AT THE SAME TIME
ISABELLA
Wanessa stared at me for a beat longer. Then she laughed. Not politely, not delicately. She laughed like she had just been handed the funniest, most unexpected footnote in existence.
"Oh." She said, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook. "Oh, that is rich."
"I do not like that tone."I frowned.
"You should." Wanessa said, eyes bright with mischief now. "It means something finally makes sense."
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Xavier."She grinned.
"What about him." I said carefully, like I was diffusing a bomb.
"He looks at you." She continued, completely ignoring my caution. "The way he used to look at me before he learned restraint."
I choked on my water.
"He what?"I asked while caughing lightly.
Wanessa tilted her head, studying my reaction with open amusement.
"Oh yes, those days before Gala. That sharp focus, the way the room stops existing, the way he angles his body without realizing it."
"I thought he was just menacing." I muttered.
"That too." She agreed cheerfully. "But it's layered."
"Please tell me you're joking."I groaned, dropping my face into my hands.
"I wish I were." She smiled. "In my timeline, he never looked at anyone like that except me."
"Except now?"I peeked at her.
Wanessa's smile turned curious.
"Except now." She repeated. "Which makes you infinitely more interesting."
"That is the opposite of what I want."I sighed.
"You don't want his attention?"She laughed again, softer this time.
I looked at her through my fingers.
"I want to escape him."I whispered.
The words came out flat, honest and exhausted. Wanessa's laughter stopped.
"Ah." She said. "That is different."
She leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly, thoughtful now instead of teasing.
"You are not trying to replace me."She said.
"No." I said immediately. "God, no. I was supposed to vanish. I want to vanish."
"And yet he followed you into a cafe."She hummed.
"I work there!"I nearly screamed.
"And brought roses." She added casually.
My soul left my body.
"He what?"I asked.
Wanessa waved it off.
"Later."She smirked the way like she hid something from me.
"You are enjoying this."I stared at her.
"A little." She admitted. "Because in every version I lived through, I was the one trapped."
She met my gaze, something earnest beneath the humor.
"It is strange." She said quietly. "Seeing someone else trying to run the same maze."
"So you are not upset?"I swallowed.
"With you?" She shook her head. "No."
Then she smiled sharp, knowing, and just a little dangerous.
"I am curious."Wanessa grinned.
"That makes two of us, and I hate it."I slumped back in my chair.
Wanessa laughed softly, lifting her coffee.
"Relax, Moon." She said. "If Xavier's attention has shifted…" Her eyes glinted. "Then the story is already off the rails and I want front row seats."
I stared at her, horrified.
"You are not helping."I sighed.
"Oh, I am." She said sweetly. "You just don't know how yet."
Soon I had to return home, but I knew that I see her again soon. In the morning, the cafe smelled like sugar, citrus, and poor financial decisions. I knew this because Michael was grinning like a man who had committed all three.
"Behold." He announced, setting down a tray like he was unveiling a holy artifact. "New lineup."
"Those look… aggressive."I leaned over the counter, squinting.
"Lemon and vanilla cloud cupcakes." Michael said proudly. "With honey mascarpone frosting."
"Why are they glowing?" I asked.
"They are not glowing." He said immediately. "They are inviting."
Wanessa, who was wiping the espresso machine, leaned over.
"They're glowing."She teased.
"Taste test?"Michael ignored her.
I sighed, took one bite and my knees almost buckled.
"Oh no." I whispered. "This is dangerously good."
"I knew it."Michael beamed.
"This is the kind of cupcake that ruins lives." I said. "People will leave their jobs for this."
"It already did." He said cheerfully.
I was about to warn him about the frosting to cake ratio when the cafe door opened. The bell chimed, my soul clenched. Xavier walked in, of course he did. Too early in the day to look that put together without witchcraft. And in his hand roses. A full bouquet, deep red, dramatic and excessive. The kind you only buy if you have money and unresolved feelings. Michael froze beside me.
"Oh my god."Vanessa hissed.
"No."I slowly straightened.
Xavier's gaze found me instantly. I felt it like a spotlight. He walked over, unhurried, ignoring the stares, the whispers, the energy shift that always followed him like a cursed soundtrack.
"I heard there were new cupcakes." He said mildly.
"Uh, yes?"Michael blinked.
Xavier didn't look at him, he held out the roses.
"For you." He said.
I stared at the bouquet like it might explode.
"Those are flowers." I said weakly.
"Yes." Xavier agreed. "Roses."
"Red ones." I added.
"Yes."Xavier said.
"Why?"I asked.
A pause.
"Because." He said. "You didn't take the last ones seriously."
Michael made a strangled noise. Wanessa dropped a spoon. Every instinct in my body screamed abort mission. It seems Xavier has brought roses earlier, but they got refused, and now this happening.
"I-" I glanced around desperately. "I think you are mistaken?"
"I am not."Xavier's brow lifted slightly.
"Sir, this is a cafe."Michael cleared his throat loudly.
"Yes." Xavier said calmly. "Which she works at."
"That does not make it a flower receiving zone." Michael said.
I shot him a grateful look and Xavier finally glanced at Michael just once.
"Do you… want a cupcake?" Michael offered weakly.
Xavier turned back to me.
"Later."He said.
I took the roses because refusing them felt like triggering a boss fight.
"They are heavy." I muttered.
"They are sincere." He replied.
That was worse. Wanessa slid up beside me, eyes sparkling with unholy delight.
"Wow, Xavier. Roses at work, that's bold."Wanessa grinned.
"I prefer clarity."He nodded.
" I am allergic to clarity." I said.
"Should I call someone?"Michael leaned close and whispered.
"Yes." I whispered back. "A priest."
Xavier watched us with unsettling patience.
"I will come back later." He said. "When you are off."
"You don't need to-"My heart dropped.
"I do." He said simply.
Then, as if this was a completely normal morning, he turned and left. The bell chimed again. Vanessa burst out laughing. Michael stared after the door.
"So." He said slowly. "That man is in love with you."
"I want to go home." I said.
Wanessa grinned at me, wicked and delighted.
"Moon." She teased. "You really did break the story."
I looked down at the roses in my arms.
"Next time." I muttered. "I am reincarnating as furniture."