The Coffee Incident

The university café was crowded with students enjoying their morning coffee before lectures began.

Isabella followed Emily inside, immediately noticing the elegant interior. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the beautiful campus gardens, while expensive leather sofas and marble tables filled the spacious room.

Emily: “Okay, first things first. Coffee. I can’t survive university without caffeine.”

Isabella laughed.

Isabella: “You’ve been awake for two hours.”

Emily: “Exactly. I’m exhausted.”

They approached the counter and ordered their drinks. Emily chose an iced caramel latte, while Isabella ordered a hot vanilla latte.

As they waited, Isabella glanced around the café. Almost everyone seemed to know each other. Groups of friends laughed together, couples shared tables, and several students were already working on their laptops.

She suddenly felt like an outsider.

Emily: “Stop looking so nervous.”

Isabella: “I’m not nervous.”

Emily raised an eyebrow.

Emily: “Bella, you’ve been holding your handbag like someone’s about to steal it.”

Isabella loosened her grip, making Emily laugh.

Emily: “You’ll be fine. Trust me.”

Their drinks arrived a few minutes later.

Just as Isabella picked up her latte, Emily’s phone started ringing.

Emily: “Shit. It’s Vanessa. She probably wants to talk about tonight.”

Isabella: “Go ahead. I’ll find us somewhere to sit.”

Emily: “Get us a table near the windows.”

Isabella nodded as Emily stepped aside to answer the call.

Holding her coffee in one hand and her handbag in the other, Isabella carefully made her way through the crowded café.

She spotted an empty table near the windows.

Perfect.

She was only a few steps away when someone suddenly pushed past her from behind.

Girl: “Excuse me!”

Isabella stumbled forward.

Her fingers tightened around the paper cup, but it was too late.

The lid slipped.

Hot coffee splashed across the front of a black shirt.

For one horrifying second, Isabella couldn’t move.

Then she slowly looked up.

Harry Lockwood.

Of all the people in the entire university, she had somehow managed to spill coffee on the one person Emily had specifically warned her to avoid.

Harry stood completely still.

Coffee dripped from his expensive black shirt onto the marble floor.

Beside him, James Bennett stopped talking.

The smile disappeared from his face.

Isabella: “Oh my God! I’m so sorry!”

Harry didn’t answer.

His dark eyes moved from the coffee staining his shirt to the trembling girl standing in front of him.

Isabella: “I didn’t mean to! Someone pushed me, and I—”

Harry: “Shut up.”

Isabella immediately closed her mouth.

His voice wasn’t loud.

That somehow made it worse.

Around them, conversations began to fade as students noticed what had happened.

Harry slowly looked down at his ruined shirt.

Then back at Isabella.

Harry: “Are you fucking blind?”

Her cheeks burned.

Isabella: “N-no. I’m really sorry. It was an accident.”

Harry: “Did I ask whether it was an accident?”

Isabella shook her head.

Harry: “Then why are you still talking?”

She lowered her eyes, wishing the floor would open beneath her.

James stepped closer, looking between them.

James: “Harry, it’s just coffee, mate.”

Harry turned his head.

Harry: “Did I fucking ask you?”

James raised both hands and stepped back.

James: “Alright. Jesus.”

Isabella’s eyes began to sting.

She reached into her handbag, desperately searching for tissues.

Isabella: “Please, let me help clean it—”

She took a small step forward.

Harry immediately moved back.

Harry: “Don’t fucking touch me.”

Isabella froze.

Several students were openly staring now. A few girls near the counter whispered to each other, their expressions filled with amusement.

Harry looked her up and down.

His gaze lingered briefly on her oversized cardigan and the way she stood with her shoulders hunched.

Harry: “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Isabella swallowed.

Isabella: “I’m sorry.”

Harry: “Is that the only thing you know how to say?”

Her voice became barely audible.

Isabella: “I can pay for your shirt.”

For a moment, Harry simply stared at her.

Then he let out a short, humorless laugh.

Harry: “You think I need your fucking money?”

Isabella: “No, I just—”

Harry: “Then stop embarrassing yourself.”

A few people laughed quietly.

Isabella felt tears gathering in her eyes, but she desperately tried to hold them back.

She had experienced bullying before. She knew what it felt like to be laughed at, whispered about, and made to feel small.

But this was different.

Harry wasn’t simply angry about his shirt.

He seemed to enjoy watching her struggle.

Harry: “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

Isabella slowly lifted her head.

His expression remained cold.

Harry: “Next time, watch where you’re fucking going.”

She nodded quickly.

Isabella: “I will.”

Harry glanced at the coffee cup still trembling in her hand.

Harry: “Now get out of my way.”

Isabella immediately stepped aside.

Harry walked past her without another glance, James following behind him.

The moment they disappeared through the café doors, the room erupted into whispers.

Girl: “Oh my God. Did you see that?”

Another Girl: “She’s lucky he didn’t do worse.”

Girl: “Who even is she?”

Isabella stood motionless, staring at the spilled coffee on the floor.

Her hands were shaking so badly that she could barely hold her handbag.

Emily: “BELLA!”

Emily hurried toward her, ending her phone call.

Emily: “What happened? Why is everyone staring?”

Isabella tried to answer, but her throat tightened.

Isabella: “I… I spilled coffee.”

Emily frowned.

Emily: “Okay? It’s just coffee.”

Isabella looked at her with watery eyes.

Isabella: “On Harry Lockwood.”

Emily’s expression went blank.

Emily: “You did WHAT?”

Isabella lowered her head.

Isabella: “I didn’t mean to.”

Emily immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Emily: “Hey. Look at me. Are you okay?”

Isabella nodded, although tears were already slipping down her cheeks.

Isabella: “He was so mean, Em.”

Emily’s jaw tightened.

Emily: “That fucking asshole.”

Isabella: “Please don’t say anything to him.”

Emily: “Bella—”

Isabella: “Please. I just want to go to class.”

Emily sighed before gently wiping a tear from Isabella’s cheek.

Emily: “Okay, sweetheart. Come on.”

As they left the café, Isabella kept her eyes on the ground, hoping nobody would remember what had happened.

But across the courtyard, James was still laughing about the incident.

James: “Mate, you scared the absolute shit out of that girl.”

Harry continued walking toward his Lamborghini.

Harry: “And?”

James: “Nothing. Poor thing looked like she was about to cry.”

Harry pulled out his car keys.

Harry: “Not my fucking problem.”

James shook his head.

James: “You could’ve at least accepted her apology.”

Harry stopped and looked at him.

Harry: “Are you done?”

James grinned.

James: “Almost. You know she’s a freshman, right?”

Harry’s expression didn’t change.

Harry: “Why the fuck would I care?”

He opened his car door.

To Harry Lockwood, the girl in the café was nobody.

Just another irritating stranger who had ruined his morning.

He didn’t know her name.

And he had absolutely no intention of finding out.