Evette steps away from Evan, the warmth of their kiss still lingering as she pulls back. She walks into the café, the soft jingle of the door echoing through the quiet space. The rich scent of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries fills the air, instantly comforting her. The interior is cozy, with polished wooden tiles beneath her feet and a rustic charm that's both inviting and familiar. However, as her eyes drift over the walls, she rolls her eyes slightly. The walls are plastered with cheesy coffee sayings like "Coffee is like a hug in a mug" and "Espresso yourself." To Evette, they're more cringe worthy than funny, making her shake her head in mild disbelief.
Before she can dwell on it further, a waiter approaches, interrupting her thoughts. With a polite smile, he motions for her and Evan to follow him. He leads them to a small, intimate two-seater table by the window.
The waiter stands patiently at their table, awaiting their orders. Evette looks up at him, a quiet confidence in her voice as she says, "Two brownies, please."
Evan gives her a curious look, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "When did I say I wanted a brownie?" he asks, his tone teasing.
Evette meets his gaze, her expression cool and unbothered. "Both are for me," she replies, her lips curving into a sly smile. She watches as Evan chuckles softly, shaking his head, while the waiter nods and walks away to place the order.
Evette feels a wave of awkwardness settle over her as the seconds stretch on, the quiet hum of the café surrounding them. She's not used to the lingering moments of silence with Evan, especially after such a charged interaction. Her fingers tap nervously on the edge of the table, and she feels the weight of his gaze on her, making her cheeks flush ever so slightly. To break the silence, she pulls out her phone, grateful for the distraction.
She quickly types a message to Lydia, her fingers moving rapidly across the screen: "omg lia wtf me and evan kissed again" and hits send before she can second-guess herself. She feels a small sense of relief as the message goes through.
Evette glances over at Evan, surprised by how calm and nonchalant he is. He sits back in his chair, casually waitng for his coffee, as if nothing had happened between them. It's almost like the kiss didn't affect him at all, and for some reason, that makes her feel even more awkward. She can't help but wonder why he's so relaxed about it.
Breaking the silence, Evan tilts his head and asks, "So, what were you doing on your phone?"
Evette quickly locks her screen and casually responds, "I was at the library, doing that college etiquettes homework assignment." Her tone is light, but she's already preparing herself for his usual teasing.
"Ha, nerd," Evan says with a smirk, leaning back even further in his chair.
Evette's eyes narrow slightly, even though she knows he's joking. Still, it gets under her skin. "Yeah, well, someone has to get good grades around here," she mutters, rolling her eyes.
"What about you?" says Evette, "What were you doing?"
Evette raises an eyebrow, half-expecting another joke. But Evan looks at her with that familiar intensity, his voice soft as he says, "I was thinking about you."
Evette bursts into laughter, surprised by how genuine he sounds. "You're impossible," she says, her smile wide, as the tension between them melts away.
The waiter returns to their table, placing two perfectly baked brownies in front of Evette and Evan. He gives a small smile, clearly pleased with his service. "I suggest the deal for two," he says, glancing between them. "It's perfect for couples."
Evette's heart skips a beat at the word "couples," and she feels her cheeks warm with a blush. She hadn't really thought of her and Evan as an official couple, despite everything that had happened between them. The thought lingers in her mind for a moment, making her feel a little self, conscious, but she quickly pushes it aside, trying to mask her reaction. She shifts her gaze to the brownies, focusing on their fudgy texture to distract herself.
Evan notices the subtle change in her expression and grins, clearly unaware of the effect the waiter's words have had on her. "Well, guess we're a couple now," he says teasingly, picking up his brownie.
Evette shakes her head, trying to laugh it off. "I didn't agree to anything," she says lightly, though her smile betrays her.
After the waiter has left, Evan picks up one of the brownies and waves it at her with a playful grin. "Can I have this, miss?" he asks, his tone teasing.
Evette rolls her eyes but can't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Whatever," she replies, laughing softly as she reaches for her own brownie, trying to keep the moment lighthearted.
After taking a bite of her brownie, Evette picks up her phone, hoping to distract herself from the lingering thoughts of the café's atmosphere. She unlocks the screen and sees a message from Lydia: "omgggggg stop lying, evetteee!"
Evette chuckles quietly to herself and quickly types back: "I'm not, we're at the amour café."
