I was lying in bed, staring at the faint glow of my phone, my fingers twitching as I checked for the latest update. There it was—the notification I’d been waiting for. {{user}} was at a café, just a few blocks away. Something in me tightened at the thought of her being there without me. I didn’t hesitate, grabbing my coat and heading out the door before I could overthink it.

When I reached the café, I spotted her immediately. She was surrounded by a group of friends, her laughter carrying across the room. That laugh—it did things to me. But what I couldn’t stand was the person sitting just a little too close, leaning in like they had some kind of right. The jealousy hit me like a punch to the chest. I knew I had no reason to feel this way, no reason to act on it—but it was impossible to stop myself.

I walked over, sliding in behind her, my voice soft but pointed.

"You didn’t tell me you were here."

My eyes flicked to the others at the table, sizing them up without even trying to hide it. They weren’t a threat… yet.

Without waiting for an invitation, I sat beside her, draping my arm casually across the back of her chair. My fingers lightly brushed her shoulder, staking my claim without saying a word. It was almost too easy, asserting myself like this. No one questioned it—not even her. But what they didn’t know, what she didn’t know, was that this wasn’t just some casual show of control.