The Last We Fell

01. 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔏𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔖𝔥𝔦𝔣𝔱

"Sammy, can you please get me a cappuccino to go? I'll be leaving in a couple minutes." I asked him. Sam was only two years younger than me, but we got on surprisingly well. Which is quite the achievement considering the fact there are very few people I usually get along with, if at all.

"Ah." Leo lifted his brow suggestively, "You sure are spoiling that boyfriend of yours huh."

I sighed resignedly, gulping down the last of my drink. "Oh please, Dom and I have been friends for two years now. When will you realize that's all we'll ever be?"

"Well you tell me." Leo grumbled, "You're spending a lot of time with him lately, so you don't sound very convincing to me."

"It just so happens that we work the same shift at the clinic and we have some overlapping classes together at uni. I told you that before." I replied somewhat defensively. I mean Dom is a great guy and all, but I'm sure he's never seen me in a romantic light the same way I never did. Plus, the last thing I need on my plate right now is a relationship.

"Whatever you say." He said dismissively. This man can be infuriating at times, but I guess the free food and good company make up for it. "You'll be late if you don't get going now."

Surely enough, I was running later than usual. With the cappuccino in hand, and my bag secured on my arm, I left with a hasty goodbye, speed walking to the bus station barely in time to catch my usual bus.

"Thought you wouldn't make it for a second there." Dom snickered, amused by my misery. I handed him the hot drink and slid into the seat he saved me by the glass window. Huffing from my lack of fitness. He bumped my shoulder and raised his drink with a wide smile that made his cheek dimple. "Thanks, Lils. This is exactly what I needed. You're the best."

"Yeah, yeah." I waved my hand casually. "Figured you'd be dying for some sleep coming off a full weekend of student exploitation."

"You make it sound like I'm doing something illegal." He snorted, moving to better accommodate his long legs. "Man, these seats are uncomfortable af."

"I'm afraid the bus manufacturers didn't take into account giants when designing means of commute." Outside the window, we'd just passed the stretching grounds of St. Honors university, commonly known as SHU, and we were a few minutes away from the annex clinic at most.

"Hey! It's not my fault I'm built like this." He shot back indignantly.

"Well it gives you an uncanny advantage when playing basketball, otherwise I can't see why they'd put you on the team." I muttered, trying to keep from smiling.

"Ouch." He rubbed the spot over his heart mockingly. "Who pissed in your cereal this morning?"

"Emilia Brown, that's who." I sighed, sliding deeper in my seat, rubbing my temple. I had the worst morning simply for waking up much earlier than needed, thus coincidentally bumping into Emilia before she left for work. That proved to be a mistake on my part never to be repeated again. It was obvious that our contact should be kept to the utmost minimum.

Dom snorted, "That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea." I whined, rubbing my temples that ached dully with a distant headache. I looked at Dominic by my side. His black eye-bags were pronounced and yet they never detracted from the bastard's charm. Even after a weekend of nonstop work, Dom still had that sexy tired look that made girls fawn over him wherever he went. I truly couldn't understand this man's ability to function properly knowing that he barely gets four hours of sleep every day, having to balance classes and studies, basketball, part-time jobs left and right, and keeping his charming lovely facade in front of everyone else. It if were me, I'd be so cranky people would turn a full one-eighty upon seeing me... not that people generally approach me even on my good days.