Of course! Here's the next chapter fea
Elena stepped off the bus, her feet aching but her heart oddly light. She made her way down the quiet residential street toward a two-story brick house with ivy climbing its front wall and windchimes gently clinking above the door.
Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open.
"Come in, bitch. I've been expecting you," Aiden said with a dramatic hair flip and the widest grin.
Elena rolled her eyes, laughing. "You need help."
"And you need wine, but here we are." He stepped aside and let her in.
They walked straight to his room, familiar paths well-worn over years of friendship. The room was a creative haven—posters of Kendrick Lamar, Sampha, and Queen adorned the walls, and a mic setup stood in the corner beside a beat-up but loved piano. Vinyl records were stacked beside a mini-fridge, and a half-eaten bag of Skittles lay carelessly on the bed.
Elena tossed her bag on the bean bag near the guitar stand and immediately reached for the acoustic guitar. She strummed a few notes, then began humming.
Aiden looked up from his desk. "Ohhh, is that Sia? We doing Unstoppable today?"
Without waiting for a response, he spun around and slid onto the piano bench. His fingers found the keys instinctively.
"I put my armor on, show you how strong I am…" Elena's voice rang softly, smooth and full of quiet strength. She wasn't a trained singer, but what she lacked in technique, she made up for in heart.
Aiden smiled to himself as he played along. "I'll put my armor on, I'll show you that I am…"
They harmonized through the chorus, voices rising and falling in sync. It wasn't perfect—but it was real. Honest. A reminder of how they'd survived together through some really tough years.
When the final chord fell, they both burst into laughter.
"That was chaotic but powerful," Elena giggled, flopping onto his bed dramatically.
"Story of your life," Aiden teased, then leaned over to snatch a Skittle. "Now spill. What happened? Did you get the job? Did they fall madly in love with your weirdness?"
Elena kicked off her shoes and propped herself up with a pillow. "Okay, okay. So first of all—I was late."
"Of course you were."
"No, I mean *late late*. Like coffee-stained-shirt, running-down-the-street-with-certificates-flying, type of late."
Aiden gasped. "Nooo. Did someone film it? Please tell me it's on TikTok."
"Shut up!" she laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "So while I was running, I literally *bumped* into this guy jogging with coffee."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Plot twist?"
Elena nodded. "The coffee spilled all over my top, but he was weirdly... calm? He didn't shout. Just looked at me with these cold, unreadable eyes and told me to watch where I was going."
"So mysterious stranger, slight enemies-to-lovers vibe?"
"Well, I apologized like three times. He didn't say much, but then he gave me a small towel from his pocket and jogged off before I could even say thanks."
Aiden folded his arms. "A small towel? What is he, a rich man's Batman?"
"I don't know! But then when I finally got to the estate, I took the elevator, all sweaty and messy, and guess who I saw walk out of the boardroom?"
"No." Aiden leaned forward.
"Yes."
"Nooo…"
"Yes!"
"Elena, did you bump into the CEO?!"
"I think so!" she half-whispered, half-yelled, covering her face.
Aiden threw himself back on the bed. "Only you, Elena. Only you can spill coffee on the man who might one day sign your paycheck."