The restaurant is almost entirely empty, which brings relief to my legs and hands. There's only one person seated at the table by the window, their natural red hair cascading lazily over their shoulders. Elbow propped, they gaze at the landscape outside, now dressed in darkness, occasionally glancing at me with their brown eyes and sipping their coffee. Closing time is near; they know this as well. I make myself a tea, my shoes clicking on the hardwood floor as I approach. I close the distance between us and sit across from them.

  “When will you finish?” my friend asks. She's impatient, biting her lips, her gaze tired already.

  “Elizabeth, you know exactly when I'll finish.” I say, taking a sip from my cup. It's too sweet. “ Thankfully, I won't stay long, I passed the closing shift to someone else, but I still need to be here.”

  “It's seven on a Saturday evening, get a new job and start living!” she runs her fingers through her hair. I roll my eyes at the whole idea. She knows very well that I make good money, don't overwork myself, and still have a life. “You said you wanted to talk to me about something, but I have a feeling you'll be too tired to have a proper conversation.”

  “It's about Mark, you know... He's been acting strange these past few days.”

  “Strange, how?”

  “He hasn't replied to my messages for three days, and I haven't seen him in a week.”

  “Does he still go to practice?”

  “He said he didn't want to be exhausted from friendly matches... that's why he's not coming.”

  “That's weird…” her face contorts slightly. She automatically switches our cups, maybe because coffee offers more help in situations like these than tea. “Did something happen in the past few days?”

  “Maybe I offended him at the pub last time... I asked him not to call me by my nickname in front of other guys.”

  “Okay, you're weird too. Since when do you care about what others think?” her freckled face contorts again into a grimace. I don't answer her question. Why? I don't really know the answer.

  I don't understand why I care about other people's opinions either, but at that moment, I felt uncomfortable, like I wasn't measuring up, not to myself or anyone else. Mark was kind to me as usual, but Dante... I don't even know why Dante behaved that way. Yet, as soon as I embarrassed Mark, Dante seemed to light up. I sigh at the thought and take another sip from the lipstick-stained cup. Elizabeth just smiles at me wearily.

  “It's like you've been replaced a few weeks ago. You're much quieter.”

  “That's not true!” I slap the table. “I just don't talk about pointless things, not that I ever did.”

  “Well, now you're focusing on pointless things, and that means you're talking even less.”

  “Strange theory.” I feel uncomfortable again, even though the guys aren't here.

  They're just buzzing around in my thoughts. I'm not caught between two fires, at least, it wouldn't look like that. Maybe Mark was afraid of his circle of friends, which is ridiculous no matter how you look at it. But Dante didn't meet Mark like that. Dante's jealousy is unfounded, and Mark's especially so!

  I shake my head. I'm coming up with strange theories myself. Elizabeth finishes her tea, her eyes still scanning my face. It bothers me how intensely she rests her gaze on me, so I gulp down my coffee and take the cups away to prevent her from reading me any further, as if I were an open book. I set the cups in the sink and look at my colleague with an awkward smile. Her eyes sparkle, but with a gentle smile, she nods toward the locker room.

  “Could you make two coffees to go?”

  “Of course, go ahead.”

  I'd like to thank her for her kindness, though tomorrow I've taken the closing shift for her date. As soon as I asked for a favor, she reciprocated. Entering the women's locker room, I take stock of the empty space. The somber mood is amplified by the darkness outside, and the silence in the café doesn't help either. Life outside isn't bustling much either. Doubts creep in, am I feeling this way because Mark is absent? After all, he's not waiting for me in the parking lot, and everything feels lonely and worthless without him. As I change my blouse for a black tank top, an image of William pops into my mind. He's standing by the basketball hoop, asking if I've been getting to know any new guys.

  His question surprised me, but I answered honestly: No, I haven't. I only keep in touch with my family, Elizabeth, and them.

  His question caught me so off guard that I dropped the ball, which he swiftly caught, scoring a point in a game where we weren't even keeping score.

  It came out of nowhere. We never really pried into each other's love lives, mostly because neither of us had one, and if we did, the first thing we'd do would be to tell the other. He didn't press the subject any further, as if it had been a weak attempt to gather information, something I still don't understand, even now. As I fumble with my jeans button, I realize what I'm doing and quickly button up, putting on my shoes and gray zip-up hoodie. I sling my bag over my shoulder and exit the locker room.

  Elizabeth is already waiting with two plastic cups in hand, which means she paid for them.

  “Is that James' hoodie?”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “I can smell his scent from here.”

  “Ha.... You got it. Yes, he gave it to me a few days ago. He lent it to me a week ago, but when I tried to give it back, he told me to keep it.”

  “ You've got such sweet friends…” her deep sigh conveys sadness. I take one of the cups from her. I wave to my coworker and head toward the door.

  “They're sweet to you too! James and William respect all women; you just don't meet up as often.”

