Dope Lovers - DPR IAN
THEA'S POV:
"We need to talk."
I gulped. It was a struggle to even keep eye contact with Synn when it looked like he were about to murder me, so I lowered my gaze.
"Um, I-I don't think we have anything to-"
"I'd be very careful with what you say right now, Thea."
Peering up at him through my lashes, my hands tightened around each other. Although it appeared like a statement, I knew better. It was nothing less than a threat.
"Come with me."
He used his hand to beckon me towards him. The action made me flush even more than the radiator behind me. A small part of me - a very stupid part of me - was inclined to listen to him, but the majority battered that desire senseless and told me not to set foot near him. I licked my lips and, using every bit of confidence I had, I said, "It's not my break yet."
Narrowing his eyes, I almost flinched at the ominous look he gave me. I held my breath when he leaned closer and set his hands on the counter. His silver rings reflected the lights above.
"Are you trying to find an excuse?" he asked quietly.
His husky voice rang deep within my veins.
Trembling, I shook my head.
For a moment, he continued staring, but then it was as if a lever was yanked down inside him. He noted my posture, the people queuing behind him, the fear in my eyes... and he moved away.
My shoulders visibly relaxed. Synn fixed one of his cufflinks whilst maintaining eye contact with me, his pupils piercing through my being. "When does your shift end?" he said.
"In two-two hours."
He nodded. "I'll be back in two hours then."
With that, he paced over to the door and pulled it open. I watched him with wide eyes as he turned left and disappeared onto the street, now out of sight. I released a tremulous breath. One of my knees almost buckled but I managed to grasp onto the edge of the counter. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I couldn't believe such intensity could emanate from a person. But what I couldn't believe most... was how much more beautiful Synn looked since the last time I saw him.
Shakily, I looked back at the counter and found some mugs that a customer had set down. I didn't even have time to mull over my emotions. I was at work.
I moved a few strands from my face and cleared my throat before offering the woman behind the till a smile. Focus, Thea. Surely, surely the man wouldn't come back to the shop. He had much better things to do, surely. Even though I was scanning and typing numbers onto the monitor, my thoughts were elsewhere.
I continued to perform the same motion whilst watching the clock intently. Thin, black hands danced across the clock's face as if taunting me, sometimes moving slower and sometimes faster, and I felt the same thing in my chest; it moved from crescendo to diminuendo, staccato to legato, the clock and my organs prancing in unison. I could hardly handle the suspense. Synn wouldn't come. He couldn't possibly. I had promised Mama I would never see him again!
Time moved by like an age but the next time I looked at the clock, I only had twenty minutes left of my allotted hours. Nervously, I chewed at my lips. My eyes darted around.
"Judith?"
She turned to me from one of the displays. "Yes, dear?"
I wrung my fingers before glancing at the door behind me. "Um... I was just gonna ask if I could leave a teensy bit early?" I asked softly. "I'm really sorry, I really don't want to but I need to do something at- at home."
"No, that's fine. You just get home safe on those slippy roads, alright? We have enough help now," she said and patted me on the shoulder. I smiled gratefully and nodded.
As soon as she'd gone, I was hastening to get my coat from my locker. I grabbed my phone from my bag to check the time and saw that there were still eighteen minutes left until Synn would arrive, if he would arrive; and in that highly improbable scenario, I didn't want to be here when he came. If I left early, perhaps I'd be able to avoid him altogether - or at least for today. He would never expect it.
I rushed to grab my things and made a beeline straight for the exit. As a result, I hardly prepared myself for the cold and was met with a great hand of ice feeling for my face upon opening the door. Swiftly, I tried to brush the snow from my cheeks and eyelashes but obscured my vision for a moment. Just as I was turning onto the main street...
I found a familiar figure leaning against the wall beside me.
I yelped.
Taking a small step back, I felt ice under my shoe but didn't have time to react.
I was falling and his hand was darting out to grab me-
Suddenly, I stopped midair.
Finding that my eyes were screwed shut, I cautiously peeled one open. Synn's large frame was close to mine. He had one hand hooked under the belt of my jacket and was holding it tightly in his fist, his brows framed with worry as he scanned my face. I blinked up at him. "M-Mr Synn," I breathed and tried to ignore the fact he was holding my weight with one hand alone, let alone by my belt and pulling me closer. "Wh-When did you get here?"
"Cuidado."
[Careful.]
His dark curls fell down his forehead as he slowly pulled me to my feet, his fingers lingering at my waist. I swallowed nervously and fought the redness threatening to smear all over my cheeks as he checked his watch.
"Two hours ago," he noted in his deep voice, then looked at me. "You're early."
My mouth opened and closed but no words would leave. Two hours ago? That meant... he never left.
He'd been waiting for me in the snow for two whole hours?
