NYCTOPHILIA

chapter eleven • the heart wants what it wants

"So why do you think he turned all Hyde on you then? Was he having a bad day or something" April cluelessly asked from where she sat at the counter, sipping slowly on the iced latte in front of her.

"Fuck knows, I really don't care if I'm honest and please stop referring to him as Jekyll and Hyde. He's much more worse than that"

April's lips stretched from ear to ear as she watched her best friend pace around with thick frustration in her stride, evidently feeling a sense of hatred towards the male at the moment. She didn't know anything personal about Rafe and figured she never would, not exactly believing this would be the time to ask about his qualities. They'd only be negative and she believed it wouldn't be a fair verdict on his character.

"He sounds like a dream" the blonde sarcastically implied. "What about if he was to walk in here right now, what would you do?"

Scarlet paused on spot and exhaled, playing out the scenario multiple times in her mind and choosing the most suitable outcome. "It depends how I'd feel when I saw his face, which would most definitely be anger"

"He really has got you hasn't he?"

"What does that mean?" The brunette queried defensively, furrowing an intrigued brow as she shot pointed look in her best friends direction.

"I've never known you to get so hot headed over a boy, you usually don't care. It's always been me who gets themselves in these situations" she shrugged nonchalantly, poking at her cooled beverage with its given straw.

That was something that confused the female, the sudden change to her outlooks which he had encouraged immensely. Feeling as if she needed to pinch herself to confirm if this reality was even real. At one high point in her life Scarlet absolutely hated male validation, not needing it from a single masculine being whom walked this Earth. So when did that all change and why did she rely so strongly on a certain presumptuous individual and his presence for her happiness?

More so why did it effect her so much? Something so mediocre she would be able to brush off if it came from someone else, yet because it's him it felt impossible to do so.

Wether she allowed it or not, Rafe Cameron had impacted her life more than she would of liked to admit- it was irreversible and even if he had left for good this time, the memory of him would live on forever within her mind.

"I'm not sure, majority of the time he drives me insane and on most days I barely like him. But sometimes he reminds me of myself and I think that's why we clash so much" Scarlet admitted for the first time out loud, voice decreasing in volume as it neared to the end of her sentence. Standing and picking at her fingernails to decrease her nervousness through a habitual action.

"Sounds like a recipe for disaster" April humoured, not exactly being the best of people to dish out advice on complex relationships.

"Or death" the female giggled along to avoid any other seriousness, picking up the same rag and beginning to clean other random items to waste away the time.

The shop wasn't as boisterous with crowds like it usually was, a few regulars spotted in different spots around the enclosed space drinking on their desired drinks. Around half an hour had passed since then and April was still within her presence, talking about some meaningless business event her parents were throwing in a month for an opportunity to expand their brand.