Note: I’m trying out a new writing style. Do not feel alard if you see it.
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The soft hum of chatter filled the cozy coffee shop as Anabella and Noah stepped inside. The sll of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around them, warm and inviting. Anabella relaxed for the first ti that day. Maybe this could be a small escape—a mont of normalcy.
They joined the line, and Anabella glanced at the pastries displayed behind the glass counter. Her eyes landed on a cinnamon roll that looked impossibly perfect, golden and topped with just the right amount of icing.
When it was finally their turn, Anabella stepped forward with a polite smile.
"Hi, can I get a dium—"
Before she could finish, the oga barista, a tall, sharp-featured man with neatly styled hair, turned his head sharply and addressed the person behind her.
"Next!" he called out, completely ignoring her.
Anabella’s smile faltered. She opened her mouth again, thinking maybe he hadn’t seen her—but the barista continued taking orders from others as though she didn’t exist.
Her chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay calm. This wasn’t the first ti she’d been dismissed like this. Being overlooked—especially by ogas—was sothing she had grown used to. She told herself it didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter.
Noah, however, didn’t seem to share her acceptance. His friendly, soft deanor didn’t change, but there was sothing colder behind his smile now. He stepped forward with an air of ease, leaning slightly on the counter as though he belonged there.
"Excuse ," he said smoothly, his voice like honey yet holding an unmistakable edge. "I think you missed soone."
The oga barista’s head snapped up, his eyes widening when he t Noah’s gaze. Sothing flickered there—confusion, fear, and a hint of submission he couldn’t quite hide.
"I...uh...sorry, sir. I didn’t see—"
"No need to apologize," Noah interrupted, still smiling that soft, disarming smile. "Mistakes happen." His voice remained pleasant, but his dark eyes glead with sothing far less forgiving. "But...skipping people in line? That’s not a mistake. That’s a choice."
The barista swallowed hard, his face pale. "I didn’t an—"
"Of course you didn’t." Noah’s voice remained gentle, almost soothing. "Why don’t you fix it now? I’m sure you can manage that."
The oga quickly nodded, fumbling with the register. "What...what can I get for you?"
Noah stepped back slightly, gesturing toward Anabella. "She was here first."
Anabella’s cheeks burned with embarrassnt. She could feel the stares of the other custors pressing down on her.
"Noah," she whispered urgently, tugging at his sleeve. "It’s fine. Let’s just go."
He didn’t budge, his expression still perfectly composed. "It’s not fine."
The barista trembled under his gaze, looking like he wanted nothing more than to flee.
Anabella pulled Noah harder this ti, her voice firr. "Please."
Finally, he relented with a soft sigh, raising his hands as if surrendering. "Alright." He flashed the barista one last lingering look that promised he wasn’t really letting this go. "We’ll be on our way."
He let her lead him out of the coffee shop, his steps light and unbothered as though nothing had happened. But the tension in his shoulders betrayed him.
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Outside, the crisp autumn air bit at Anabella’s cheeks, grounding her. She exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the unease lingering in her chest.
They walked in silence for a while until Noah spoke, his voice soft yet tinged with frustration.
"You shouldn’t let people treat you like that."
Anabella glanced at him, surprised by the intensity in his tone. He wasn’t teasing or playful like usual—he was serious.
"I’m used to it," she admitted quietly. "It doesn’t bother anymore."
"It should," Noah insisted, his brows knitting together in frustration. "You don’t deserve to be walked over."
She shook her head. "It’s easier this way. If I make a fuss...things get worse."
His jaw tightened, and for a mont, he looked like he was fighting so inner battle. "You think staying quiet will keep you safe?"
"Yes," she said simply. "It has...so far."
He stopped walking, forcing her to pause as well. His dark eyes searched hers, a mix of anger and sothing almost...protective.
"You shouldn’t have to live like this," he whispered, his voice strained. "You shouldn’t have to accept being invisible."
Anabella felt her throat tighten. No one had ever cared like this before—at least, not in a long ti. It was disarming. Uncomfortable.
"Thank you," she said softly, her voice trembling. "But this...this is better for ."
His expression darkened for a mont, but he quickly masked it with a faint smile. "You say that now."
Before she could respond, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch feather-light. "But one day...you’ll see what I see."
Anabella’s breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. There was sothing in his gaze—sothing intense, powerful, and...unshakable.
For the first ti in a long while, she felt truly seen. And it terrified her.
But it also made her feel warm.
’He got mad for my sake. Sothing about this is so charming that I cannot even comnt on it.’
Anabella felt tight-lipped but she let Noah have the benefit of the doubt for now.
"Now, let’s head out and et Clair. She has been waiting for us for a long ti. You know how she gets without her coffee. We don’t want to keep her waiting." Noah teased Anabella but he also felt tense.
There was much Anabella wanted to ask him, but she also felt like now was not the ti.
She had a feeling Noah knew more about her situation than he was letting on, but Anabella did not have the courage to ask him about it.
"Let’s go," Anabella agreed with a smile on her face. "I am sure Clair would appreciate the drink we got her a lot. She does not like sweet things."
Noah’s face was a little rude, but he quickly masked his disappointnt.
"She better. We went though a lot to get this coffee."
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