Saturday.
Bad decisions were made.
"Don't move," Luca whispered.
"I'm not moving," I whispered back.
"You're breathing loudly."
"I need oxygen, Luca."
We were sitting at a table—
Hidden.
Or at least trying to be.
Menus held up like shields, covering half our faces like we were in some low-budget spy movie.
The waiter stood there.
Again.
For the fifth time.
"…Are you ready to order now?"
"No," we both said at the same time.
He blinked.
Again.
"…I'll come back."
He left.
Again.
Luca slowly lowered the menu just enough to peek.
I did the same.
And there they were.
Nena.
Jake.
Sitting at another table.
Talking.
Normal.
Too normal.
Jake suddenly glanced back.
Directly.
At us.
I froze.
"…Did he just—"
"Yes," Luca whispered. "He definitely saw us."
Across the room, Jake tilted his head slightly.
"…Do they know I can see them?"
Nena didn't even turn.
"You see no one," she said flatly.
Jake blinked.
"…Okay."
Luca grabbed my hand under the table.
"We need to go."
I shook my head immediately.
"No."
"Ayana—"
"Stay."
"This is illegal behavior."
"Stay," I repeated, squeezing his hand.
"…Please. Little bro."
He froze.
"…Don't call me that."
I smiled sweetly.
He groaned.
"…Fine. I'll stay."
We ducked again.
Menus up.
Eyes peeking.
Dignity gone.
Then—
The door opened.
And she walked in.
Matty.
She was taller than Nena—
Not by much.
But enough to notice.
Confident walk. Shoulders back like she owned every room she stepped into. Long hair pulled into a loose style that moved when she walked, and that smile—
Too sweet.
Too practiced.
The kind that didn't reach her eyes.
She spotted them immediately.
Of course she did.
And walked over.
Slow.
Intentional.
Then sat down.
From our table—
We watched everything.
Every movement.
Every shift.
She started talking.
Soft.
Sweet.
Leaning slightly toward Jake.
Saying something that made him actually listen.
Like really listen.
Not his usual distracted half-attention.
And Nena—
Oh.
Nena was boiling.
I could see it from here.
The slight tightening of her jaw.
The way her fingers tapped once… twice… then stopped.
Dangerous.
Then—
Matty laughed.
Light.
Soft.
And something about that—
Clicked.
I saw it.
Nena straightened slightly.
Like she remembered something.
A plan.
She leaned forward.
Said something.
Matty tilted her head.
"…And who is this?" I could faintly make out.
Nena didn't hesitate.
"I'm Nena."
Simple.
Sharp.
I cleared my throat loudly from across the room.
Subtle.
Very subtle.
Nena's eyes flicked toward us.
I mouthed—
Be calm.
She rolled her eyes.
Then turned back with the sweetest smile I had ever seen her fake.
"Hi. I'm Nena."
Jake blinked.
"…Okay. Weird."
Then—
Jake stood up.
"I'm going to the toilet."
Nena immediately: "Where?"
He blinked.
"…To pee."
"Are you coming?"
"Ew. No. Go."
He shrugged.
And left.
The moment he disappeared—
Everything changed.
Matty's smile dropped.
Just slightly.
Enough.
She leaned forward.
Eyes sharp now.
"So," she said quietly, "you're the one who pushed me."
Nena froze.
Just for a second.
"…You deserved it."
Matty smirked.
"Oh, I know."
Her voice lowered.
Soft.
Almost playful—
But not really.
"I hope you know… I always get what I want."
Nena didn't speak.
Didn't move.
Just—
Stared.
For the first time since I met her—
She looked caught off guard.
Then Matty laughed again.
Light.
Sweet.
Like nothing happened.
And Nena—
Actually gulped.
I gripped the menu tighter.
"…Okay that's creepy."
Luca nodded slowly.
"Very creepy."
Jake came back.
Sat down.
Completely unaware he just walked into tension.
"So—why did you invite me?" he asked.
Matty smiled again.
"Oh, just a school project."
Jake frowned slightly.
"But you're in the same art class as Nena."
She paused.
Just a second.
Jake continued casually,
"I was only in that class for like a month."
"Why?" Matty asked.
He grinned.
"…The art teacher said my 'creative expression' was disrespectful."
"What did you do?" Nena asked slowly.
"I drew him as a potato with anger issues."
Silence.
Then—
"He didn't appreciate the realism."
I choked.
Luca slapped his hand over his mouth.
"Idiot," he whispered.
Nena suddenly smiled.
Too sweet.
"Jake, I need to talk to you."
He blinked.
"Okay?"
"Not here."
"…Okay?"
They both stood.
Matty leaned back slightly.
"Oh—sorry for the inconvenience," she said.
Her hand brushed the drink on the table.
Lightly.
Too lightly.
And then—
It tipped.
The drink spilled.
Straight onto Nena.
"—What is this?!" Nena snapped, jumping back.
Jake turned immediately.
"What happened?!"
"The drink—" Nena started.
"Calm down," Jake said quickly. "It was probably an accident."
I froze.
"…No way."
Luca sat up straighter.
"No way."
Nena stood there.
Wet.
