THIRD PERSON POV
Maxie stepped out of the restaurant after Marcus slipped out unnoticed, his silence speaking volumes, he did not seem to be interested in all their conversations at all. Maxie followed him out, concern evident on her face. "Marcus, hey, are you okay?" she asked, touching his arm.
Marcus nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed some air."
Maxie nodded understandingly, but before she could say anything else, Marcus said "I think I'll have to leave, tell Sharon I'm happy for her "
Maxie nodded and he left
Maxie watched him go, a mix of emotions swirling inside her, she knew her brother was a player but he liked Sharon. She turned to go back into the restaurant, but as she reached the door, she collided with a familiar figure.
The stranger from the coffee shop, smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Ah, hey there, It's nice to meet you again."
Maxie's face flushed, but she couldn't avoid him this time. He held her back, his grip gentle but firm. "I'm Tory," he said, extending his hand.
Maxie smiled awkwardly, taking his hand. "Maxie," she replied, feeling a jolt of electricity as their palms touched.
Tory's eyes sparkled. "Maxie, I like it. May I have your contact, Maxie?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.
Maxie hesitated, unsure if she should give it to him. But something about Tory's charming smile put her at ease, and she reluctantly rattled off her phone number.
Tory's face lit up as he saved her number. "Great, I'll catch up with you soon, Maxie," he said, tucking his phone away.
As they stood there, the air around them seemed to vibrate with tension. Maxie felt a flutter in her chest, she wasn't going to be decieved by good looks anymore.
"So, Maxie, what brings you here tonight?" Tory asked, breaking the silence.
Maxie shrugged. "Just celebrating a friend's new job. How about you?"
Tory's eyes gleamed. "Just grabbing dinner with family and I'm an outcast, been avoiding the table. But I'm glad I ran into you again."
Maxie raised an eyebrow, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh? Why's that?"
Tory leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I feel like we have a connection, Maxie. Don't you?"
Maxie's face flushed, but she couldn't deny the spark between them. "I...I don't know," she stammered, feeling like a teenager.
Tory chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, I'll have to change that, then."
As they stood there, they chatted until they got lost in their conversation
"So, Maxie, what do you do?" Tory asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Maxie smiled awkwardly . "You don't need to know that sire?"
"Sire?" He chuckled
Maxie didn't reply after a while, Tory's eyes lit up. "I'm a writer. I've always been fascinated.
Maxie's interest was piqued. "What kind of writing do you do?"
Tory's face lit up. "Fiction, mostly. I'm working on a novel right now."
Maxie's eyes widened. "No way! I'd love to read it sometime."
Tory smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'd love for you to read it, Maxie. Maybe we can discuss it over coffee sometime?"
Maxie nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "I'd like that."
Tory's eyes sparkled, and he nodded, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "Great. I'll catch up with you soon, then."
Maxie walked back inside the restaurant, her eyes scanning the place as she approached. As she drew closer, she noticed Mrs Langley, chatting with Zion from a corner. She stopped short, observing from a distance, surprised.
As she watched, she saw Zion laughing and smiling with Mrs. Camilla Langley, exchanging pleasantries like old friends. Maxie's eyes widened in surprise, wondering how Zion knew Ace's stepmother.
The conversation seemed to be flowing easily, with Zion and Mrs. Langley discussing something in hushed tones. Mr. Victor Langley stood tall, his eyes scanning the restaurant, while Ace looked uncomfortable, Diana locking her hands in his, his eyes darting between the table where Sharon was sitting and back to Zion.
Maxie took a deep breath, trying to process the unexpected encounter. She didn't want to interrupt, but she also didn't want to leave the others hanging.
As she hesitated, Sharon noticed her standing there and waved her over. "Maxieee, come join us!" she said, smiling.
Maxie shook her head, mouthing
"I'll join you guys now" to Sharon, before turning and walking away, not wanting to get caught up in the awkward encounter.
She slipped back into the restaurant, joining Sharon and the others at their table, trying to shake off the unease she felt. "Hey, what's up?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
Sharon raised an eyebrow, noticing Maxie's expression. "Everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Maxie forced a laugh, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... Saw Marcus out."
As Zion returned to the table, Tia, Gabriel, and Beatrice decided it was time to call it a night. "We should get going," Tia said, stifling a yawn. "Thanks for the dinner, Zion. It was great catching up!"
The others nodded in agreement, and they all began to gather their belongings. Sharon hugged Tia and Gabriel goodbye, while Maxie said her goodbyes to Beatrice.
As they filed out of the restaurant, Zion turned to Maxie and Sharon. "I'll drop you guys home," he said, leading the way to his car.
As they walked out of the restaurant, Maxie couldn't help but think about her encounter with Tory earlier that evening.
Zion's car was parked nearby, and they all climbed in, chatting and laughing as they buckled up. Zion started the engine, and they set off into the night, the city lights twinkling outside their windows.
The ride was quiet, with only the occasional murmur of conversation breaking the silence. Maxie leaned her head against the window, feeling the hum of the engine lull her into a state of relaxation.
As they approached Sharon's apartment, Maxie leaned forward... "Thanks for the ride, Zion!"
As they pulled up to the curb, Sharon yawned, stretching her arms over her head. "Thanks for the ride, Zion. I'm beat."
Maxie nodded, smiling at her friend. "Yeah, it's been a long day. Thanks, Zion."
Zion grinned, waving goodbye as they climbed out of the car. "No problem, guys. Get some rest."
Maxie wasn't clear and in order to avoid overthinking the whole situation she called Zion back after Sharon went inside
"Is there a problem, Maxie... Is it Sharon? Zion asked concerned
"I just wanted to ask, how do you know Mrs Langley?"
Zion's expression changed, with a frown appearing on his face after hearing the question...