The small campus café was buzzing with students, laughter, and the sharp smell of burnt coffee beans.
Ginny practically skipped inside, holding the door open with her hip.
"Come on, slowpokes! My caffeine levels are dangerously low!"
Melissa smiled softly, letting Dayne walk ahead of her. She needed a little space. Her mind was still spinning from the piano room — from the way Dayne had looked at her... and from Alec's sudden appearance.
The three of them grabbed a booth by the window. Ginny immediately launched into a rant about midterms and how unfair it was that art students still had exams.
Dayne laughed, resting his arm casually along the back of the booth — his fingers dangerously close to brushing Melissa's shoulder.
Melissa inched away without making it obvious, feeling her skin tingle where his hand had almost touched.
She was still adjusting to Dayne's easy flirting.
It was different from Alec's overwhelming presence.
Dayne was warm, steady. Alec had been... chaos.
As Ginny and Dayne bickered over who could drink more espresso shots, Melissa's gaze drifted outside.
And there he was again.
Alec.
Leaning against the side of the building, arms crossed, staring straight at her through the window.
Melissa's breath caught. For a second, she wondered if she was imagining it.
But no — Alec didn't move, didn't blink. His gaze was sharp, unreadable.
Ginny followed her line of sight and stiffened slightly.
"Ignore him," Ginny muttered under her breath, her tone dropping an octave.
Melissa blinked. That was new. Ginny, usually friendly to everyone, sounding… annoyed?
Dayne noticed too. "You know him?" he asked Ginny, pretending casual curiosity.
Ginny shrugged exaggeratedly. "Yeah, we're... in the book club. But he's not exactly the 'best friend material' type."
She said it lightly, but there was a new tension under her voice — a spark that hadn't been there before.
Melissa wanted to ask more, but the bell above the door jingled and Alec stepped inside.
It was like the whole room subtly shifted.
Alec ordered something at the counter without looking at them, but Melissa could feel the weight of his presence.
Ginny immediately stood up. "I need to pee," she announced loudly, dragging Dayne with her by the sleeve.
"What the— Ginny!" Dayne protested, but she didn't listen.
Within seconds, Melissa was alone at the table.
And Alec was walking straight toward her.
She pressed her hands against her knees to stop them from shaking.
He stopped a few steps away, hands shoved into his pockets.
"Melissa," he said quietly.
"Can we talk?"
Melissa stared at him, torn between wanting to run and wanting to scream.
"About what?" she asked, voice hoarse.
Alec hesitated — and for the first time, she saw something crack through his confident mask.
Regret. Maybe even guilt.
"I..."
He trailed off, frustrated with himself.
"Just — not here. Please."
Melissa stared at him for a long moment.
The café noise blurred into nothing. It was just him. Her. And a thousand broken memories between them.
Before she could respond, Dayne reappeared, sliding smoothly back into the booth beside her.
"Problem?" he asked Alec, all fake politeness and dangerous undertones.
Alec's jaw clenched. "No."
Dayne smiled — the kind of smile that wasn't friendly at all.
"Good. Because we were having a nice afternoon. Would be a shame to ruin it."
Melissa exhaled, feeling the tension between them spark like flint against steel.
She could feel the weight of both their eyes on her — different, opposite pulls.
And for the first time...
She realized maybe she was standing at the center of something far bigger, far messier, than just a broken heart.