The Players' Game

Part 7 || Coffee Shop Madness ||

OMO guys, we're almost at 1K reads GYAHHH

Song : Enemy Fire - Bea Miller

"I don't think this is a good idea," I told him after recovering from the shock of muscle collision. I had nothing against him or his request. The fact that my free period had just ended and Advanced Mathematics class had started 5 minutes ago didn't bother me the slightest.

It was those eyes of his, ones too kind for my liking... for my worth. I wasn't used to dealing with people like him, kindness oozing out of his very pores. Back in Roche, people kept their heads down, in Valentine, people sought to exploit you. Either way, I grew up in environments where one wrong move could cost you your social standings.

"Control your emotions, people like them don't deserve kindness." he told me, green eyes flashing. "Stop showing weakness. God, why are you so fragile?"

Shaking the memory off, I steeled myself. I certainly was not a fragile person. Even if I've only interacted with Valerio once, I couldn't help that he made me feel as if kindness does not make you weak.

I clenched my fists, shredding the mental image of my past away from my head, an empty sensation filling my core.

I found it hard to comprehend how I got dragged into the coffee shop, the smell of roasted coffee beans and chatter just beginning to settle in my brain.

Valerio moved about while I sat in the booth, staring after his figure walking around with grace I failed to spot in any other male than him. When he flashed a smile to the male barista, the poor guy blushed.

"I haven't talked to you since the grand tour, Ms President." Valerio set two mugs of coffee down and I couldn't help wrinkling my nose at it. I wasn't a fan of coffee but it was rude to reject someone's treat so I sipped it anyway.

He tilted his head at the action, a twitch at the corner of his plump lips right next to the scar. "I take it you're not a fan? You don't need to force yourself to drink it you know, I swear I won't be butt hurt."

I laughed, shaking my head. "It's fine, I was raised better than to reject someone's goodwill."

"Your parents must've raised you well then," he said, leaning back with melancholy lacing his voice. It was then I remembered the conversation I had with Nicole in the same coffee shop, the words foster parents popping into my head immediately.

He answered my silence with a chuckle. "News travels fast here, I take it?"

Immediately, I looked at my hands, muttering "I'm sorry,"

"Don't be, it was just an unfortunate accident." He had a faraway look in his eyes, a flash of regret coming by so quickly I almost missed it. Almost, but I knew that look, it was a look I sported often a few years ago.

"How long?" I asked softly, taking down the sharpness I usually held in my tone.

"I was with them for 6 years, they were foster parents I ever lived with the longest. I'm living my father's brother now so all is fine. "

Music hummed in the background of the coffee shop, students in their uniforms passing by with recurrent faces of curiosity and brimming gossip on the tip of their tongues. Soon, the quiet café started bustling with chatter and red blazer jackets.

"Geez, what can a girl do to get some privacy around here?" I said in a voice loud enough to make the overflowing students in Valentine jolt. Almost immediately as they came, they soon left scrambling out the door.

I may be raised to be nice but what's the use of power if I didn't use it?

The half grin Valerio flashed made my stomach plummet, immediately I found resemblance to him and another that I despised.

I licked my lips, pondering before I asked, "Do you have a brother?"

Valerio froze, the cup hovering in the air just before reaching his lips. "I do," he replied after a pause and it took his next line to make my whole being go cold.

"He was the previous King of Valentine, Chase Phoenix."

Thank you guys so much for the votes lately and I see a few of y'all adding this to your reading lists, honestly it makes me so happy you don't even understand 

VOTE | COMMENT | FOLLOW

loves, Audrey