Page 136 of I See You

The line went quiet. She could imagine him, sitting still, jaw clenched, fighting whatever internal battle always kept him from expressing more than a few words at a time.

“Address,” he said again, then hung up. Just like that.

Sevyn let out a soft laugh, one that didn’t carry joy—but a little relief. She knew it was hard for him to show up emotionally, to say the things he meant. But this? This was something. The most vulnerable he’d been was thanking her before leaving her place days ago. Still, the fact that he offered to come… it mattered.

The heaviness in her chest—the betrayal, the heartbreak, the quiet emptiness left after that disastrous brunch—all of it was still there. But maybe, just maybe, Hassan’s presence would be the thing that kept her from falling apart.

She sent the location and continued her drive to the park.

Sevyn pulled into the large park, spotting a wide spread of soccer games scattered across the fields. Parents cheered, whistles blew, and the sun sat high above it all, casting a soft glow over the weekend chaos. Her heart lifted a little at the sight—especially knowing Jada was back on the field after everything she’d been through.

She stepped out of her car, her low-top Dior sneakers hitting the pavement, blending comfort with quiet elegance. The body wave wig she’d worn days ago was gone, replaced by her natural hair, slicked into a neat croissant bun sitting high on her head. A white Dior hoodie, and black tights— that hugged her frame just right, matching her kicks perfectly. She slipped on her oversized shades to block the sun and welcomed the cool breeze brushing past her as she made her way toward Field Three.

Jada had said her game was there. Sure enough, she spotted her on the field warming up, light on her feet, more focused than Sevyn had seen her in weeks.

“Let’s go, Jada!” Sevyn called out, drawing the girl’s attention.

Jada turned with a grin, her whole face lighting up when she spotted Sevyn. She looked over at her coach before jogging to the sideline.

“You came!” she said excitedly, throwing her arms around her.

“I couldn’t miss it for the world,” Sevyn said as they hugged. Their last session had marked a breakthrough for Jada. She was technically no longer in need of therapy, but she still came to talk—still wanted to see Sevyn, and Sevyn never turned her away.

“I need two goals,” Sevyn joked, nudging her with a smile.

Jada laughed, but the smile slowly slipped from her face. Her eyes flicked past Sevyn, instantly locking on something—or someone— behind her. Her posture changed, just slightly, like a chill had passed over her.

Sevyn felt it before she saw him. That familiar presence. The stillness. She turned slowly, already knowing.

Hassan.

His cold blue eyes met hers with that same unreadable expression. Stoic. Sharp. And yet… something in them always softened when they landed on her. They didn’t say a word. They didn’t have to. Their eyes did the talking, and her chest answered with a thump she swore he could hear.

“I should get back to my team,” Jada said quietly, pulling Sevyn back to the moment.

Sevyn nodded. “Good luck,” she said softly, watching Jada run back toward her teammates before turning her eyes back to Hassan.

He was still there. Still watching her. Still pulling something out of her without even trying.

"You really came," Sevyn said, surprised as they moved toward the large metal bleachers and sat down.

"I said I was," he replied calmly, his eyes never leaving her. She nodded, trying to swallow the butterflies in her stomach. Even though he sat still, stone-faced like always, she could feel the tension in him. His jaw was tight, and there was stress behind those cold eyes he always tried to hide.

"Why are you staring at me, Sevyn?" he asked suddenly after a long silence, his eyes now locked on the field as the game was about to begin.

"You good?" she asked gently, her voice low.

"This is not a therapy session," Hassan said without looking at her, but she caught the flicker of something in his jaw again. Stress. Pressure. The storm he didn’t want to name.

"I know, but—" she started, but he cut her off before the concern could settle in the air.

"Watch the game, Sevyn." His tone didn’t leave room for argument. She huffed under her breath, lips pressed into a line as she turned her attention to the field. They sat in silence, side by side, watching as the game unfolded. Sevyn cheered hard for Jada—loud, unapologetic, like a big sister on the sidelines. When Jada accidentally tripped a girl from the opposing team and earned a card, one of the other parents made a loud, passive-aggressive comment under their breath, clearly aimed at her.

“It was an accident, hoe.”

Sevyn didn’t hesitate. She clapped back without thinking, snapping like Jada was her blood. The parent turned, ready to argue, until their eyes landed on Hassan. One look from him—cold, detached, and dangerous—was all it took for them to back down and sit quiet. Sevyn didn’t even notice the silent exchange. She was locked in, shouting and cheering like her voice was made for the sidelines.

When Jada scored again, Sevyn jumped up with both arms raised. "THAT’S MY JADA BOO!" she yelled, drawing attention from the crowd and even earning a rare chuckle from Hassan.

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