~Chapter 16~
Night. 10:14 PM
The streets are still hot from the sun, but the breeze brings a little air. The smell of salt and coconut perfume. Music is already coming from the club — a heavy, summery beat even though it’s autumn, that seems to sink under your skin.
Emy walks ahead, rhythm in her step, as if she’s already on the dance floor.
Theo gently pushes open the club door, and the colored lights hit us instantly, pink and violet.
Theo nods toward the bar.
“Two beers, one juice, and your lemonade, Queen of Citrus?”
Emy throws him a theatrical smile.
“Yes, thank you, my love.”
Theo laughs, Sergio sighs, I smile.
But something doesn’t leave me.
A shadow.
A line.
“My friends are upset with you.”
I run my fingers along the edge of the cold glass.
I feel it there. In my chest.
The club is full. People, laughter, lights.
But in the middle of the chaos… my eyes lift.
And I see them.
Him.
Or at least someone who seems to be Ezra.
Leaning against the back wall, not with his group from earlier.
And with those two guys.
A glass in hand.
Watching me.
But not with a smile.
Not with arrogance.
Something between anger and something I can’t name.
A kind of
“You’re not done with me.”
Theo touches my shoulder.
“If you don’t want to stay, he says. Say it now and we’ll leave.”
I lift my gaze to him.
My voice is calm.
Very calm.
“No. We stay.”
And for the first time all day…
Ezra blinks and his eyebrows furrow.
As if he didn’t expect me to choose this.
Emy raises her arms, catching the rhythm of the music, pulling everyone to the dance floor.
Sergio shouts over the music:
“Alright, who’s dancing first?
I’m not starting!”
Theo laughs and goes with Emy.
I stay for a second.
Ezra doesn’t move, nor do they.
Nor I.
And in that pause between two beats of the bass,
it becomes clear who’s watching whom.
Not him watching me.
Not me watching him.
Those two guys watching both of us.
---
I told Theo I was going to the bar. Now,
Ezra stands in front of me, two steps away.
He doesn’t come closer.
“I didn’t mean for it to go like that,” he says.
Simple. Without cinematic tone.
“Yeah? I reply. And how did you want it?”
He looks slightly to the side, as if searching for the right words.
“I don’t know… just… not like this.”
Silence follows.
But not heavy.
Just… uncertain.
Then, behind him, those two guys appear.
They have a different air. More… calculated.
The first — dark hair, slightly wavy or messy, calm eyes.
Almost too calm.
The second — tall, cold blue eyes, posture of someone who reads people before they speak.
I say nothing at first.
The resemblance is so familiar, yet I can’t place it.
They look at me.
Not with arrogance. With assessment.
The first raises an eyebrow at Ezra.
“You can leave now,” he says calmly, not mocking but as if he thinks Ezra won’t hear.
Ezra runs a hand through his hair, tired.
“You two said we shouldn’t make a fool of ourselves everywhere.
”
The one with golden, or very light brown eyes, touches Ezra briefly on the shoulder, like a “done.”
“Let it go. Not everyone is in your movie, Ez.”
Ezra looks at him flatly.
“Niko…”
“What?” he smiles almost imperceptibly. “It’s the truth.”
I blink.
Niko.
The first sighs.
“You know he can hear you, right?” he asks, gesturing toward me with his chin.
“Cassian, right?” I hear my name leave his mouth.
“Congratulations,” I say. “You all did the update correctly.”
Sergio, from behind, mutters:
“I don’t know who the hell you are, but if one of you lays a finger on him, I swear—”
“Sergio, enough,” I stop him.
I don’t know why.
But enough.
The dark-haired boy raises his hands, a peace gesture.
“We’re not here for drama. Just… trying to show that not all of us are animals,” he says.
Then adds, “And we came to set things straight, love.”
Ezra rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue.
Niko looks me directly in the eyes.
“Some of us actually know how to be human.”
His tone isn’t warm.
It’s not friendly.
It’s simple affirmation, like truth needs no emotion.
Then they turn. No scene. No extra lines.
And leave.
Ezra lingers for a second.
Looks at me once — not to check me, not to read me.
Just acknowledging the moment.
Then he follows them.
---
I stay with Sergio, Theo, and Emy, who remain silent for a few seconds.
Sergio puts his hands on the back of his head, and Emy looks like she’s about to hit Theo.
“Great. Wonderful. Now we have philosopher gangsters in Cassian’s life.
”
I don’t laugh.
I don’t feel threatened.
Just… touched.
But not in a bad or pleasant way…
“Leave it, it’s not a big deal,” I say.
And maybe if I say it convincingly enough, it will be true someday.