Chapter 2: A Bitter Brew

I stormed out of the lecture hall, my cheeks burning with a mixture of anger and humiliation. The cool autumn air hit my face as I stepped outside, providing a stark contrast to the heat of my emotions. Fallen leaves crunched under my worn sneakers as I made my way across the sprawling campus quad, its manicured lawns and towering oak trees a picturesque backdrop to my inner turmoil.

How dare he? Who did Evan Sterling think he was, treating me like that in front of the entire class? My hands shook as I pulled out my phone, my chipped nail polish a reminder of how little time I had for self-care these days. I quickly texted Maya.

"Emergency venting session needed. Meet me at our spot in 10?"

Her reply came almost instantly: "On my way. Bringing chocolate."

I smiled despite my mood. Maya always knew exactly what I needed.

Our "spot" was a secluded bench tucked away in a quiet corner of the campus gardens. By the time I arrived, Maya was already there, a concerned look on her face and a king-sized chocolate bar in her hand.

"Spill," she said, breaking off a chunk of chocolate and handing it to me. "What happened?"

I took a deep breath and launched into the story, the words tumbling out in a rush. I told her about the encounter at the café, Evan's arrogant behaviour, and his cutting remarks during the lecture.

"And then," I said, my voice rising with indignation, "he had the nerve to pull me aside after class and basically tell me I was mediocre at everything! Can you believe that?"

Maya's eyes widened. "What a jerk! Who does he think he is?"

"Exactly!" I exclaimed, gesturing wildly. A strand of my unruly brown hair fell into my face, and I impatiently tucked it behind my ear. "Just because he's some hotshot billionaire doesn't give him the right to treat people like that. God, he's so stuck up. I swear, Maya, if I ever cross paths with him again, I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I paused, a mischievous glint in my eye. "I don't know yet, but I'll think of something. He can't just walk all over people and expect to get away with it."

We spent the next hour dissecting every detail of my encounters with Evan, coming up with increasingly ridiculous ways I could get back at him. By the time we parted ways, my mood had lifted considerably, thanks to Maya's unwavering support and our shared laughter.

Back in my small, cramped dorm room, I flopped onto my narrow bed, feeling drained. The room was a chaotic mix of my life – textbooks piled high on the desk, clothes spilling out of the tiny closet, and motivational quotes taped haphazardly to the walls. A small potted succulent, a gift from Maya, sat on the windowsill, the only spot of green in the cluttered space.

I pulled out my phone again, this time to text my parents. The cracked screen (a casualty of my perpetually overstuffed bag) made typing a challenge.

"Hey Mom and Dad. Just wanted to check in. Classes are going well. Miss you both."

It was a lie, of course. Classes were fine, but I couldn't bring myself to tell them about the Evan Sterling situation. They had enough to worry about without adding my drama to the mix.

As I drifted off to sleep that night, the soft glow of streetlights filtering through my thin curtains, I couldn't shake the image of Evan's smirking face from my mind. Little did I know, our paths were destined to cross again sooner than I expected.

The next morning dawned bright and early, sunlight streaming through the gaps in my curtains. I dragged myself out of bed, my reflection in the small mirror above my desk showing dark circles under my eyes and my hair a tangled mess. I quickly threw on my work uniform – black pants and a polo shirt with the Campus Grind logo – and headed out for my opening shift.

The café was quiet when I arrived, the early morning sun casting long shadows across the polished wooden floors and gleaming espresso machines. I went through the motions of setting up for the day on autopilot, my mind still clouded with thoughts of yesterday's humiliation.

The morning rush came and went in a blur of Steam and Caffeine. By mid-morning, the café had settled into its usual lull, the air filled with the quiet chatter of students and the clacking of laptop keys. I was just starting to relax when the door chimed.

I looked up, and my heart sank. There he was, Evan Sterling in all his arrogant glory, striding into the café like he owned the place. His tailored suit looked out of place among the casually dressed students, and his presence seemed to command attention from everyone in the room.

Our eyes met, and I saw a flicker of recognition in his steel-gray gaze, followed by that infuriating smirk. He approached the counter, his presence seeming to fill the entire room.

"Well, well," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "If it isn't Miss Weston. I trust you've learned the difference between a ristretto and a regular espresso by now?"

I gritted my teeth, forcing a smile onto my face. "Welcome back to Campus Grind, sir. What can I get for you today?"

Evan's eyes narrowed, as if disappointed by my professional response. "Double espresso," he said, his tone even ruder than before. "And try not to mess it up this time."

