Astraea's POV: The Calculated Coincidence
The provincial office hummed with a quiet, unfamiliar energy, a stark contrast to the bustling city headquarters. Astraea leaned back in her chair, a subtle smile playing on her lips as she watched Jax meticulously refine a graphic on her screen. The shy flush that crept up Jax's neck whenever Astraea complimented her work was, in a word, captivating. Worth it, Astraea thought, stirring her coffee.
Later that evening, back in the quiet calm of her temporary apartment, Astraea was on the phone with Freen, her closest confidante.
"Okay, spill it, you conniving genius," Freen's voice buzzed through the speaker. "The 'big project' in the boonies? I know your boss didn't just assign you to a provincial office. What's the real story?"
Astraea chuckled, a soft, satisfied sound. "You know me too well, Freen. The truth is... there was a significant provincial project, yes. But my coming here? That wasn't an assignment. I asked for it."
Freen gasped dramatically. "You asked to be exiled? You, Astraea, Queen of the City Lights, chose the slower pace of the countryside? It has to be about that barista you've been gushing about in our video calls. Jax, right?"
"Bingo," Astraea admitted, walking to the window and looking out at the unfamiliar town. "I've been working with Jax for almost a year now, virtually. Her talent is undeniable, but it was the little things in our messages, the way her personality shone through even in text... I needed to know if the person I felt such a strong pull towards was as intriguing in person." She paused, a genuine softness in her voice. "And she is, Freen. She's even more delightful. Awkward, incredibly sweet, brilliant in her own way. Every conversation feels like unraveling a new, fascinating layer."
"So, the plan is to charm the pants off her, then?" Freen teased.
"The plan," Astraea corrected, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow, "is to get to know her. To understand what this feeling is. It's more than just admiration for her work. It's… something else. And if it's what I think it is, then yes, I plan to let her know." Astraea's gaze drifted to a photo of Jax, shy and smiling, that she'd subtly saved on her phone.
The conversation shifted, but Astraea's mind kept returning to Jax. Then, a slightly less pleasant thought surfaced. Nina. The barista with the blonde hair and sharp wit. She was always so close to Jax, always teasing, always touching. Astraea had seen them, more than once, laughing together in a way that felt too intimate for mere colleagues. The way Nina's hand would linger on Jax's arm, the easy familiarity in their bickering. A strange, prickling sensation, one Astraea rarely indulged, began to curl in her stomach. Was it possessiveness? Or was it... jealousy? She, Astraea, felt jealous of a quirky, tattooed blonde who called Jax "Jaxy"? The thought was both ridiculous and undeniably present.
Nina's POV: The Venti Depresso and the Void
Nina slammed her empty coffee cup down on the counter with a little more force than necessary. The clatter echoed in the quiet cafe. Jin, who was wiping down tables nearby, glanced over, a wide, knowing smirk spreading across her face.
"Someone's rocking a 'Venti Depresso' mood today, huh? Don't tell me the sisterly separation anxiety is hitting hard! Or are you just mad the Virtual Goddess is better at sharing a laptop than you are at sharing a counter?"
Nina rolled her eyes, forcing a dismissive wave of her hand. "Please! I'm practically on vacation! Honestly, I was getting worried about Jax's crippling dependency on my presence. Now she has 'The Virtual Goddess' to stare at, and I'm free to have exciting, non-monotone conversations! I'm not lonely, I'm just aggressively available for people who don't wear all-black in the summer."
Jin sauntered over, nudging Nina playfully. "Socialize, darling? With whom? Your sketchbook? Or is this a subtle invitation?" Jin smoothly grabbed Nina's hand, placing a gentle, exaggerated kiss on the back of her wrist. "Because if you're looking for distraction from the corporate takeover, I'm available for intensive courtesing."
Nina felt a genuine laugh bubble up, the absurdity of the moment breaking through her mood. She snatched her hand back, but her cheeks were warm. "Dream on, Jin. Besides, you're too much of a player. Last week it was Jimmy."
"Ah, Jimmy," Jin sighed dramatically. "A sweet distraction, but merely a placeholder. Jax, on the other hand… I see a challenge there. The shy ones are the most fun to convert." Jin winked. "But back to the topic at hand: the only reason you're entertaining my advances, even as a joke, is because your so-called 'sister' is glued to Astraea."
Nina scoffed, trying to regain her composure. "We're not just 'sisters,' we're practically family. And no! I'm not jealous! I'm… I'm happy for her. It's just nice to have some me time. Plus, you're hilarious, Jin. Your ego needs constant validation, and I'm a generous friend."
Jin tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "A generous friend. Right. A generous friend who hasn't told her best friend that she's pansexual, lest the poor barista tease her to death."
Nina's jaw dropped. "Jin! I told you not to bring that up! Jax doesn't know, and she certainly doesn't need to hear it from you! She'd turn it into a month-long stand-up routine, and I'm just not emotionally prepared for that." Nina lowered her voice to a fierce whisper. "Don't ruin our platonic, absolutely-not-romantic, sisterly bond with your reckless honesty!"
Jin raised her hands in mock surrender. "My lips are sealed, Your Majesty of Denial. But let's be real—I am thoroughly enjoying the Jax-shaped void in your life. I see a competitor, not a sister. But honestly, if she wasn't so busy playing 'office romance', I'd already be teaching our shy barista how to use dating apps and taking her out for actual cocktails—not just your weird, lukewarm chamomile tea."
Nina's heart did a terrifying flip-flop. Jin, with her effortless charm and ability to navigate dating apps, was a terrifyingly legitimate threat. Jax with cocktails? Jax being taught to date by Jin? The thought was an immediate, blinding flare of possessiveness. No, no, no. Her stomach twisted into a knot of pure, confusing acid. Jin with Jax wasn't just absurd; it was an emergency she needed to neutralize immediately. She pushed the terrifying jealousy down, hard. Jax is my sister. My family. My platonic, non-romantic, best friend. She repeated the denial like a desperate mantra, but the ache didn't fade.
Suddenly, a rebellious fire lit up her eyes.
She looked at Jin, a defiant smirk replacing her panic. "Fine," Nina blurted. "I'm starving. Tell me the time for that 'courtesing' dinner. I need to practice my socializing skills on someone who isn't obsessed with black hoodies. Consider this my community service for the socially deprived." The real reason, however, was a whispered, desperate truth: Anything to feel less alone, and anything to prove I don't care about where Jax is right now.
She'd catch glimpses of Jax and Astraea walking home together, heads bent close, and she'd quickly turn her attention to Jin, often accepting a joking compliment or a flirty quip. It was a desperate defense mechanism.
One afternoon, Nina was putting away fresh pastries when she overheard Jax talking to Astraea at the counter. Jax was laughing, a warm, genuine laugh that Nina usually reserved for herself. And the way Astraea was looking at Jax… it wasn't just friendly admiration. It was something deeper, something possessive.
Nina felt her carefully constructed composure crack. The laughter died in her throat, replaced by a sudden, intense chill. Her hands trembled, almost dropping a tray of croissants. This wasn't about missing a friend anymore. This was about something raw, confusing, and terrifyingly real.
As she watched Jax, oblivious and beaming at Astraea, a single, undeniable thought slammed into Nina with the force of an espresso shot:
I want her to look at me like that.
To be continued...