  “Life pulls us in different directions, but I miss them.” she says, holding the door open and letting me go first. The cold air instantly wipes away my fatigue.

  “Actually, I was just thinking about William... He was acting weird last time.”

  “What do you mean?” she starts walking in a random direction, and I follow.

  “He asked about my love life.”

  “He asked about what?!” she widens her eyes and looks at me, immediately bursting into laughter. “Sorry, love? In your life?”

  “Exactly! And he knows there isn't any!” Elizabeth bursts into laughter again at the absurdity, and I shake my head at the situation.

  “Didn't you last kiss James when you were drunk, years ago?”

  “Hey!!” I smack her shoulder, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. “That doesn't count. James didn't even remember it the next day, and I didn't dwell on it.”

  “Well, I remembered... I watched the whole thing.” I can see the memory coming alive in my friend's eyes: the house party, older kids buying alcohol for us, loud music, and a childhood mistake made in the yard.

  That mistake had the name James, and it crashed onto my lips. Back then, everyone made it seem like a huge deal, but really, a drunken kiss as a teenager... People make bigger mistakes. The best part was that we didn't even need to talk about it: he completely forgot, so I didn't give it any significance either. The summer breeze blew away any trace of his lips from mine, as if it had never happened.

  “The point is William, not James.”

  “Right, so what did you say to him?”

  “Nothing! Do I look like I have any plans?”

  “And what did he say?”

  “He jogged over to James with a ball in hand and started teasing him.”

  “That sounds like he might have passed the information on to James”.

  “Oh, come on…” I sip my coffee. “That's the most ridiculous thing you've come up with.”

  “Alright, let's hear your theory, Nina.” she shrugs and takes a big gulp of her drink. I sigh at the idea. Do I really need to come up with an explanation for a simple question?

  “William... He's nuts! Crazy! What more do you need? His brain just doesn't work right!”

  Elizabeth sinks deep into thought, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for all this. By the time we reach the park, it's like a lightbulb goes off above her head.

  “What if this has something to do with Mark?”

  “I'm listening, Watson.”

  “The theory's not fully baked yet, Holmes. Give me a moment.”

  I sigh and sit down on one of the benches, placing my cup beside me while I zip up my hoodie. As I breathe in James's scent, I drift into my own thoughts. The idea that James has anything to do with this seems... unbelievable. He's always minding his own business, and his response to everything is usually just a shrug. William, on the other hand, likes to poke his nose into other people's business, but why would he want information about my life like this? And if Mark's disappearance is somehow related, how?

  “Maybe if Mark…”

  “Mark and I love each other like siblings. Besides... he could just ask me directly, but he doesn't. It feels like everyone's tiptoeing around, but no one actually does anything. Do I burn people just by being near them, or what?”

  “Then I have no idea. Maybe Mark really is on his monthly cycle and just disappeared. Or maybe he's still not over you rejecting him.”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “That was five years ago! He's dated other girls since then… It's possible that still plays a role, but I wouldn't be surprised if both options are true.” I giggle, taking the cup in my hand again. The liquid inside is starting to get colder.

  “Look, men... Let's not try to understand them. If they try to understand us, it usually just leads to headaches. But it's also possible that we're not making progress here because of the music.”

  “Music?” I direct my eyes toward her, and she nods toward the other side of the park. Someone's playing music from their car in the parking lot. “This music is awful, it's killing my ears.”

  “Right? William has taste like that.”

  “And Mark has a car like that…”

  “Their memories are haunting us.” I nod exaggeratedly before sipping my coffee.

  The realization that it's actually them almost makes us spit out our drinks. I stand up from the bench to get a better view of the parking lot, and after taking a couple of steps closer, I hear William's signature shout. It's faint but sharp, and I respond similarly, signaling that, yes, it's me. He laughs loudly and gestures with his head for us to join them at the car.

  “This method is unbelievable. A random shout just to confirm you've spotted each other.

  “It works! Worst case, we just embarrass ourselves in front of a crowd.” Elizabeth shakes her head in disbelief, and we start walking toward the parking lot together.

  Up close, it's obvious that it's Mark's unmistakable stance and William's figure in the darkness. I feel a bit guilty for not recognizing them right away, but they didn't make it easy. Mark stole William's hat and looks quite odd wearing it, it clashes with his usual clean-cut style and personality. It makes him unrecognizable. On the other hand, the guy next to him, who's usually loaded with extras, is now wearing a simple tracksuit and leaning against the car, as if I'm not even seeing them.

  “You both look terrible.” My friend greets them in her own way. William glances over himself, while Mark just snorts.

  “You always look terrible, Eliz.”

  “Now he's picking a fight!” she grabs my shoulder with her free hand, signaling with her eyes for me to reprimand Mark.

  “We've only been here for two seconds, don't kill each other.”