"Have you got everything you need? I don't want to waste any more time," he said. I stared at him dumbly as my lips continued to move, struggling to form anything coherent. Synn glanced down and I thought I saw the smallest of smiles catch at his mouth, but as soon as I'd seen it, it was gone; a ghost vanishing into thin air. "I'll take that as a yes, hm?" I managed to nod my head at him. "Then come."
With that, he turned and began pacing down the street, straight into the stream of passers-by. All I could do was stare at him with my mouth agape. How did he expect me to get over how long he'd waited? He didn't even seem to care!
I ran ahead to catch up with him. When I reached the man, I realised just how long his strides were at his normal pace. Huffing, I resorted to jogging beside him but he didn't seem to mind; in fact, he looked rather amused. In his perfectly moulded suit and in all his glorious height, he stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd and it wasn't a surprise how many eyes were being directed his way, mainly the girls'. Something about it made my tummy clench but I told myself I was silly.
I hadn't a clue where Synn was leading me but when I saw the familiar sign of a quaint coffee shop, my mouth fell open into a smile. I'd visit this one with my parents all the time. It was almost like he knew.
He opened the door and held it as I followed behind him like his tail, then let it fall shut. We were met with the welcoming fragrance of freshly baked bread and comforting coffee. Subconsciously smiling, I laid eyes on the table in the corner that I would always sit at and took a step towards it. One sharp look from Synn and I was stepping right back and sticking my lower lip out. I didn't know why I reacted in such a way but it felt like the right move. It was discomforting how quickly I listened to him.
What happened to staying away from him at all costs?
We waited in the queue for a few more moments but before I could immerse myself in my dreary thoughts, I was brightening with excitement at the sight of the brownies and biscuits and muffins. I let out a soft gasp at the sight of a slice of blueberry cheesecake but quieted myself quickly; me, Mama and Papa would always buy one to share and I had never had one on my own. Why did it have to look so scrumptious?
I forced myself to look away from the creamy delight, knowing that it would only tempt me more, only to realise that we'd reached the counter.
I froze when I saw who was standing there.
I slowly lowered my hands again and tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry. It was as if all my saliva had evaporated, leaving the Sahara desert in its passing, and I started to fiddle embarrassingly with my hands. Speak, Thea, just say what you want. It's not hard.
It's not scary.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't speak. I couldn't form words in front of the boy at the cash register.
Humiliation soaked me in pure red and my lips trembled.
"I'll order for you. What do you want?"
Before I knew it, Synn was crouching down beside me. A soft expression took over his face as I stared at him, wide-eyed, and bit back the tears in my throat. His gentle, blue eyes somehow drew me in within an instant.
Swallowing, I glanced at the cashier, then back to Synn. "Um, c-can I have a hot-hot chocolate, please?'
After I finally rushed it out, and remembered my manners, I flushed at the intense attention he was giving me. He nodded and stood up again to his full height, towering over the both of us.
"Give me one black coffee and one hot chocolate, extra whipped cream and vanilla syrup," he said bluntly, making my eyes widen. It was as if he already knew whipped cream was my favourite food in the world. His eyes flickered back to me for a second and then he pointed at something through the glass. "And that piece of cheesecake."
My lips wavered at his words and I found myself pulling at the jacket of his suit. "You..." was all that managed to escape me as I stared at him with wide eyes.
Synn arched a brow.
I wanted to bombard him with a flurry of questions: why had he asked for more whipped cream and syrup? Why had he ordered that cheesecake? But most importantly...
"You didn't say please," I mumbled, kicking at the floor.
"Tan jodidamente educada," he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he waited for our order to arrive. What was that supposed to mean? I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and went back to looking around the cafe, still trying to seize my beating heart.
[So fucking polite.]
It didn't take long for our drinks to be made and I reached into my bag, pulling out my purse. Papa always made me carry emergency money so if I was ever lost or in desperate need of food, I could always afford some. So at the sight of a few coins hiding in the pouch, I pulled them out and was just about to hand them over to the cashier, only to find Synn tapping his credit card against the small machine.
"No, wait!" I exclaimed, but he'd already transferred the money through. I glowered as he slotted the card back into his wallet and pushed it into his back pocket, completely dismissing my anger. Thrusting out the coins in front of his face, he didn't even flinch and just looked down at me. "It's unfair if you pay for me, especially after you asked for all that extra stuff."
He merely glanced at the cash I was holding and picked up the small tray from the counter. "Put your money away," he said shortly, leaving me to follow after him as he made his way to a table.
"Can we sit over there please?" I called out, gesturing to the cosy corner table. Slowly, he nodded but managed to still walk fast enough to pass by me, leaving me to scurry after him. "And I-I still owe you money for the food. I don't feel good seeing other people pay for me when I have enough money to-"
"Sit down."
