the storm in bar

The bar was louder than usual. Music pumping, lights low, and the air thick with perfume and trouble.

Zim was practically vibrating with excitement. "OH MY GODDDD what if she's like... some model from Europe? Or—wait—what if she's an idol?? I bet she's gorgeous."

Jace leaned over the bar, grinning. "If Aven's been hiding her, she's gotta be fire. This better not be one of his pranks."

Zim elbowed him. "Shut up, it's real this time. I even stalked his calendar—there was a heart emoji on today."

Kael chuckled nervously, glancing at Nova.

Nova wasn't laughing.

She leaned closer, voice low. "You think Leo'll actually show?"

Kael nodded once, gripping the pocket of his hoodie tighter.

"He told me to bring the jacket... and the gun. And meet him here."

Nova stared at him. "Kael, that's not just stupid. That's reckless."

"I know," Kael muttered. "But I have to know why he had it in the first place."

Nova sighed, running a hand through her hair. "And here I was thinking the only mystery tonight would be Aven's ghost fiancée."

Kael gave a weak laugh. "Lucky us. We get two."

Their eyes scanned the crowd, searching for a storm in the form of Leo.

He hadn't arrived yet.

But the tension in Kael's chest had.

And neither of them noticed the pair of eyes watching them from across the bar.

Aven finally strutted in, smug as hell, sipping some drink like he wasn't about to drop a social bomb in the middle of the bar.

"She's ready to meet you guys," he announced.

Zim jumped up so fast her chair almost fell. "FINALLY."

Jace fixed his hair in the reflection of his spoon. "Dude what if she's watching us already?"

Nova leaned into me and whispered, "Focus. Jacket. Gun. Leo."

I barely had time to nod when Aven led us to a corner booth, the lights a bit dimmer, the music distant enough to hear footsteps.

And then she appeared.

Red heels. Red dress. A slit up to the thigh that screamed expensive danger. Short, messy-perfect hair. And a face so unfair it made the whole bar pause for a second.

She turned toward us, and my mouth dried up.

She was gorgeous.

Like punch-me-I-must-be-dreaming level gorgeous.

Aven, looking half-proud, half-dead inside, casually said,

"Guys, this is Thea."

Zim gasped like she'd seen god. "WOOOOOW she's damn pretty, holy sh—"

But I wasn't listening anymore.

Because before Aven could finish his intro, Thea suddenly sprinted— past him.

Straight toward us.

And then, without warning—

she jumped and threw her arms around someone beside me.

I blinked.

Leo.

She was hugging Leo.

Tightly. Like she hadn't seen him in years.

Leo didn't flinch. He just gave her a smug smirk and muttered something only she could hear.

Aven dragged a hand down his face, sighing loudly.

"...Of course. Of freaking course."

Everyone was frozen.

My eyes flicked from Leo, to her, to Leo again—

And that's when it hit me.

The sharp cheekbones. The same smug smirk. The glint in her eye.

"Wait... That's Thea Rowan?"

Zim's jaw dropped. "THE Thea Rowan?! Like, the girl who had a scandal with two rival schools and still walked away like a queen?!"

Nova cursed under her breath. "This day just keeps getting worse."

And Jace?

Jace just growled low and muttered,

"Leo's friend everyone. What the hell is going on?"

But then Thea took a step back from Leo, only to start scolding him like a pissed-off older sister.

"Where the fuck were you?! Why the hell are you even here? And why didn't you tell me you were back?" she snapped, smacking his shoulder lightly. "I missed you, asshole!"

Leo blinked, caught off guard, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You missed me? Wow. Touching."

Then his expression twisted into something more curious. "Wait—when did you even get back? And… why?"

Thea crossed her arms, clearly still fuming but calmer now. "I came here with my fiancé, idiot. Also wanted to finally meet your mystery friends. You're not the only one who gets to vanish and be cryptic."

Leo smirked. "Fiancé? Damn, who's the unlucky bastard?"

He looked around the group and then—just for fun, of course—pointed at Aven.

Thea hesitated for a millisecond.

And then—traitor—nodded. "Yeah… don't be mad, but... it's him."

Leo stared at her. Then at Aven. Then back again like his brain had crashed mid-download.

"This punk?" he asked, lips curled like he just licked something sour. "Out of every walking oxygen thief in the world, him?"

Aven rolled his eyes. "Love you too, Squidboy."

I wasn't even breathing.

Because yeah, I was watching the drama unfold like the rest of them—but I was also acutely aware that Leo was standing way too close to me. His arm kept brushing against mine, and even though I was supposed to hate him, my heartbeat was… not cooperating.

Zim leaned toward Jace and whispered loudly, "Okay but like... damn. She's hot. I'd marry her too."

Jace glared at her. "You're supposed to be mad."

"I am. But also, fashion respects fashion."

Nova elbowed me. "Kael."

I blinked, snapping out of it.

Right. We weren't just here to meet Thea.

We were here because Leo had left a gun in that jacket.

And asked me to return it.

And Thea? She just dropped a bomb saying she missed him and wanted to meet his friends.

I had questions. Too many.

And suddenly, Leo turned his head and leaned closer.

"You still have it?" he murmured low enough that only I could hear.

I nodded stiffly.

"Don't bring it here. Later. Same place."

Before I could ask what he meant, Thea pulled Leo toward the bar again, dragging him by the wrist like she was the one babysitting a disaster.

"I swear," she muttered. "You're hiding something."

I watched them go.

And I knew she wasn't wrong.

Leo was hiding something.

And unfortunately for me… I might be tangled up in it now.

And here we all are shocked to saw Thea. Aven was like bro its not my fault at all then jace groaned and said , "don't you think she is here to to meet us right"

Then Aven called her , " hey devil child came here introduce yourself and get to know my closest people's "

She yelled back , " ohh im coming "

She came us while holding Leo's wrist like Damm she own him . Yeah its jealousy but im not .

Then she start to look at everyone , and then towards Aven , rolling her eyes ," first thing do not call me devil child mr. Even sin...sin ...whatever it is !"

Aven hissed ," look its Aven Sinclair got it "

"Oh whatever it is your name don't worth to be pronounce by me . "

Aven shrugged ,"same to you "

Then Nova cut them rolling his eyes ," look mr. And Mrs. Sinclair please fight in your bedroom "

Then zim snapped ," let's meet us "