Aria
Aria stirred her iced tea lazily, the condensation from the glass dampening her fingers as she glanced between the busy coffee shop around her and James's calm, steady presence. The hum of conversation and clattering dishes filled the air, but her thoughts were too tangled to take much notice. Ethan, Rowan's cryptic words, the mysterious woman who had vanished without a trace—they all churned in her mind, looping endlessly as she tried to make sense of it all. And yet, sitting here with James had a way of grounding her, even when the storm inside threatened to pull her under. He had this uncanny ability to ease tension, to make the world feel just a little lighter.
"I still can't get over it," Aria said, breaking the silence that had stretched between them. Her tone carried a mix of disbelief and concern. "Ethan. At a bar. I mean, really? It's like picturing a nun at a rock concert. It just doesn't fit."
James smirked, leaning back slightly, his fingers drumming lightly against the side of his coffee cup. "Maybe Ethan has a wild side you've never seen. Could be he's secretly the life of the party."
"Yeah, sure," Aria scoffed, her lips curving into a wry smile as she leaned back in her chair. "Life of the party until someone suggests karaoke, and he turns it into a negotiation seminar."
James's laugh was low and easy, the kind that felt contagious. He lifted his cup in mock salute, grinning at her. "Hey, seminars can be fun. You just have to pick the right audience."
Aria rolled her eyes, though the amusement in her expression didn't fade. "You'd say that. You're the kind of guy who'd bring a PowerPoint to a staff social."
"Only if the slides are about pie distribution," he shot back without missing a beat. His grin widened as he added, "And for the record, I'd nail that seminar."
"Ridiculous," Aria muttered, shaking her head even as her smile lingered.
"You love it," James said, leaning back with the smug, self-satisfied look he wore so well.
Aria paused, her smile fading just slightly as she stirred her drink again. Her voice came softer this time, almost to herself. "It's just so weird. Ethan… drinking too much? That's never been his thing. He's always so… put together."
James shrugged, his expression turning thoughtful. "Everyone cracks at some point. Maybe it's just been building, and last night was his breaking point."
Aria frowned, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass as she considered his words. "Rowan said something similar. He mentioned Ethan's dad is worried about strangers getting too close to him. And now, this woman shows up, takes him home, and then vanishes. It's just… odd."
"Odd?" James echoed teasingly, the hint of a grin tugging at his lips. "The word you're looking for is 'fascinating.' Mystery woman, unexpected drunken escapade—it's like a plot twist in a movie."
"Except it's real life," Aria shot back, her brows knitting together. "And Ethan's stuck in the middle of it. I just… worry about him, you know? He's under so much pressure, and he won't let anyone help him."
James tilted his head slightly, studying her. His voice was steady when he spoke, not accusing but matter-of-fact. "You've got a soft spot for him."
Aria shrugged, her gaze flicking away to avoid his. "I mean, I care about him. But not like that."
"Not like that?" James raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with curiosity.
"No," she said quickly, though even she could hear the faint waver in her voice. "Ethan's… complicated. He's got so much going on, and I can't picture myself fitting into his world. It's too heavy, too… restricted."
James nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful but unreadable. "Fair enough."
The moment hung between them, and Aria stirred her iced tea again, her thoughts shifting as she broke the silence. "I guess… I look at Rowan and Cass sometimes, and I can't help but feel a little jealous."
James's lips curved into a faint smile, his eyes warm as they met hers. "They've got a good thing. You can't blame yourself for wanting something like that."
"They're just so… balanced," Aria murmured, her voice tinged with admiration. "They're not weighed down by obligations or expectations. They're just… them. And I want that."
James chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on her as his expression softened. "You'll get there. You're picky, that's all."
"Picky?" Aria shot back, narrowing her eyes at him playfully. "Says the man who's never had a girlfriend."
James's grin widened, unbothered by her teasing. "Who says I've never had a girlfriend?"
"Oh, please," Aria said, leaning forward with a smirk. "I've known you for years, and I've never seen you even think about dating someone. Why is that?"
James shrugged, his tone light but teasing. "Maybe I'm just waiting for the right person."
Aria narrowed her eyes, her curiosity piqued. "Really? That's a cop-out answer."
"And yet," James said, leaning forward slightly, his grin softening, "it's true."
She tilted her head, studying him now. "Okay, so who's the 'right person,' then?"
James held her gaze for a moment, his smirk fading into something quieter. "If you really want to know," he said, his tone casual but not at all, "she's sitting across from me."
The words hung in the air, heavier than anything that had come before. Aria's lips parted, but no words came. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a warmth creeping up her cheeks. Why was her pulse suddenly racing?
James leaned back, breaking the tension with a playful grin. "See? That's how you leave a friend speechless."
Aria let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as the moment slipped back into their usual banter. "You're impossible."
"And you're predictable," James shot back, raising his coffee cup in a playful toast. "Cheers to that."
Aria laughed again, though his earlier words echoed faintly in the back of her mind. The right person? She's sitting across from me.
Was he joking? Probably. James had a way of catching her off guard with his humour, leaving her unsure whether to laugh or take him seriously. But something about the way he'd said it—the slight shift in his tone, the softening of his grin—lingered. What if he wasn't joking?
She glanced at him again, studying his face as he stirred his coffee. The teasing glint in his eyes had faded, replaced with something quieter, something thoughtful.
"James," she said cautiously, testing the waters.
He looked up, his smile easy and warm. "Yeah?"
Aria hesitated, her thoughts a jumble she couldn't quite sort out. Instead, she shook her head, smiling faintly. "Never mind."
James chuckled softly, leaning forward slightly. "You know, you're not great at hiding when something's on your mind."
"I wasn't hiding," Aria said quickly, though the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her.
"Uh-huh," he teased, his grin returning. "Sure you weren't."
Aria rolled her eyes, her smile lingering despite herself. "You're insufferable sometimes, you know that?"
"And yet," James said, his grin widening again, "you keep coming back for more."
She laughed, letting the banter pull her back into safer, familiar territory. But the thought still lingered, faint and uncertain. What if he wasn't joking?