  “Oh, come on, Elizabeth is like a sister to me…”

  “Oh, Mark…”

  “I never wanted a sister.” Mark clarifies, and the smile fades from Elizabeth's face.

  “If your oil tank runs dry tonight, know it was me!”

  “This is a comedy show…” William finally chimes in, greeting me with a hug.

  “It's probably a mistake to let them go at each other.” I say as I embrace him briefly before turning to face Mark. He looks at me but quickly shifts his gaze away.

  “Maybe… That's why we should head home, right, Elizabeth?”

  “No... or wait, what?” she scans us, suddenly catching on and turning to William. “But... but yes! Let's go home! Will you walk me?”

  “Of course.” William smiles, taking the hat off Mark's head and with a meaningful glance, he grabs my friend's wrist, offering a curt wave as they head off, leaving Mark and me alone.

  “Text me later!” my friend calls out, and I immediately feel awkward. Why is this so uncomfortable? Mark still won't meet my eyes; the asphalt seems to hold more interest for him.

  “What are you drinking?”

  “Do you want me to throw it at you?”

  “No, that won't be necessary.” The silence returns, but not for long. As a cold breeze causes me to shiver, Mark quickly lifts his eyes at my reaction to the chill. Like a gentleman, he surveys the situation and, before he can ask something stupid, he opens the passenger door for me. “It's warmer inside.”

  “Hmph…” I toss my hair back with my nose in the air. He laughs at my childish pouting but seems even happier when I sit in my usual seat. “Who messed with my seat?!”

  “William.” he answers as he gets in beside me. My first task is to adjust everything back to normal.

  “I'm going to hit him! He can sit in the back. I've had this seat claimed ever since you first got your license.”

  “But you weren't here, Nina.”

  “I wonder whose fault that is that I wasn't here?” my sharp comment earns only a sigh, and he tilts his head back. That's all I need to say.

  “I just needed some time to myself.”

  “With William.”

  “Are you jealous now?”

  “Just disappointed.” I placed the cup in the holder. I'm about to pull my hand back into my lap, but he grabs it.

  “I'm sorry!”

  “Eat your apology! You completely disappeared from my life overnight!” I yank my hand out of his grip and fold my arms across my chest, staring out the window. The parking lot hasn't changed in the last two minutes, but I'd rather look at that than at Mark sitting next to me. He doesn't even realize how confusing he made things by ignoring me for days.

  He didn't say anything: I didn't even give him a reason:he just vanished from my life. I'm angry and upset. While I was worrying about our friendship, he was out hanging with the guys.

  “So... how have you been?”

  “Feeling left out!” my emotions burst from my lips before I can stop them. I'm surprised by it, so is Mark, judging by his huge eyes and parted lips. I clamp my mouth shut, embarrassed by my own outburst. My friend studies me for a moment, then bursts into laughter, a smile spreading across his face.

  “Very funny, ha-ha.”

  “No… It's not!” he continues to laugh, and my face turns a deeper shade of red. I'm not just blushing, I'm burning up. “You're so adorable! Ah, come here!” he pulls me into a sudden embrace.

  Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to escape from his muscular arms. His hug is calming after all this time, even if I'm smiling awkwardly at my own foolishness.

  But this won't soften me up!

  “It won't happen again, okay?” his gentle kiss lands on my hair, which doesn't surprise me, though this hug... It feels like he's going to crush me.

  “You're still twice my size, Mark!” I remind him loudly. The handbrake is slowly becoming a permanent fixture in my ribs if I don't get free soon. I don't have to tell him twice, he releases me, and I curl back into my seat. “Aren't you going to give me an explanation?”

  “I really just needed some time to shut myself away. William kept calling and dragging me out, even now, you know… like he used to with you.” His story doesn't quite add up, but I believe him. I have no reason to doubt his words.

  “As a peace offering… Will you come to Vernon with me? Derek has some dumb thing going on and wants me there when he announces it, actually, he wants us there. I didn't really know how to approach you after all these days, how to tell you… I planned to come pick you up, but William completely distracted me.”

  “Are you trying to make me jealous?” I take a deep breath. Here we go again with William.

  “No, no! Of course not!”

  “I'd love to go with you... But if I hear again that I was neglected because of William, I... I'll…”

  “You'll what?”

  “I'll throw a tantrum!”

  “Aww, my little drama queen!”

  “Says the drama king.” I buckle my seatbelt, noticing Mark doing the same. He quickly sends a message on his phone, probably to let the others know we're on our way. I don't even have time to turn on the radio before Mark backs out of the parking spot so fast that I sink into my seat.

  “Put on some weight, and you won't have this problem anymore.”

  “Then I'll be rolling across the basketball court, huh?” he doesn't reply, just chuckles, and heads toward Vernon. For once, I don't turn on the music at this hour, the radio plays decent songs, so I just sit back and enjoy my friend's company.

