The bell above the door jingled as Aria stepped inside
Jace looked up from his seat half distracted from his phone when he saw her, he smiled - the kind of smile that made her heart twist.
That smile... She's seen it vanish so many times. "This time will be different" she thinks to herself.
Jace: "Bathroom line that bad?" He asked sipping his coffee.
Aria: sat down across from him, smile perfectly in place. "Worse. Someone tried to sell me a mixtape in there."
Jace: laughed. "Classic, did you buy it?"
Aria: "Tempted." She said. Stirring her now cold drink. "But I didn't bring any cash from the future." She said like giving him a hint.
Jace: raised an eyebrow. "You're such a weirdo." He says but there is no heat in his voice.
Aria: you "just realized that." She teased, masking the tremor in her voice.
Outside, the city buzzed on like nothing was wrong. Cars passed. Dogs barked.the barista wiped counters, humming off-key. The world was so..... NORMAL.
But to Aria this was borrowed time.
Every second the clock ticked closer to something she'd already lived. Already lost.
Jace: leaned forward. "So you gonna tell me the actual reason you know my Coffee order?"
Aria's stomach flipped. Her mouth opened then closed. Trying to suppress the words she has been dying to tell him.
Aria: "I told you." She says with a practiced smile. "I pay attention."
Jace: "you do" he said, eyeing her with suspicion and fascination. "It's like you've known me forever."
"I Have" she thought to herself
Aria: forcing a smile on her lips. "Or maybe we're just... Connected."
Jace: grinned. "Like fate?"
"Maybe" she thought to herself. Their fate was a cruel joke she kept reliving over and over again.
Jace: sat back, watching her. "You ever get the feeling like... Something big is coming in your life. but you don't know why?"
Aria froze.
Every cell in her body wanted to scream. It's you you're going to die. Again. And I'm going to lose you again... She thought to herself.
Instead she said. "Yeah, I get that all the time."
They sat there silent for a moment. The kind that feels heavier than words. Then Jace reached across the table and tapped her cup.
Jace: "next time. I'm picking your drink mystery girl." He smiled at her
Aria laughed a real one this time short and sharp
Aria: Deal.
Just let me have this moment. Please. Just this one moment. She thought to herself.
[END of chapter 4]