Kaia checked the time. “Still early. I haven’t made pacamara coffee in a while–good chance to practice,” she said.
She got to work. First, she weighed the beans and ground them just right. Getting that wrong, the coffee would be ruined.
Then she poured in the water, steady and careful. Every move was quick and sure, but gentle enough to keep the flavor perfect.
She looked like a picture as she worked–already beautiful, but now with this calm, artistic air about
ner.
Tobias couldn’t look away. He was completely caught up in watching her make coffee.
Here,” Kaia said, handing him a cup.
Tobias blinked, like snapping out of a trance. He coughed, took a sip, and tried to play it cool.
One taste, and his eyes went wide in shock.
How is it?” Kaia asked.
It’s amazing!” Tobias stared at her, stunned. He didn’t even know coffee could taste like this.
Compared to this, the one Erasmus made earlier felt flat and boring.
It’s so smooth, full of flavor, and there’s this little hint of sweetness. You’re way better than Mr. Malcom,” he said without holding back. “How’d you get so good at this?”
Is it that big of a deal? I always thought making coffee was just boiling water and checking the bean color, way easier than learning boxing from my coach up in the mountains,” Kaia said, resting her chin in her hand.
Tobias was floored. He’d thought he’d put her in her place, but instead, she impressed him again.
He went quiet, feeling heat creep up his neck.
Kaia wasn’t just good at coffee–she was great at chess, boxing, and was Myles’s top student. One of those things alone would be impressive. She had all of them,
And then Tobias remembered what she’d told him before–that he wasn’t good enough for her. Maybe she’d been right.
Annoyed at himself, Tobias realized how narrow–minded he’d been, looking down on Kaia without seeing the truth.
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Chapter 28
“Let’s play,” Kaia said, sitting down at the chessboard.
Tobias pulled himself together and sat across from her.
55 vouchers
They played game after game–sometimes winning, sometimes losing, and sometimes ending in a
tie.
By the time it hit 1 a.m., Tobias made a move, but Kaia didn’t answer. He looked up and saw she’d fallen asleep.
Sleeping, she looked softer, gentler. The light made her skin seem even more flawless.
Tobias found himself staring, his gaze warmer than he realized.
The night was cold. If she stayed like that, she could catch a cold. Tobias got up quietly to wake her.
But as he got closer, he caught a faint scent from her–not perfume, but a fresh, herbal smell.
Curious, he leaned in a little. Her long lashes curled at the tips, catching his eyes.
Then his gaze dropped to her lips–pink, soft, and so close he could almost imagine their sweetness. His throat tightened as he swallowed.
Suddenly, Kaia’s eyes opened. They locked eyes, the air between them turning strange.
Almost like in a dream, Tobias kept leaning in. Their breaths mingled, noses nearly touching.
“What are you doing?” Kaia suddenly snapped back to full alert. She leaned away, watching him warily.
Tobias froze, then straightened, face blank. “Just waking you up. You’ll catch a cold out here.”
Kaía studied him, but his expression gave nothing away. Thinking about how he’d always treated her before, she decided she was probably overthinking it,
Looking at the board, Tobias said more gently, “Sorry, I forgot you’ve got the SAT coming up. I shouldn’t have kept you up this late. Get some rest–we’ll finish after your test.”
“Alright,” Kaia said and left.
Tobias watched the door close, the room suddenly feeling empty, a strange hollowness settling in
his chest.
Kaia returned to her room and flipped on the light–only to see Joel standing by the window.
She frowned. “You need to be more careful coming and going. This place is full of skilled people. If someone catches you climbing into my room in the middle of the night, we’ll never talk our way
out of it.”
11:50 pm
Chapter 28
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“You’re one to talk, coming back so late, huh?” Joel said, his tone sharp with worry. “What were you doing in Tobias’s room for so long?”
“Playing chess,” Kaia said like it was nothing.
“Until now?” Joel clearly didn’t buy it.
“You don’t get it. Chess nuts are the same as fight nuts–you get hooked. Kinda like you back when we met.” Kaia shrugged.
Joel scratched the back of his head. “Yeah. I remember.”
Back then, he’d been obsessed with fighting. Then he’d met Kaia and realized she was better than him, so he wouldn’t leave her alone until she sparred with him.
“Relax. Now go before someone-”
Before Kaia could finish, she was cut off by a knock at the door. Both of them froze.
“Who is it?” Kaia called, signaling Joel to stay still.
“It’s me.” Tobias’s deep voice came.
“What is it?” Kaia asked.
“You left your phone in my room.”
‘Oh. Okay.”
That was a good enough reason for him to be there. But if Joel tried to sneak out the window now, Tobias would definitely hear.
Thinking quickly, Kaia pointed to the bathroom. Joel slipped inside without a sound.
When she opened the door, Tobias’s sharp eyes swept over her, then the room. “Why’d you take so long to open up?”
‘I was in the bathroom,” Kaia lied smoothly.
His
gaze
shifted to the closed bathroom door. “If you just came out, why’s it shut?”
Kaia’s heart skipped, but her face stayed calm. “Habit.
Tobias kept staring at the door, eyes narrowing. “The toilet in my bathroom’s busted. Mind if I use yours?”
Before Kaia could answer, he walked straight over to the bathroom.
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11:50 pm
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