  The peaceful mood is interrupted by Mark's silly game: he places my hand on the gearshift, then grips it and pretends to rev the car's engine, making race car noises with his mouth. Laughing, I turn my head away, this guy is unbelievably childish!

  “Stop it! Focus on the road!” I try to pull my hand away, but his strong grip makes it impossible to do it as I planned. We accidentally shift down a gear, causing the engine to start making a strange humming noise. In full panic, he pushes my hand away and tries to fix the situation, but the hum turns into an ugly crackling sound. He plays with the gear shift and speed for a bit, and soon everything goes back to how it should be.

  “Let's not do that again.”

  “Whose fault was that?” I ask, shocked. He just sighs.

  “Both of ours.”

  Mark stops his childish behavior and focuses fully on the road, while I don't even dare to move after what just happened. My heart is pounding in my throat, and my body feels heated from the adrenaline. I unzip my jacket slightly and roll down the window a bit. I can't ignore how Mark glances at me from time to time, alternating between looking at the road and me.

  “Eyes on the road, not on me.”

  “Got it, sorry.”

  I stop looking at Mark. In a few minutes, we'll be in Vernon and enter the pub, where I'll see familiar faces again after a week. I'm not sure how many of us will be there; Derek probably has news he doesn't just want to share with the six of us, so I have to prepare for a crowd. My suspicions are confirmed. The usually quiet and cozy pub terrace is full of people, tables pushed together with lots of empty glasses. Christopher recognizes the car from afar, jumps up from his seat, and rushes inside. Only after we got out of the vehicle did I realize he went in to order some alcohol for the group.

  “Finally!” Derek stands up from his seat, shakes hands with Mark, and pulls me into a hug. When did we become this close? I'm shocked by his friendly behavior, but I don't mind it, and I greet him the same way.

  “Sorry for being late.”

  “No worries, bro, I drank for you too!” that's probably true, judging by the empty glasses that suggest no one's thirsty anymore. I'm not sure if I should introduce myself to everyone; I rarely feel this tense and uncertain.

  “Nina, over here.” Dante's familiar voice reaches my ears. He gestures with his head to the empty chair next to him, which seems to be waiting just for me, at least that's what I gather from his look.

  “Thank you.” I smile at him, and the next surprise comes quickly: he pushes a cocktail glass in front of me. “Thanks for this too.”

  “I've got your back while Mark takes care of the formalities.”

  The curve of his smile touches me. It touches me without him actually doing so! This man is killing me, and I don't even remember his full name!

  “And thank you for that as well.” I instinctively run my hand over his shoulder. Only when it's done do I realize I've made a mistake. I spend too much time with my own circle of friends and forgot to take into account that I haven't known Dante for years. His eyes briefly wander to my hand, but soon he makes eye contact with me again. I pull my hand back and use it instead to bring the drink to my lips and take a big sip of the alcohol. “What is this?”

  “Sex on the Beach.” he speaks awkwardly, stammering a bit.

  “It's very good, and strong,” I add quietly. “Can I pay for the next one?”

  “No way, I invited you.”

  “Before I even got here..”.

  “Exactly! I didn't let you protest for a second.” he winks, and I quickly turn my head away. I don't understand why he has this effect on me. I smile like an idiot, and I even manage to choke on my drink.

  “What are you two talking about?” Mark sits next to me, someone seems to have found him a chair as well.

  “Just drinks.” Dante lifts his glass for a moment, and I do the same. “Here's to you, Derek!”

  “Why is that?” my friend asks, smiling as he turns to the guys, but for some reason, I don't dare look in their direction. There are just too many people.

  “Derek managed to buy a house with his parents' help.” hearing the unknown person's voice gives me the strength to look at the guys, quickly scanning them until I settle my gaze on Derek. He pats his own shoulder.

  “Well, good job, bro, congrats!” Mark jumps up from beside me, knowing that congratulations from afar doesn't mean much.

  “Here's to you, Derek!” I smile at him as I raise my glass again. There are four people between us, and I don't dare move closer. Mark is overjoyed, thrilled to see his old friends. He's completely forgotten about me, though I can't say the same for Dante. He watches every move I make, and although his glances are quick, I feel his steel-blue eyes on me.

  He stays quiet while the others make noise around us, adjusting his black hair, sipping from his glass, and eventually pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. My eyes widen when I see the pack. No matter how I examine it, it's definitely cigarettes.

  “You smoke?”

  “Rarely, but I could use one now. Want one?”

  “Yes… I think so.” I take one from the pack, but he takes it from me and places it between his lips.

  He lights it, takes a few puffs, then hands it to me. Using my index and middle fingers, I take it from him, but I can't shake the feeling that Dante is watching as I place it between my lips, like this indirect kiss means the world to him. I feel strange, very strange, and for some reason, it means a lot to me too.