James

It's not like I'm obsessed with Charlie or anything. Okay, I might be lying to myself, but that's fine. We're walking down the street, hands brushing against each other because he refuses to just hold my hand. Probably thinks it makes him look too soft. I don't mind letting him pretend he's not a hopeless romantic.

"I still don't get why you insist on getting coffee when you don't drink it," Charlie says, glancing sideways at me.

"It's not about the coffee; it's about the vibe." I shove my free hand into my pocket, fingers curling around the pendant I've been working on for him. Not ready to give it to him yet. Not until I can actually finish it without messing up the clasp.

Charlie smirks, and I swear my heart skips. "You're ridiculous."

Ridiculously in love with you, but yeah, sure. I don't say that out loud. Instead, I give him a dramatic shrug. "You knew what you signed up for."

The coffee shop is packed, but Charlie finds us a spot near the window. I let him order because the guy behind the counter listens to him like he's some sort of prophet. I get a hot chocolate, obviously.

By the time we sit down, the sky outside is darkening, casting soft shadows over Charlie's face. He's scribbling something in his sketchbook. I lean over, trying to peek.

"Stop that," he says without looking up, nudging me with his elbow.

"Is it me?" I ask, grinning. "Are you drawing my amazing cheekbones?"

He snorts. "Not everything's about you, James." But he doesn't move the sketchbook away either.

Charlie

James is an endless distraction. I'm halfway through a sketch of a necklace design when he decides my elbow is a perfect place to rest his chin.

"You're lucky you're cute," I mutter, trying to sound annoyed.

"Thanks, I try." He smiles, wide and unfiltered, and it's almost enough to make me forget where we are. Almost.

He's so at ease, so completely himself, that it's hard not to get swept up in his energy. I close the sketchbook, turning to face him fully. "What?"

"What, what?" He blinks, feigning innocence.

"You're staring."

"Yeah," he says, not even bothering to deny it. "Is that a problem?"

I roll my eyes, but my chest feels warm. "You're impossible."

Before he can respond, the bell above the door chimes, and Chad walks in. James waves him over, and my stomach twists slightly. Chad's not a bad guy, but there's something about him that sets me on edge.

James

Chad's cool. He's always been chill to hang out with, and he's one of the few people who doesn't look at Charlie like he's made of glass.

"Hey," Chad says, sliding into the seat beside me. He nods at Charlie, polite but not exactly friendly.

"Coffee shop date?" he teases, eyeing the table.

"It's not a date," Charlie says quickly, and I'm about to argue when Chad laughs.

"Relax, I'm kidding." He sips his drink, glancing between us. "You guys are practically inseparable lately."

"Jealous?" I joke, elbowing him.

Chad grins, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Nah, just stating the obvious."

We chat for a while, mostly harmless banter, but there's a weird tension I can't quite place. Charlie's quieter than usual, and Chad keeps looking at me like he's waiting for something.

Charlie

Chad leaves first, saying something about meeting another friend, but not before giving James a lingering look that I can't ignore.

"What's up with him?" I ask as we step outside.

James shrugs. "Nothing. Why?"

"Never mind." I let it go, but my gut tells me this isn't nothing.

Chad

Walking away from them feels like stepping into a storm. James's laugh still echoes in my head, and I clench my fists, shoving them into my pockets. I shouldn't care. I shouldn't feel this way.

But I do.