I paused, dropping into one of the comfy chairs, and crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance. Here Synn was, bossing me about after he'd practically forced me to come with him, and now he wasn't listening to anything I was saying? I just- I just wanted to splash my drink in his handsome face! So when he handed me my hot chocolate, I more or less snatched it from him with a scowl and turned to face the window, refusing to speak with him for any longer.
Synn waited for me to talk but instead, I crossed one leg over the other in defiance. He sighed.
"Thea, I appreciate that you want to pay, but I'm not about to let a woman spend money on anything that I can provide myself," he said slowly, "¿Entiendes?"
[Understand?]
I frowned and scrunched my brows at him.
"But what if I still want to pay?"
His mouth slipped into a half-smile. "That's not going to happen."
Giving him a mean look, I raised the cup of hot chocolate to my lips and took a small lick of the whipped cream to soothe my nerves. Then I took a sip. As the drink tentatively trickled down my throat, I couldn't help but notice how much richer it tasted with the added vanilla and sweetness. But what I noticed more was Synn's intensity yet again as his eyes cruised over me, and it made me want to curl up into an even smaller ball.
He was so overwhelmingly intimidating, it almost seemed impossible, but he was living proof that it wasn't.
"Why did you say that on the phone?"
I took an unintentionally large sip and almost burnt my tongue. Hastily, I pulled the cup away and tried to swallow. "Wh-What do you mean?"
"You said you didn't want to see me again." I could tell Synn was trying to control his anger but he wasn't entirely successful, his words imitating a growl as they left him. Avoiding his eyes, I focused on the little table separating us. What was I supposed to say? What reason was I supposed to give? How was I supposed to tell him that I was scared of what my own mother would do to me if I got any closer to him?
"Because I didn't want to see you again," I replied strongly.
"Pendejadas," he bit out, making me wince. Noticing my reaction, he sighed, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't lie and make this any worse. I need you to tell the truth, okay?"
[Bullshit.]
"I-I can't."
He opened his eyes. "Why can't you?"
I tightened my hold around the cup in my hands and stammered, "B-Because..."
"Did someone threaten you?"
Threaten?
"What do you mean?"
Grave concern suddenly shaped his features and he set his mug down to rest his elbows on his thighs. "I need you to answer very honestly for a moment," he said sternly but his eyes were flashing with worry. "Has anyone... approached you in the past few days? Anyone strange, anyone you haven't met before. Has anyone... said anything about me?"
I stared at Synn and cautiously shook my head. "No, I haven't heard anything," I answered.
"No one's asked where you live or told you to come with them?"
"Wh-Why would anyone ask me that?" I said worriedly and brought my cup to my chest. Synn was looking at me with a certain sharpness in his eyes but they were clouded by unease. The sound of faint chatter, the clinking of cups and knives on plates, and the sound of milk being frothed rose in the cafe. I looked back at him with just as much anxiety, only to pause. My mouth dropped. "Wait, are you a celebrity?"
His brows creased in confusion.
"Are you a famous person? Li-Like, will people start following me if they see me with you?" I gasped.
"Baby..."
My heart skipped a beat at the word.
He looked down at his coffee and shook his head, a soft smile spreading across his mouth. "No, I'm not a celebrity," he said in assurance; a part of me was disappointed. "But I do have people in my line of work who... like to keep tabs on me, so I assumed someone had been bothering you. I'm glad that's not the case." Synn looked up and my stomach stirred even more. "Can you tell me the real reason why you stopped talking to me then?"
Guilt plucked my every string and fibre. I tucked my hair behind my ear. Now was the deciding moment as to where my loyalties lied. As I looked at the man sitting before me, traced the tattoos running up his neck to his jaw, his pink mouth, his bewitching, blue eyes, all I wanted was to be in his presence. In his soft, melting presence. But Mama's words were shackles around my wrists and ankles that jangled every time I tried to move towards him - a reminder of who I was tied to.
"I... I was just... scared. I thought you may want to hurt me..."
My words wounded Synn right in front of my eyes.
"I"m sorry," I mumbled. "Th-That was why I said it."
I had to protect my mother. Even though I was going behind her back, I would still protect her.
"It's okay." I looked up from my hot chocolate. "I hear you, Thea." Synn's deep, Spanish voice rang with honesty. "But I would rather cut off my own hand than make a scratch on one of your little fingers."
My lips quivered. My heart swelled. What was this feeling? It was the opposite of fear. It was something... strange.
"Please don't ever say something like that again, ¿entiendes?" he commanded softly.
[Understand?]
I nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr Synn, it-it was mean of me."
Smiling his half-smile, he took a sip of his coffee. "Synn is just fine."
"Synn..." Testing the word under my breath, it left my lips like liquid gold; the man drank it in. It seemed to have an effect on him as he glanced down at my mouth, then back at my eyes. Warmly, I smiled. "I like your name a lot."
