chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Mia stood outside Cosmos, staring at the to-go coffee cup in her hand like it held ancient secrets. Because honestly? It kind of did. Drawn in black ink across the cardboard sleeve was the tiniest little doodle of a girl with messy hair, cat ears, and a heart floating over her head. And under it, in Jamie's sharp but swoony handwriting, were the words "Cat girl energy today huh?"

She squeaked. Out loud. On a public sidewalk. It was over for her.

She snapped a pic and immediately texted it to the group chat.

Mia: this man is insane

Mia: he DREW ME

Mia: i am a caffeinated simp and i am not okay

Zach: yeah ok but why is this kinda cute i'm hating how soft this is

Zach: did he use a micron pen do i smell artist boy potential

Kai: please do not fall in love with him zach

Zach: no promises

Mia tucked the cup close to her chest like it was part of a YA movie montage and walked inside Cosmos. Jamie wasn't at the counter but Vinyl Dad gave her a wink and nodded toward the back.

"Your boy's finishing up a cupping session. He'll be out in a sec."

She didn't even bother to play it cool. She bee-lined to her usual table and plopped into the seat with a grin that probably made her look deranged. A few minutes later Jamie appeared behind the bar, his sleeves rolled up, hands stained with espresso grounds, hair messy in the exact way her brain liked to make illegal thoughts out of.

"Hey trouble," he said, sliding over to her.

Mia's brain went static.

"Hey yourself," she replied, totally normal, not at all like she wanted to climb him like a tree in front of the espresso machine.

"So," Jamie leaned on the bar, giving her that smirky little grin, "you like the drawing?"

"I literally squealed on the sidewalk like a cartoon character. What do you think?"

"I was going for subtle swooning. But I'll take cartoon character."

Just then, Zach burst through the door in his usual storm of chaotic energy, oversized hoodie swinging dramatically as he spotted Mia and made a beeline.

"Sorry I'm late, I got distracted by a TikTok about emotional support lizards," he announced, sliding into the chair beside her.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "You must be Zach."

"And you must be the coffee wizard turning my best friend into a flushed emoji every five minutes."

Mia kicked him under the table.

Jamie laughed and extended a hand. "Guilty as charged. Nice to finally meet you."

Zach shook it like he was auditioning for a sitcom handshake. "Your coffee's good. Your doodles are better. But I'm watching you. Friend group code."

"I respect the code," Jamie said with mock seriousness. "I've got one too. Mine involves making sure no one ever orders a pumpkin spice latte after March."

Mia sipped her drink to hide her smile.

Zach leaned in with a grin. "So where's Kai? Figured the crew rolled together."

Mia shook her head. "He's at work. He's got a thing with one of his clients this morning. Secretary by day, hacker god by night. You know how it is."

Jamie tilted his head. "Wait he's into computers?"

"Into? Try obsessed. Dude built his own PC because he said Apple was limiting his genius."

"I like him already."

Zach smirked at his phone and typed something into the chat. Mia watched him with narrowed eyes.

Zach: jamie is dangerously charming

Zach: i fear he's winning me over too

Kai: so what i'm hearing is you're replacing me. cool cool cool

Mia laughed and turned her phone around to show Jamie.

He read the messages and grinned. "I feel like I'm being slowly adopted by your entire group."

"Well," Mia said, raising her cup in mock-toast, "you keep making these ridiculously good oat milk cold brews and drawing me in anime style and that's just going to keep happening."

Jamie tapped her cup with his. "Sounds like a plan."

She was a goner Fully and completely. But like… in the cutest way possible.