Saval slowly twirled the spoon between his fingers, staring at the half-empty cup of coffee in front of him. His conversation with Antonella had left a strange feeling lingering in his chest, as if there was something hidden beneath her words. Her tone, the way she mentioned Semiel—it all carried a deeper meaning, something that didn't quite add up.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a slow breath. Outside, the afternoon dragged on, golden sunlight filtering through the café window, casting a warm, nostalgic glow. Antonella was gone now. She had left as easily as she had arrived, leaving him alone with his thoughts and an unfinished cup of coffee.
—Would you like more coffee, sir? —a young voice interrupted his thoughts.
Saval looked up. In front of him stood a waiter he didn't recognize. The guy looked about nineteen, with messy black hair and a neutral expression, like he was just going through the motions of his job without much enthusiasm.
—No, thanks —Saval shook his head. He had no interest in drinking more coffee or sitting there any longer.
The waiter nodded and was about to walk away when he hesitated. He lingered for a second, as if debating whether or not to speak, then gave Saval a curious look before finally speaking again.
—Hey… before I go, I wanted to ask you something.
Saval frowned slightly. He had no idea what this guy wanted, but something in his tone made him pay attention.
—Go ahead.
The waiter leaned in a little, lowering his voice.
—It's about the girl you were with. She's your girlfriend, right? —his eyes darted around, checking if anyone else was listening before returning to Saval—. I overheard something when she was here before.
A strange sense of unease settled in Saval's stomach.
—What did you hear?
The waiter hesitated for a moment, as if deciding whether to say it or not. Then, he simply shrugged.
—I don't wanna cause trouble, but… I figured you should know. Your girlfriend was here before. With another guy. And… well, I think she might be cheating on you.
Saval felt his body tense up.
—Why do you say that?
—Because I heard her call him "puppy" —the waiter raised an eyebrow—. It sounded weird to me, so when I saw her with you, I thought… maybe she's playing both sides. Just saying, man. Be careful.
Saval felt his chest tighten. His mind kept replaying the words over and over, trying to make sense of them. Antonella. With another guy. Calling him "puppy."
It wasn't definitive proof of anything… but it wasn't something he could just brush aside, either.
—Are you sure about what you heard? —he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
—One hundred percent. I've got no reason to make this up —the waiter shrugged again—. I don't know who the guy was, but they seemed close. Really close.
Saval frowned, frustration and confusion swirling inside him. He needed more details.
—What's your name?
—Xavier.
—Give me your number, just in case I need to ask you something else.
Xavier looked at him curiously, as if sizing him up. Then, with a slight shrug, he pulled out a small piece of paper from his apron pocket and quickly scribbled his number.
—No problem. But next time, it won't be free, man. I only told you now because it felt unfair for you not to know.
Saval took the paper, feeling like the situation was getting more complicated by the minute.
—I appreciate you telling me —he muttered, slipping the number into his pocket—. See you, Xavier.
—See you, man. And good luck with whatever you decide to do with that information. Just don't forget—next time, I'll charge you for it.
The waiter walked away, leaving Saval alone at the table once more. He took a deep breath, trying to sort through his thoughts. Xavier could be exaggerating. He could have misinterpreted the situation. But at the same time, it made sense.
Antonella had never given him a clear answer about her feelings. She had never confirmed nor denied anything, always lingering in that ambiguous space. And now this? Who was that other guy? Semiel? Or someone else entirely?
It didn't take him long to figure out how to get the truth. If anyone could answer that question, it was Semiel.
I have to find out if it's him or not.
Saval left the café with determined steps. As he reached the park, he pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found Semiel's name. His finger hovered over the screen for a moment, as if something inside him was warning that this wouldn't end well.
But the hesitation lasted only a second.
He pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear, hoping his best friend would pick up before it was too late.