He hummed in question.
"I think it's really cool," I said shyly and hid behind my whipped cream, taking another hesitant sip. "But... you don't seem very much like your name."
"Why's that?"
"Well..." I paused. "You don't look like a sinner to me. You're actually quite-quite nice."
Synn bit down on his lips and tried to stifle a smile, but he couldn't. His pink, plump lips spread to reveal dimples on either side of his cheeks, his eyes scrunching just slightly. It was a full blown smile and it knocked me out in a solid swoop. How was it possible for someone to look so beautiful and innocent while smiling? It directly opposed the rest of his appearance and the weather outside, bringing warmth to every part of my body as he laughed earthily.
"Si tan solo supieras," he muttered whilst giving me a sly look. Leaning back in his seat, he spread his legs slightly wider. "My father gave me that name. He said it was supposed to lead me on the right path."
[If only you knew.]
I cocked my head to the side. "How is that supposed to work?"
"You tell me."
"Well, I don't think names have that much power over you anyway. Look at me! My name means goddess or godly or something, but I'm nothing like that," I laughed and trailed off softly.
Synn gazed at me and tilted his head. He didn't say anything.
Nervously, I took a bite of my cheesecake and stopped myself from making a noise of pleasure. "Um, I-I hope I'm not keeping you or anything. I know you waited for me outside and if you need to get back to work or something, th-that's okay-"
"Is that your way of asking me to leave?" he asked in amusement.
"No!" I blushed furiously at how fast I'd answered. I chewed my bite and swallowed. "No, I, um, I just don't want to distract you from more important things..."
He swallowed the last of his dark coffee and set his empty mug on the table. Then, he stretched out his hand and nodded.
"Give me your phone."
"Hm? But why?" For some reason, I was already pulling it out of my backpack.
"Just unlock it and pass it."
Very reluctantly, I did as he asked and handed my phone to him. My lock screen was a picture of me and Papa when I was a toddler; he was holding me in his arms in the glare of a summer sun and we were both squinting, me with a cheeky grin and him with a soft smile. Synn paused to examine it fondly. Then he clicked on an app and started typing something. I ate some more of my cheesecake and tried to get a peek because I was nosy but as soon as I did, he was finished and passing my phone back.
I looked down to see what he'd done and fought back a laugh.
He'd saved his number on my phone and beside the name Synn, he'd put quite nice in parentheses.
"I want to show you something."
I looked up at Synn with wide eyes as he stood from his seat and straightened his suit jacket.
"What is it?"
"It's not here, it's somewhere else," he said deeply, "But I have a feeling you'll like it."
Conflicted, I looked towards the door that was beckoning me. If I stepped through it with him, I'd be betraying my mother - unpeeling the trust I'd managed to seal with sticky tape. I'd be hurting her again. But here was my saviour, the man who'd rescued me and showed me nothing but kindness from our first encounter, and a star in the sky that told me perhaps I could overcome this fear. Perhaps I was strong enough.
Taking a shaky breath, I stood up from my chair.
I looked at Synn and squeezed my fingers tight.
"Um... where did you have in mind?"
*****
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Hey fudglings,
Okay I actually love this chapter (which is rare) so I'm happy to give it to you guys :3 from here there are going to be s o m e major changes to the plot but not massively. Some chapters will be replaced by others and there will be some additional chapters too hehe
Thoughts on Thea being a smol babie? I found her so cute in this chapter and I WAS SO PROUD when she told Synn she had to keep working and she was adorable when she wanted to pay :( AND SYNN? BRO I LOVED HIM IN THIS CHAPTER I CANNOT GET OVER THE FACT HE WAITED FOR HER FOR 2 HOURS IN THE COLD AND WHEN HE CAUGHT HER BY HER BELT I actually fell in love bro I just feel like he's more gentle but dominant in this version and I'm such a simp
Okay is it just me who thinks I look so weird with kohl (basically eyeliner on the waterline)?? I FEEL LIKE IT DOESN'T SUIT ME BUT I WANNA BE A SEXY WOMAN AT THE SAME TIME AND GIRLS WHO CAN PULL IT OFF LOOK SO STUNNING idk what to do ,_, also my cricket crush is so cute and encouraging he offers to help me with bowling and gives me praise when I do well BRODHJSGJH I'm gonna miss him when I go to uni :((
Potato question of the day: Are you more of a reader or a writer, or both?
I'm probably more of a writer but I do tend to read a few books on Wattpad. I prefer to read physical books, especially dramas, crime, some sprinkles of romance but not too much romance because it can be cringe sometimes- but I do love the occasional romance on Wattpad. That's what got me into writing, after all c:
Anyway, thank you so much again for reading and if you enjoyed the chapter, please vote, comment or share this book with your friends! I love you guys!
- Fudge x