Morning came too quickly.
Michael sat in class, staring at his notes.
Unread.
Unprocessed.
Useless.
"Michael?"
He blinked.
Emmah was looking at him, her brows slightly furrowed.
"You've been on the same page for ten minutes," she said softly. "Are you okay?"
He turned toward her.
For a moment, he just… looked.
And smiled.
"You're the problem," he said.
She blinked.
"What?"
"I couldn't sleep," he admitted, leaning back slightly. "My brain kept replaying yesterday."
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
"You mean…" she started, then stopped.
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"The part where you said you love me," he whispered.
Her face turned a deeper shade of red.
"You're saying that out loud? In class?" she muttered, glancing around nervously.
Michael chuckled quietly.
"I just wanted to confirm it wasn't a dream."
She looked away, trying—and failing—to hide her smile.
"Idiot…"
But her hand had already found his under the desk.
And he didn't let go.
For the rest of the lecture, nothing else mattered.
Not the notes.
Not the professor.
Not the future waiting outside those walls.
Just that quiet, shared warmth.
Later That Day — At the Hotel
The moment they stepped in, something felt… different.
The manager noticed it first.
The way Michael and Emmah moved around each other.
The subtle glances.
The unspoken understanding.
She smiled to herself.
Young love, she thought.
"Michael," she called out casually, "you're on the cashier today."
He paused.
"Got it."
Emmah raised a brow slightly as he walked past her.
"Demotion?" she teased.
"Protection," he replied under his breath.
She didn't ask what he meant.
But something about his tone made her curious.
The evening crowd began to settle in.
Orders came and went.
The usual rhythm returned.
Then—
The bell rang.
Michael looked up.
And immediately…
His expression changed.
Emmah noticed.
A group walked in.
Loud.
Confident.
Dressed like they owned the world.
At the center—
Anna.
Her eyes scanned the room.
And the moment they landed on Michael—
They narrowed.
Beside her stood Jack.
Arrogant. Relaxed. Smirking like everything belonged to him.
"Stay here," Michael said quietly.
But Emmah was already watching.
"I'll handle it," he added, his voice calm.
He stepped forward.
Professional.
Unshaken.
"Welcome," he said evenly. "Table for how many?"
Jack raised a brow.
"Oh? You're serving us now?" he said, glancing around. "What happened? Promotion or punishment?"
Michael didn't react.
"Your table is ready."
Anna stepped forward slightly.
Her gaze lingered on him longer than necessary.
Searching.
Probing.
But she found nothing.
No pain.
No anger.
No weakness.
That… irritated her.
They sat.
Ordered.
Watched.
And all throughout—
Michael remained composed.
No hesitation.
No submission.
No reaction.
It was as if…
They didn't matter anymore.
But That Was the Problem
Anna leaned back in her chair, her expression tightening.
"Since when did he start acting like that?" she muttered under her breath.
Jack shrugged.
"Probably trying to impress someone."
Her gaze shifted.
And landed on Emmah.
Standing behind the counter.
Watching.
Calm.
Something twisted inside her chest.
Who is she?
End of Shift
The night finally came to an end.
Michael stepped out of the hotel.
Emmah followed shortly after.
But they weren't alone.
"Michael."
They both stopped.
Anna's voice.
Emmah's grip tightened slightly around his arm.
But she didn't speak.
Michael turned slowly.
"What is it?" he asked.
His tone…
Was indifferent.
That alone made Anna's chest tighten.
"You've changed," she said.
He didn't respond.
"I didn't think you'd move on that fast," she added, her eyes flicking briefly toward Emmah.
Still—
No reaction.
That silence…
It stung more than any insult.
Before she could speak again—
Emmah stepped forward.
Calm.
Composed.
But firm.
"He didn't move on fast," she said.
Her voice was steady.
Clear.
Unapologetic.
"He just stopped wasting time."
The words landed cleanly.
Anna's expression hardened.
"And you are?"
Emmah didn't hesitate.
"I'm the one who stayed."
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Jack let out a low whistle.
"Well… this just got interesting."
He stepped forward slightly, eyes scanning Emmah with open interest.
"Didn't know you upgraded, man," he said to Michael. "She's definitely an improvement."
Michael's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Watch your words."
It wasn't loud.
But it carried weight.
Jack smirked.
"Relax. I'm complimenting her."
"You're disrespecting her," Michael replied.
For a moment—
The air shifted.
Tension rose.
The other guys stepped forward slightly.
But before anything could escalate—
Emmah moved.
She reached for Michael's hand.
And intertwined their fingers.
The gesture was simple.
But powerful.
"I think we're done here," she said calmly.
Then she turned.
And walked away.
Taking him with her.
Michael didn't resist.
Didn't look back.
And that…
Was what broke Anna.
On the Way Home
They walked in silence.
But it wasn't the same silence as before.
This one…
Was heavier.
"You handled that well," Michael said finally.
Emmah didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"I meant what I said," she replied softly.
He glanced at her.
"I'm not going anywhere."
His grip on her hand tightened slightly.
"Good," he said.
Because neither was he.