After a productive Saturday and a relaxing Sunday at the beach, Makenna was feeling much better when the week kicked off. She was still having flashes of the nightmare pop up at unexpected times but so far, it was a normal day for her.

Everyone was relieved to have the assessment week over and they were back on schedule with the parties, as well as classes.

"Make sure you turn in your assignment by the end of the day." The professor said when class ended and the response was a unanimous groan of disapproval.

"I almost miss assessment week." Vanessa said next to her as everyone gathered their belongings and made their way out of class,

"Almost." Makenna replied as they followed the crowd heading out of the lecture hall.

Makenna glanced at Vanessa,
"What happened Friday?"

Vanessa let out a sigh,
"Jeremy."

"I kind of figured that much." Makenna looked at her and studied her features. She knew Vanessa was bothered by whatever it was. But she didn't know how to ask her about it without sounding like she didn't care.

"He got an offer from the company." Vanessa said almost too quietly, "He's going to Seattle."

Makenna clenched her jaw for two reasons; the second was the clear hurt in her voice.

But Vanessa sighed and smiled, then glanced at her,
"I am happy for him,"

"But?" Makenna sensed the 'but' coming,

"But I came to the conclusion that I can't keep waiting for him to end things with me. He knows I'm not going to leave Tacoma and I know he doesn't want to stay here." She said, "So, I'm going to take matters into my hands and break up with him."

The look on Vanessa's face was pensive,
"It's inevitable."

Makenna wasn't sure what to say. Vanessa and Jeremy have been together for almost the entire time she's known her.
"I never liked him anyway."

Vanessa snapped her gaze at Makenna, bewildered. The smile was slow but soon it turned into a grin. The look that passed between them told Makenna that they both knew it wasn't true. Not entirely anyway.

They walked in silence for a moment.

"Have you thought about trying the long-distance thing?"

"Oh no," Vanessa came to a stop, "My love language is physical touch. There's no way I would make it through a week."

Makenna frowned,
"Love language?"

Vanessa's phone rang and she quickly dug it out of her bag,
"Si, Mama?" She answered with the phone to her hair,

Vanessa nodded at something her mum said,
"Está bien." She hung up, "Well, I have to go. Got a quick errand to make before heading home."

"Of course."

"See you tomorrow." Vanessa said as she turned around,

"See ya." Makenna made her way in the opposite direction.

She enjoyed the short walk to Metro Coffee as she tuned out the world around her. She focused on keeping away her dominant thoughts that always came with self-sabotaging intent.

Not today.
She told her brain as she arrived at Metro Coffee.

Makenna reached for the door and pulled it open only for her to almost run into Thea.

"Hey," Thea's face lit up with a smile before she ambushed Makenna with a hug,

"H-hi." Makenna hugged her back, tentatively.

"I was going to text you later today." Thea held a coffee holder with two drinks in place,

"Atlas already talked to you about it?"

"Oh, yea. That too. I'm looking forward to it." Thea's confusion quickly morphed into excitement, "But I was going to talk to you about something else."

"Oh." Makenna looked up when a few people passed by them standing right there at the entrance. "Let's step aside."

Thea and Makenna moved away from the door as Makenna studied Thea's face. She didn't want to ask how she was. That's the last thing someone wanted to be asked after what she had experienced Friday night. Of course, she wasn't ok. But she would feel obligated to say she was.

"So, Valentine's is a week from now." Thea said, "I was hoping I could pick your brain on what to get Killian."

"No, no." Makenna shook her head, "I'm so bad at figuring out what gifts to get for people."

"Oh." Thea's expression fell and Makenna sighed inwardly. "I thought you would be able to tell me what Killian liked as a kid and maybe that might spark an idea."

Makenna thought about it for a second,
"How about we get started on training tomorrow and you can ask me anything."

Thea's face lit up again and somehow it almost made Makenna smile,
"I would love that." Thea nodded enthusiastically, "What should I bring? What should I wear?"

"I'll text you everything."

Thea grinned and nodded before she took off,
"Thank you." She called excitedly,

Makenna smiled then and watched her go right before she headed into Metro Coffee. When she arrived at the counter, she spotted Brandon waiting for the barista to finish attending to the other customers.
"Hey,"

Brandon looked at her,
"Hey." He smiled, "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yea, I know. Everyone was pretty swamped last week."

"Tell me about it." Brandon groaned, "Glad it's over."

"Yea, and we're barely a month away from semester finals."

Brandon smiled,
"Can't believe our third year is almost over."

Neither could Makenna. It felt like she'd just gotten into college barely a month ago. It was crazy.

Just then, Alfie finished attending to the other customers and came to them,
"Hi, what can I get you?"

"Hi Alfie, the usual." Makenna looked at Brandon to confirm and he nodded in approval. They turned, headed to an empty table close to the entrance, and sat across from each other.

"Any plans this week?" Brandon asked out of nowhere,

Makenna stared at him blankly, one eyebrow raised in question.

"I mean are there any parties you'll be attending."

Makenna studied him. The look on his face told her otherwise, but she didn't say anything. Over the few years she'd known Brandon, he'd asked her questions that almost felt like he was trying to dig beyond the surface, but she'd always given him vague replies.

"Not sure." Adding Thea's training to her schedule might leave her less time to do anything else.

Makenna saw the door swing open in her periphery. She turned to look in order to avoid any other questions directed her way. She saw him and it felt like her heart tripped on something then got back up and kept on beating.

Atlas walked into Metro Coffee with Will and immediately felt someone's gaze on him. He scanned the café and saw her looking over her shoulder at him. The second his gaze connected with those emerald eyes, they held his gaze captive and for a moment she was all he could see. He noticed there was a softness in her gaze that he had been there on Saturday. He hadn't thought much of it because he figured he was just in over his head hoping to see something that wasn't there. But he was certain he wasn't imagining it.

Makenna looked away, hating that it felt like he'd been peering into her soul.

And just like that it's gone.
Atlas thought. He noticed the guy that sat across from her staring at her. Atlas clenched his jaw and headed towards the counter with Will.