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. How dare he? The urge to snap back at him was almost overwhelming, but I bit my tongue. I couldn't afford to lose this job.

As I turned to the espresso machine, I caught sight of Maya entering the café. She took one look at Evan and then at my face, and understanding dawned in her eyes. She quickly made her way behind the counter, ostensibly to grab her apron for her shift, but I knew she was really there to support me.

"You okay?" she whispered as she passed.

I nodded tightly, focusing on preparing Evan's drink. But as I worked, an idea began to form in my mind. A crazy, reckless idea that could cost me everything if I got caught. But in that moment, with the sting of Evan's words still fresh, I didn't care.

I glanced around the café. There were only a few customers, all engrossed in their own conversations or buried in their laptops. Evan had his back to me, apparently engrossed in something on his phone.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I quickly turned my back to the room, blocking the view of the cup with my body. Then, in one swift motion, I spit into the espresso.

A quiet gasp escaped Maya, who had been watching me closely. Her eyes were wide with shock, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching, fighting back a grin.

Feeling a mixture of guilt and vindication, I turned back to the counter. "Here's your double espresso, sir," I said, my voice sickly sweet. Evan reached for the cup, his fingers brushing against mine. That same jolt of... something... passed between us, but this time I was prepared for it. I didn't flinch.

As he lifted the cup to his lips, his eyes suddenly narrowed, focusing on something in the coffee. My heart stopped. Had he seen...?

In one swift motion, Evan slammed the cup back down on the counter, coffee sloshing over the sides. "What the hell is this?" he roared, his face contorting with rage.

The entire café fell silent, all eyes turning to us. My heart pounded in my chest as I took an involuntary step back.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," I stammered. "Is something wrong with your coffee?"

Evan's eyes blazed with fury. "Wrong? You know damn well what's wrong! There's spit in my coffee, you little—" He cut himself off, visibly trembling with anger.

A few gasps echoed through the café. I could feel the weight of judgmental stares on me, my cheeks burning with shame and fear.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I tried weakly, but Evan wasn't having it.

"Don't lie to me!" he shouted, slamming his hand on the counter. The noise made me jump. "I saw you! You think you can disrespect me like this and get away with it?"

Maya appeared at my side, her face pale. "Sir, please calm down—"

"Calm down?" Evan's laugh was harsh and humourless. "Do you have any idea who I am? Where's your manager? I want to speak to them right now!"

As if on cue, Sarah, our shift manager, hurried out from the back room. "What's going on here?" she asked, her eyes darting between me and the irate Evan.

"What's going on," Evan said, his voice dripping with venom, "is that your employee here just spit in my coffee. I want her fired immediately."

Sarah's eyes widened in shock. "Lila, is this true?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could I explain? How could I make them understand?

"Of course it's true!" Evan snapped before I could respond. "And I'm not just going to let this go. I'll have her expelled for this. I'll make sure she never works in this town again!"

The threat snapped me out of my daze. "You can't do that!" I protested, finding my voice at last.

Evan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Watch me. Do you have any idea who I am? I'm Evan Sterling. I could buy this entire university if I wanted to. Getting one disrespectful barista kicked out will be child's play."

The name dropped like a bomb in the café. I could hear the whispers starting up around us. Evan Sterling, the billionaire, the man whose name was on half the buildings on campus. I'd known he was rich and powerful, but I hadn't realised just how much until this moment.

Sarah stepped between us, her face a mask of professional calm. "Mr. Sterling, I apologise for this incident. I assure you, we'll investigate this matter thoroughly and take appropriate action."

"See that you do," Evan growled. "And as for you," he turned back to me, his gaze so intense I felt like I might burst into flames, "I hope you enjoy your last day on campus. Because I promise you, it will be your last.

"

With that, he stormed out of the café, leaving a stunned silence in his wake. As the door slammed behind him, the whispers erupted into full-blown chatter. I could feel curious and judgmental eyes on me from every direction.

Sarah turned to me, her expression a mixture of disappointment and concern. "Lila, go wait in my office. We need to talk."

As I walked to the back room on shaky legs, the reality of what I'd done finally hit me full force. I'd let my petty desire for revenge override my common sense, and now I was about to lose everything I'd worked so hard for.

Maya caught my eye as I passed, her face filled with worry. I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but I'm pretty sure it came out as more of a grimace.

Sitting in Sarah's tiny office, waiting for what I was sure would be my termination and possibly the end of my college career, I couldn't help but wonder: How had things spiralled out of control so quickly? And more importantly, was there any way I could fix this mess I'd created?