"Hello... Can we add each other on Facebook?" he asked, shyly.
The atmosphere around the table immediately turned icy. Elias' face darkened, and the air seemed to thicken with the dangerous emotion brewing in his eyes.
Vera paused for a brief moment, then pulled out her phone and said, "Okay."
She was about to accept the request when Elias' hand shot out, stopping her. He snatched the phone from her hands, his voice low and cold. "Which class are you from? What’s the name of your class teacher? What was your midterm exam ranking? You don’t focus on your studies and all you do is flirt with girls, huh?"
The boy’s face turned beet red, and in a flash, he turned and ran off.
Elias' expression remained sour, and after watching the boy flee, he handed the phone back to Vera. His voice was sharp. "Do you really want to add him?"
"No," Vera shook her head quickly. "I just didn’t want to embarrass him by refusing. If he adds me, I’ll delete him."
Elias' mood lightened a little upon hearing her explanation. "Alright, let’s eat then."
Mira, standing off to the side, felt like a stranger in the moment. She observed the interaction silently, her heart sinking.