Angry.
And for a second—
Silent.
Then she turned.
And walked away.
"…We need to go," Luca said immediately.
"Yes."
We both stood up at the same time—
Finally.
After rejecting that waiter five times.
As we rushed out—
I looked back once.
Matty was smiling.
Sweet.
Perfect.
Like nothing happened.
"…I don't like her," I said.
Luca nodded.
"I really don't like her."
I exhaled.
"…This just got serious."
Luca glanced at me.
"…You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
I paused.
"…A little."
He groaned.
"I knew it."
Nope.
I wasn't going to let her get away with this.
I walked straight back to the table.
Matty looked up at me immediately, that same annoying smile still sitting on her face like she hadn't just been emotionally evicted from reality.
I stopped in front of her.
"What you did wasn't good," I said firmly.
"I saw everything."
She tilted her head.
"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?"
I opened my mouth—
She shoved me.
And this time—
Short girl problems fully activated.
I went down.
Fast.
No grace.
No dignity.
Just floor.
"Ayana!"
Nena was there instantly.
"What happened? What did she do?"
I sat up, pointing weakly.
"She pushed me… hard."
Nena went still.
"…What?"
"Yes."
I grabbed her wrist quickly.
"Okay listen—don't do anything. Jake is here."
Nena rolled her eyes immediately.
"I wasn't going to do anything."
That was a lie.
A confident one.
Matty crossed her arms.
Smirking.
"She looks so soft," she said, looking at me. "Too cute. Blonde hair, blue eyes, glasses… it's a bit much."
I blinked slowly.
"…That's not even an insult, that's just describing me."
Then she turned slightly.
"And him?"
She nodded at Luca.
"He looks like a baby. Pink nose, curly soft hair—what is this, daycare energy?"
Luca blinked.
Slowly.
Processing.
Then—
"Nena," he said flatly.
"Yes?"
"Go deal with her."
Nena smiled.
That kind of smile.
Dangerous.
"Oh, gladly."
And that was it.
Matty barely had time to react before Nena moved.
Fast.
Clean.
Sharp.
She grabbed her wrist—
Twist.
Matty gasped.
"Don't touch my people," Nena said calmly.
Matty tried to pull away—
Nena stepped in—
Light sweep—
And she went down.
Chair scraping loudly.
People in the restaurant gasped.
Someone whispered, "Is this real life?"
Matty got up again.
Angry now.
She lunged—
Bad idea.
Nena sidestepped like it was nothing.
She missed completely and almost hit a table instead.
Luca covered his mouth.
"…She's winning," he whispered.
"She always does," I whispered back.
Nena grabbed her again—
Spun her—
Sat her down like she was placing a stubborn child in timeout.
"Sit," she said.
Matty did.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Watching.
Matty glared up.
"You're crazy."
Nena leaned slightly forward.
"Go away."
Simple.
Final.
Cold.
Matty stood.
Grabbed her bag.
And left.
Fast.
Like dignity was something she forgot at home.
The restaurant stayed frozen for a second longer.
Then—
Whispers.
Shock.
Confusion.
A waiter dropped a napkin.
Nena walked back like nothing happened.
Then—
She hugged me.
Then Luca.
"I don't think she's coming back," she said casually.
I exhaled.
"…Yeah. I think that's over."
Then when we turned we saw Jake.
Standing there.
Watching everything.
Nena paused.
"…Oh."
Then she walked over slowly.
"…Did you see all that?"
He nodded.
"Yeah."
"…All of it?"
"All of it."
She blinked.
"…Okay."
Then Nena started talking.
Immediately.
"I wasn't even jealous like that—it's just she was acting weird and she kept touching you and then I fell which is honestly not my fault and—"
"Nena."
I didn't stop, Nor did she.
"And then she pushed Ayana which is actually becoming a pattern that I started and I think I deserve compensation emotionally and physically—"
"Nena."
Still going.
"And I just think overall that whole situation was unnecessary and—"
"Nena."
Then—
Jake kissed her. To shut her up.
Nena.
Jake stepped in, grabbed her lightly, and kissed her.
Quick.
Soft.
Enough to shut her entire argument system down.
Silence.
Nena blinked.
"…Okay."
Jake exhaled.
"You talk too much."
"I was making valid points."
"You were spiraling."
I crossed my arms.
"…Aren't you angry?"
He shook his head.
"No."
"…At all?"
"No."
He shrugged.
"I didn't even come for her."
Pause.
"…Then why did you come?"
He looked at Nena.
Then me.
Then the chaos behind us.
"…I needed an excuse to get her out."
He pulled out tickets.
Amusement park.
Bright.
Colorful.
"You coming?" he asked.
Nena nodded immediately.
I nodded immediately.
"Yes."
"Ahem."
We turned.
Luca.
Still recovering.
"I am here too."
Jake smirked.
"I bought five extra."
Pause.
"…Why?"
He shrugged.
"Ethan. Liam. Mark. Emma."
I blinked.
"…Of course they're involved."
And just like that—
We left the restaurant.
Looking like a group that definitely did not behave normally in public.
Behind us—
A restaurant that would never recover emotionally.