my shirt because I couldn't feel my mouth."

I laughed, more than the story probably deserved but there was something about the way he told it, a little self-deprecating and not performing for a reaction, that made it funnier than it should've been. “Wow, you really remember that.”
"Yup, have a lot of memories I haven't forgotten, mostly embarrassing." He shrugged. "What about you? Any dentist trauma?"

"Not really. I think I've had maybe three appointments my whole life where something actually went wrong."
"Must be nice."
"It's mostly luck," I chuckled. "My mom says it's the water we filter at home."
"See, now I'm annoyed on behalf of every kid who's ever had a cavity." He frowned, feigning sadness.

“Wanna say anything?” I asked, noticing him staring.
He hesitated. “You're different when you're not around everyone else.”
I leaned back, raising a brow. “Different how?”
“I don't know…quieter.”
I laughed. “I'm not quiet.”
“You are compared to what you're like at school.” He said, turning his now empty cup in slow circles.
‘Is that a compliment or…..”
“It is.” He smiled. “I like this version of you.”
Something about the way he said it made me pause, he meant it…. I could tell.

I looked down at my book, suddenly more interested in the same page I'd been staring at for the last thirty minutes. “It's getting late.”
He glanced at his phone. “Yeah.” He stood, grabbing his bag. “We should probably go.”

He held the door open for me as we stepped out onto the sidewalk, the air cooler than it had been when we walked in.
So,” he said, adjusting the strap of his bag, “did you actually enjoy this?”
I looked at him. “I did, we can do it again soon.”
He looked surprised. “Really?”
"Yes.” I chuckled. “Thanks for tod…"

The low growl of an engine cut through the quiet street before I could finish. I looked up in time to see a black motorcycle slowing at the curb a few feet away, a girl seated behind the rider, her arms loosely around his waist.
I recognized it immediately…..Ryan.
He hadn't looked our way yet, still saying something to the girl behind him. I was beginning to think maybe he'd just pass by oblivious but then his eyes lifted, landing on us standing there on the sidewalk.
I watched every trace of ease drain out of his expression at once.

At first he didn't move at all. The bike idled at the curb, Ryan's eyes fixed on us.
The girl behind him said something, her hand tightening on his jacket, for half a second I actually thought he'd just twist the throttle and keep going.
Instead, he killed the engine and swung off the bike in one motion, barely glancing back at the girl as he pulled his helmet off.

She stared at him. “Why are we stopping?”
"Get off," he said to her, already walking toward us. "I'll call you."
"Excuse me?" She stayed where she was, her arms crossed now, clearly not thrilled about being dismissed on a public sidewalk. "Ryan, we had plans."
"I'll call you," he said again, not even bothering to look back this time.

She muttered something under her breath, swinging her leg off the bike with more force than necessary, but he was already past her, closing the distance to where Elias and I stood, and something in the set of his shoulders told me this wasn't going to be brief.

He looked over Elias slowly, then he turned to me. “What are you doing here?”
I frowned. “Having coffee.”
His eyes returned to Elias. “With him?”
I folded my arms. “Yes, with him. So….”
Elias shifted his bag higher on his shoulder. “We were studying.”
Ryan gave a quiet laugh. “Studying.” He glanced at the books in our hands. “Interesting…. I didn't know reading in a coffee shop counted as studying.”
“It does when you're actually doing it.” I spat.

"Elias." He stepped closer, stopping a few feet away, his eyes moving over him slowly. "Didn't peg you as the type to stay out this late on a school night."
"It's not that late," Elias said, his voice steady, though I caught the small shift in his stance.
"No?" Ryan glanced at the darkened windows of the coffee shop behind us. "Looks pretty late to me. Guess time gets away from you when you're trying hard to impress someone."

"I wasn't trying to impress anyone." Elias's jaw tightened slightly, but his voice held. "We were just talking."
"Just talking." Ryan repeated slowly. "Right. That's usually how it starts."
"Ryan." I stepped forward. "What is your problem?"
"No problem." He didn't look at me yet, still focused on Elias. "Just having a conversation. Isn't that allowed?"
"Not when it's clearly meant to make someone feel small," I said. "Which is exactly what you're doing right now."

That got his attention. His eyes finally shifted to me.
""You're doing exactly what you always do." I continued, crossing my arms, refusing to back down under the look he was giving me. "You show up, you make it weird and you act like it's everyone else's fault for reacting to it."

Neither of us said anything, the tension between us stretching.
"We're leaving," I said finally, breaking the silence myself, reaching for Elias's arm. "Come on."