Androphobia

vii. hot chocolate

Dope Lovers - DPR IAN

THEA'S POV:

"We need to talk."

I gulped. It was a struggle to even keep eye contact with Synn when it looked like he were about to murder me, so I lowered my gaze.

"Um, I-I don't think we have anything to-"

"I'd be very careful with what you say right now, Thea."

Peering up at him through my lashes, my hands tightened around each other. Although it appeared like a statement, I knew better. It was nothing less than a threat.

"Come with me."

He used his hand to beckon me towards him. The action made me flush even more than the radiator behind me. A small part of me - a very stupid part of me - was inclined to listen to him, but the majority battered that desire senseless and told me not to set foot near him. I licked my lips and, using every bit of confidence I had, I said, "It's not my break yet."

Narrowing his eyes, I almost flinched at the ominous look he gave me. I held my breath when he leaned closer and set his hands on the counter. His silver rings reflected the lights above.

"Are you trying to find an excuse?" he asked quietly.

His husky voice rang deep within my veins.

Trembling, I shook my head.

For a moment, he continued staring, but then it was as if a lever was yanked down inside him. He noted my posture, the people queuing behind him, the fear in my eyes... and he moved away.

My shoulders visibly relaxed. Synn fixed one of his cufflinks whilst maintaining eye contact with me, his pupils piercing through my being. "When does your shift end?" he said.

"In two-two hours."

He nodded. "I'll be back in two hours then."

With that, he paced over to the door and pulled it open. I watched him with wide eyes as he turned left and disappeared onto the street, now out of sight. I released a tremulous breath. One of my knees almost buckled but I managed to grasp onto the edge of the counter. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I couldn't believe such intensity could emanate from a person. But what I couldn't believe most... was how much more beautiful Synn looked since the last time I saw him.

Shakily, I looked back at the counter and found some mugs that a customer had set down. I didn't even have time to mull over my emotions. I was at work.

I moved a few strands from my face and cleared my throat before offering the woman behind the till a smile. Focus, Thea. Surely, surely the man wouldn't come back to the shop. He had much better things to do, surely. Even though I was scanning and typing numbers onto the monitor, my thoughts were elsewhere.

I continued to perform the same motion whilst watching the clock intently. Thin, black hands danced across the clock's face as if taunting me, sometimes moving slower and sometimes faster, and I felt the same thing in my chest; it moved from crescendo to diminuendo, staccato to legato, the clock and my organs prancing in unison. I could hardly handle the suspense. Synn wouldn't come. He couldn't possibly. I had promised Mama I would never see him again!

Time moved by like an age but the next time I looked at the clock, I only had twenty minutes left of my allotted hours. Nervously, I chewed at my lips. My eyes darted around.

"Judith?"

She turned to me from one of the displays. "Yes, dear?"

I wrung my fingers before glancing at the door behind me. "Um... I was just gonna ask if I could leave a teensy bit early?" I asked softly. "I'm really sorry, I really don't want to but I need to do something at- at home."