Within seconds, Lydia replies: "You know amour means love, I think?"
Evette laughs out loud, shaking her head at Lydia's playful response. She quickly puts her phone back down, a smile still lingering on her lips. The sweet bite of the brownie and Lydia's message have lightened the moment, and she turns her attention back to Evan, who's clearly enjoying his treat with that same relaxed smile of his.
"What's so funny?" he asks, his voice laced with curiosity.
Evett snaps out of her thoughts, her fingers tightening around the cup. "Nothing," she replies quickly, though the faintest trace of a smile still tugs at the corner of her lips.
Evan narrows his eyes at her, unconvinced. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he grins. "Hey, remember that time the whole school shut down because someone flushed a binder down the toilet?" Evette blinks before letting out a small laugh, shaking her head. "How could I forget?"
Evan stretches his arms behind his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "If you please, should we go back to Westgate now?" he asks, his tone dripping with exaggerated politeness.
Evette rolls her eyes, but there's a playful glint in them as she says, "I never said no."
Evan chuckles, pushing his chair back. "Then let's get moving before you change your mind."
Evette shakes her head with a grin, grabbing her bag as they head for the door.
As they stand up to leave, Evette suddenly freezes, her eyes darting to the untouched receipt on the table. Her stomach drops.
"Wait—" Without thinking, she reaches out and grabs the back of Evan's shirt, stopping him mid-step. He turns to her with a questioning look.
"Who's gonna pay the bill? Me?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.
Evan bursts into laughter, shaking his head. "Go ahead," he teases, clearly enjoying this.
Evette scoffs, crossing her arms. "I'm broke."
"I know," Evan replies smoothly, still grinning as he strolls toward the counter.
Evette watches as he hands over his card without hesitation, exchanging a few words with the cashier before returning to her within a minute. He pockets the receipt, smirking. "Happy now?"
She huffs, pretending to be annoyed, but the small smile on her face gives her away. "You're lucky I let you pay."
He casually slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out something small and shiny. The light catches on it, making it glimmer for a second.
Evette narrows her eyes. "What's that?" she asks, tilting her head.
Without a word, Evan dangles the object between his fingers, and the soft jingle of car keys fills the air. He smirks and turns on his heel, strolling toward a sleek red car parked near the curb.
Evette's jaw nearly drops. She rushes after him. "When did you get a car?" she demands, watching as he effortlessly unlocks it.
Evan rolls his eyes like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Yesterday."
Evette stares at him, still processing. "Really?"
"Yeah," he says, sliding into the driver's seat. "I did a Westgate internship. Paid well."
Evette leans against the open passenger door, clearly impressed. "Huh. Maybe I should get an internship."
Evan grins. "Yeah, or you could just keep making me pay for everything." Evette gasps, pretending to be offended, before hopping into the car with a laugh.
Evan pulls out of the parking spot with effortless ease, his hands steady on the wheel as he merges onto the road. The car glides smoothly, the engine purring as he picks up speed, not recklessly, but fast enough to make the ride exhilarating.
Evette, settled in the passenger seat, watches him with mild surprise. She had expected something, wilder. Crossing her arms, she smirks. "Didn't know you could drive like a civilized human being."
Evan chuckles, eyes still on the road. "You haven't seen me drive at 3 a.m."
Evette raises an eyebrow. "Didn't you just get this car? How have you already driven at 3 a.m.?" Evan just laughs, shaking his head. "Trust me." Evette squints at him suspiciously but says nothing. The car speeds down the road, the city lights blurring past as she wonders if she really wants to know what his late-night driving is like.
Evan pulls into the Westgate parking lot, smoothly maneuvering into an empty spot. The engine hums for a second before he shuts it off, turning to Evette with an expectant look.
"Well? Go to your dorm. What are you waiting for?" he says, smirking.
Evette rolls her eyes but laughs as she unbuckles her seatbelt. "Thanks," she says, opening the door.
Evan just shrugs like it's nothing, but there's a hint of amusement in his eyes as he watches her step out.
As Evette walks toward her dorm, the cool night air brushing against her skin, she feels an unexpected warmth in her chest. Hanging out with Evan had been fun, more fun than she'd expected. With a small smile, she glances back once, then disappears into the building, feeling glad she spent the evening with him.