Chapter 63 Hate?
Life returned to its usual rhythm for Amelia, early mornings, long hours at the café, tired feet, and polite smiles for customers she barely remembered by the end of the day.
The incident at the club slowly faded into something distant, though not forgotten. It lingered in the back of her mind, surfacing sometimes when a man stood too close or spoke too confidently to her.
Ryan, however, hadn’t faded. She hadn’t seen him again since that night, but she thought of him more than she expected and had even thought about asking Rebecca to get his contact from Derek.
Sometimes when she laughed with a customer, she remembered how easy it had been to laugh with him. Sometimes when she felt lonely at night, she remembered how safe she had felt standing beside him, and how calm his voice had been.
They hadn’t exchanged numbers. They hadn’t promised to see each other again, probably because they knew they'd always see each other but somehow, she wished she'd taken his number at least.
That Saturday evening, Amelia stopped by the grocery store on her way home. She had almost skipped it, tempted to just order food and crawl into bed, but her fridge was nearly empty and her body craved something warm and homemade.
The store wasn’t too crowded. Soft music played over the speakers, carts rolled lazily across the tiled floor, and the air smelled faintly of bread and cleaning supplies. Amelia pushed her cart down the aisle, mentally listing what she needed.
Rice. Vegetables. Tea. She thought as she turned a corner and stopped.
Her heart skipped.
Ryan stood near the refrigerated section, a basket in his hand. He looked different from how he had looked at the club. He was more relaxed, dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt.
Beside him was another man who looked similar enough to be family since they had same sharp jawline, same height, though his expression was lighter, and more curious.
For a second, Amelia wondered if she was imagining it. Then Ryan looked up and their eyes met.
Surprise flashed across his face and then he smiled.
Her lips parted before she even realized she was smiling back.
“Oh,” she breathed quietly.
Without thinking too much about it, she pushed her cart toward them.
“Hi,” she said, her voice bright.
Ryan’s smile widened. “Hey. Amelia!”
She nodded, pleased that he remembered. “What are you doing here? Didn't figure you for the type to grocery shop.”
“Really? Then what type did you figure me to be?” he asked with a raised brow.
Amelia shrugged. “I don't know. I guess I figured you out wrongly.”
Ryan chuckled softly. “This is my brother, Melvin,” Ryan said, gesturing beside him.
Melvin grinned. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Amelia replied easily.
The moment felt… nice. Unexpected, but nice. Like running into an old friend instead of a best friend’s husband's friend.
“What are the odds?” Ryan said lightly. “Same store.”
“I know, right?” Amelia laughed. “I almost didn’t come.”
Melvin glanced between them, clearly amused. “How do you two know each other?”
“She’s Rebecca’best friend. Derek's wife. We met at the wedding but got really acquainted last week,” Ryan said. “At a club.”
Melvin’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”
Amelia chuckled. “Not like that.”
Ryan smiled faintly. “I helped her out of an uncomfortable situation.”
Melvin looked impressed. “That explains it.”
“So, are you still getting stuffs or you're done?” Amelia asked, hoping it wouldn't be the latter.
“We’re done here,” Ryan said immediately.
Melvin nodded. “Yeah. We were heading out.”
“Oh,” Amelia said quickly. “I still need to get a few things.”
“That’s not a problem. You can meet us outside once you're done. I'll be waiting,” Ryan said with an easy shrug.
“Are you sure about that?” she asked uncertainly.
Ryan nodded. “Of course.”
She hesitated, then smiled. “Alright. I’ll meet you guys outside.”
Ryan returned the smile. “Sure.”
She watched them walk away, her chest warm, her steps lighter as she continued shopping. She felt oddly excited, like she was meeting someone she actually wanted to see.
Amelia exited the store, grocery bag in hand, scanning the area. Not long, she spotted them near Ryan’s car and her heart lifted.
She walked toward them, unaware that her name was already being spoken.
“Do you like her?” Melvin’s voice was casual, curious.
Ryan scoffed lightly. “What?”
“You heard me,” Melvin said. “You two seemed comfortable. I thought maybe you were interested.”
Ryan leaned against his car. “What? No!”
Melvin frowned slightly. “Why not?”
Ryan shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s just… not my type.”
The words landed like a slap. Amelia stopped mid-step and her breath caught.
Melvin tilted his head. “Not your type how?”
Ryan didn’t hesitate. “You know what I mean. She’s not attractive enough. I'm not sure I'd want her even if she is the last woman on earth.”
“Wait, what? Why? Did she do something for you to hate her that much?” Melvin asked, wrinkling his nose.
“Hate? I honestly don't hate her. I just don't like her enough to want anything romantic with her,” Ryan said oblivious to the fact that Amelia was standing there.
The world seemed to tilt as Amelia stood there, listening to them.
Amelia’s fingers tightened around the grocery bag until the plastic bit into her skin. Her heart dropped painfully into he
r stomach, then shattered into a thousand pieces.
For a split second, she wanted to turn around and leave. To pretend she hadn’t heard anything at all. She wanted to just leave anddt this all pass like it didn't happen at all. To save herself the humiliation but then, she just couldn't.
Her anger surged, hot, sharp, and overwhelming. She stepped forward, already thinking of everything she can say to him to hurt back his ego.
There was absolutely no way she was going to take this insult and let it slide. If he thought he was some overly handsome dude hence the reason he looked down in her, then she'd let him know she could throw him in the toilet and forget about him.