The late afternoon light spilled across the hood of Matteo's car as he drove, one hand loose on the wheel, the other tapping lightly against the leather in an absent rhythm.
The city was still humming—horns blaring, distant chatter, the occasional bark of a street vendor selling newspapers or roasted chestnuts.
He barely noticed any of it, his mind elsewhere.
His thoughts kept circling back to Felix.
He reached for his phone and hit call, the device balanced against his thigh.
It rang twice before Felix picked up, a little breathless. "Hey. I'm still in class."
Matteo's lips curved slightly. "Still? Thought you'd be done by now."
"Professor decided to add an extra discussion," Felix said, voice low, clearly trying not to disturb others. "Said it's important for the final project. You know how it's."
"Of course he did," Matteo muttered, switching lanes smoothly, navigating through late afternoon traffic. "You've been in that building since morning."
