Lucian sat in a cozy corner of a bustling restaurant, nursing his coffee as Garry and Jimmy sat across from him. The table was a mess of coffee mugs, napkins, and untouched pastries, but the lively chatter of the surrounding crowd barely registered to him.
Jimmy stirred his coffee lazily, a smug grin plastered across his face. “So, you skipped college again today, huh?” he asked, his tone dripping with mock curiosity.
Lucian glanced up, his face impassive. “Why the hell are you grinning like that? It’s unnerving,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes at Jimmy.
Garry chuckled from the other side, leaning back in his chair. “Oh, come on, Lucy. Jimmy’s just trying to figure out how your always go to college then return before even attending any lecture. is it about Avey again… whatever this is.”
Lucian’s eyes flashed, and he leaned forward, jabbing a finger at Garry. “First of all, don’t say her name imm not in the mood. And second, shut up before I”
“Before you what? Take your frustration out on us instead of her?” Garry shot back with a sly grin, his tone teasing but his eyes sharp.
Lucian groaned, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples. He had barely made it through the gates of college that morning before turning right back around and calling his two so-called friends for coffee. He still hadn’t had any all morning, and his head throbbed like a drum.
“Alright, alright. So what did happen?” Jimmy pressed, sipping his coffee and raising a brow. “Don’t think we didn’t notice you called us out here to avoid something or someone.”
Lucian shook his head, lips pressed tightly together. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened,” he lied, staring into his coffee like it held the answers to the universe.
Jimmy exchanged a knowing look with Garry, who smirked. “Sure, nothing happened. Because you’re clearly sitting here, sulking like your private files got hacked,” Garry teased.
“Garry…” Lucian’s tone dropped dangerously low, warning in his voice. “Don’t push me.”
Jimmy, ignoring the tension, leaned closer, his grin widening. “So, this wouldn’t happen to be about Avey, would it?”
Before Lucian could snap, Garry chimed in, “Oh yeah, you told me about her. The girl you used to chase after like she was the last slice of pizza on Earth.”
Jimmy snorted, but Lucian didn’t find it funny. His fingers twitched around his coffee mug, his patience wearing thin. “Garry,” he said, his voice tight, “if you value your life, you’ll stop talking.”
Jimmy, ever the instigator, smirked. “Avey, huh? What did she do this time? Or, more accurately, what did you do?”
Lucian slammed his coffee mug down, the noise causing nearby diners to glance their way. “I said leave it,” he growled, his jaw clenched. “I’m not in the mood to talk about her.”
But Garry wasn’t one to back down easily. “Alright, fine. If you won’t talk about Avey, let’s talk about something else. Like oh, I don’t know your love life in general.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow, shooting Garry a withering glare. “What love life?”
Garry shrugged nonchalantly. “Exactly. That’s why I’m offering to set you up. I know plenty of girls who’d be perfect for you.”
Lucian nearly choked on his coffee, coughing violently as Jimmy burst into laughter. “Say that again?” Lucian sputtered, his face a mix of disbelief and irritation.
“You heard me,” Garry said, grinning mischievously. “I can hook you up with someone amazing. Just say the word.”
Lucian facepalmed, groaning. “You two don’t even have girlfriends yourselves, and you’re here acting like matchmaking experts. Hypocrites, both of you.”
Jimmy smirked, leaning forward. “Hey, that’s not the point. We’re trying to help you, buddy. We’re selfless like that.”
Lucian glared at him, shaking his head. “Right. Selfless. Sure.” He took another sip of his coffee, trying to ignore their antics.
Garry puffed out his chest dramatically. “I’m serious, man. I’ve got great instincts when it comes to this stuff.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, really? Then where’s your girlfriend, genius?”
Garry froze, his finger mid-air trembeled as if pointing at Lucian. His face turned an awkward shade of red. “I uh well…”
Jimmy, unable to contain himself, clapped a hand on Garry’s shoulder. “There, there, buddy. You tried,” he said, his voice mock-sympathetic.
Garry swatted Jimmy’s hand away, muttering, “Traitor.”
Lucian chuckled despite himself, shaking his head at their antics. For a moment, the weight on his chest seemed a little lighter. “You two are ridiculous,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Jimmy leaned back, smirking. “And you, my friend, are hopeless.”
“Hopelessly handsome,” Garry added, grinning.
Lucian rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t deny that for the first time that day, he felt a little more like himself. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
The sound of clicking heels reverberated through the hallway, drawing everyone’s attention as a striking woman approached with an air of undeniable authority and allure. Her sleek black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her piercing black eyes glinted with a dangerously sharp intensity. She wore a form-fitting black top that highlighted her elegance and poise, her alabaster skin glowing faintly under the hallway lights. Her confident demeanor exuded an unmistakable chill, making everyone in her vicinity feel as though they were in the presence of someone both stunning and formidable.
“Hey, boys,” she began, her smooth and commanding voice slicing through the low hum of chatter. “Would you mind giving me some time alone with this guy over here? We’ve got… personal old matters to discuss.” She gestured casually in Lucian’s direction, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.
Garry and Jimmy, who were lounging casually at their table, froze mid-conversation.
Garry and Jimmy looked up, their eyes drawn to a dangerously beautiful and sexy woman standing nearby, her gaze fixed on Lucian.
“Uh…” Garry stammered, his brows furrowing as he glanced between the woman and Lucian. Meanwhile, Lucian, who had been sipping on his coffee moments ago, now sat paralyzed. His jaw slackened, his eyes locked on the woman’s face as if he had just seen a ghost. His usually composed demeanor crumbled into a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Jimmy, ever the opportunist, noticed Lucian’s unusual reaction and decided to capitalize on the situation. He leaped to his feet so quickly that his chair screeched and wobbled precariously before tipping over with a clatter. “Yes! Yes, miss! Absolutely! Please, take your time,” he blurted out, plastering on a wide grin as though trying to score points with the mysterious woman.
“Jimmy, what the hell are you doing?” Garry hissed under his breath, but before he could protest further, Jimmy grabbed his collar and yanked him out of his chair with surprising force.
“Come on, man, let them talk,” Jimmy whispered harshly, ignoring Garry’s attempts to resist. The movement caused Garry’s chair to fall over, hitting the floor with another loud thud.
“Ow! Be gentle, will you?” Garry groaned, stumbling slightly as Jimmy tugged him toward the exit.
Jimmy paused only long enough to right Garry’s chair, brushing it off with exaggerated care as though trying to maintain some semblance of decorum. He then turned back to the woman, gave her a mock bow, and said, “All yours, miss. Take good care of him.” His grin widened as he gestured dramatically toward Lucian, who remained frozen in place.
Without waiting for a response, Jimmy clamped a firm grip on Garry’s arm and practically dragged him away, muttering, “Let’s not be idiots about this.
As the two disappeared around the corner, the hallway fell into an awkward silence. Lucian, still seated, finally snapped out of his daze but avoided meeting the woman’s gaze. He inhaled deeply, trying to steady his nerves, but the weight of her presence bore down on him like a storm cloud.
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