HEAL OR BREAK ME

01_ Rainy Birthday

ANVIRA’S POV

“Caramel Macchiato, chocolate toppings please”

I smiled, recognizing the voice.

It was Michael’s.

“Coming right away!” I replied as I quickly moved to prepare his drink.

This was the third time he'd stopped by in the last nine hours. I chuckled at the realization. He never says anything to me, rather he sits there and sips whatever drink he orders, depending on his mood every day.

Today wasn’t any different- except that it was my birthday.

My twenty-first.

But I’m still stuck in this small town working at Patrick’s Coffee Corner with no life ambition or zeal.

My boss, Mr Patrick, has taken me under his wings, carefully teaching me the art of coffee making that I now run his business incredibly like it’s mine.

I expertly prepared Michael’s drink, with steaming milk, pouring espresso and topping it with caramel syrup. My eyes drifted over to where he sat. He was staring at me again.

The moment our eyes met, he quickly looked away, drowning himself in his book. I smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest.

Michael was one of the reasons I looked forward to opening this shop every day. He gives me a sense of recognition, a feeling that someone out there notices me.

However, it is. I don’t read minds, so I can’t tell if he likes me, or that he’s just shy. The surprising thing is, he doesn’t pass off as a shy person mainly by appearance. He has this curly black hair that falls over his face and sparkling blue eyes. A nice body build as well.

I know about this: That fateful day he came in drenched from the rain. His polo hugged his physique. He caught me staring, and I felt like the ground would eat me all up from the embarrassment.

“Here’s your order, Sire” I replied, placing the drink in front of him, making my way to exit, but he drew me back.

“Hey, happy birthday, Anvira” he flashed a charming grin and I melted.

“How did you know that?” I asked, surprised.

“Well, I overheard you. On the phone. Right... There” he took his words, as though he was breaking them. He reached out to his jacket, pulled out an elegant red velvet box and handed it over to me.

“Open it, just a little something I got for you” he added, his eyes sparkling. I quickly unwrapped it, revealing a delicate silver necklace with a tiny coffee cup pendant.

“Oh my God! It is beautiful”. I exclaimed.

Michael leaned in, his voice low. “I’m sorry, I had no idea, I would have prepared on time.”

I paused, staring at him. He had a crush on me? Oh, how thoughtful he was. Suddenly, it all made sense. That was the reason he kept stopping by.

In the last five years, I’ve barely had friends around me. My life was a lonely threshold, seeing the importance of mingling, as my grandma always taught me before her demise. Grandma would consistently ask me to invite a friend for lunch or give me snacks to give to my friends at school. She was worried about me, and I was satisfied with grandma’s company alone.

Now I’m older, I see her reasons for making me do all of that.

“And you deserve beautiful things” Michael added, breaking my thoughts. I was lost staring at him, and he was fiddling under my intense gaze at that point.

I felt warmth spread through my chest. Without warning, I reached for his face, planting a soft two-seconds kiss on his lips.

Michael froze, his eyes widened in surprise. I pulled back with my heart racing, wondering what I had just done.

Just then, a loud thunderstorm struck, shaking the entire coffee shop. We both giggled like teenagers, using our hands to block our ears from further noise.

It was going to rain heavenly tonight. The atmosphere was changing terribly. The giggling stopped as we stared at each other immensely for what seemed like twenty seconds.

In an instant, he pulled me closer to him. His hot breath was a few inches away from my face. I was taken aback, but at the same time thrilled the moment he placed his soft lips on mine again, a shiver ran down my spine. I had waited for this moment that I had lost track of how many times I envisioned it.

His tongue swirled throughout my mouth, demanding freedom. I granted all the access he needed, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.

Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation, like we were being watched. I slightly opened my eyes and I caught a glimpse of a figure standing outside. His eyes shone; a bright honey brown in the darkness. I felt an inexplicable jolt as I broke the kiss, pushing Michael aside with my heart racing.

“Wait, I…”

I rushed over to the louvers to confirm what I had just seen. But by the time I got there, the figure had vanished.

“What’s wrong, who’s there?” Michael asked, confusion written all over his face.

I tried to slide it off. “No one. It's probably just my imagination”, I lied, not wanting to ruin the moment.

His smile returned as he wrapped his hand around me. “Let’s celebrate your birthday then.”

I forced a chuckle, trying to shake off the unease. “We should”, I agreed, following Michael back inside the shop. But I knew what I saw. And it wasn't my imagination.

All the sparks disappeared after that incident. The mysterious figure outside shattered the intimacy. I tried to brush it off, so I didn't ruin the beautiful moment with Michael.

But I couldn’t.

Three times this week. I’d seen him staring at me, but whenever I take a second look, he was gone. It’s like my imagination is playing a game of hide-and-seek with me.

The same bright golden eyes, one that’s ignited. You could literally see the fire burning from miles away.

“The rain’s finally stopped”, Michael announced, glancing out of the window as he grabbed his jacket.

“It’s past eight too. You should grab your bag, and I’ll walk you home a little bit.”

I began to put my things together in silence, feeling a bit awkward. I guess he noticed the change in my expression, but he refused to press further about my uneasiness.

And I felt instant guilt.

This was our first moment together in months, and somehow I managed to ruin it. For the same reason, I have no one in my space. I scoffed.

“Thanks for the birthday surprise” I added, trying to ease his mood, and he smiled, muttering a very low “You’re welcome.”

"You still owe me for all the times you came here and just watched me without saying a word," I teased.

Michael giggled. “I’m sorry Vira, I wasn’t sure you’d like my company. I admit, it must have been really creepy for you.”

“Nah, it wasn’t.” I grabbed the rest of my things, closing the door behind me. “If I’m being honest, I actually loved it. I look forward to seeing you every day.”

We stepped out into the cold evening. Michael offered his arm, and I took it, feeling a bit at ease under his care. We strolled through the quiet streets, the only sound being heard was our footsteps and cricket noises.

We got to a point and he stopped. “I'll stop here, Vira”, he announced.

I threw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, feeling safe and enclosed in his embrace.

We bid each other goodbye, and Michael turned to leave. I watched him as he disappeared. The remaining walk home was a short one, so I continued my journey, wallowing in my thoughts.

Suddenly, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned around and found three figures silently following me dressed in all black, synchronizing my steps with theirs. I quickly hastened my steps, my skin crawling with fear.

Don’t look back again. Don’t show fear. My subconscious assured me.

But I couldn’t. Immediately, I took to my heels, and they did too, giving me a hot chase. With my hands trembling, I fumbled for my keys when I got to my apartment.

At a swift moment, I opened it, and slammed it shut behind me, locking the dead bolt. I leaned against the door, trying to catch my breath. Tears streamed down my face as I slid down the door, breaking into heavy sobs.

What is happening to me? These past few days, I have realized the importance of having a sibling or a parent or even a friend. I had none.

My grandma was all I had in this entire world, and she passed away years ago, but every day the wound still feels fresh. She promised to stay with me. She said for as long as. But she betrayed me.

I buried my head in my hands, curling myself up on the floor, sobbing even more. My body vibrated at the intensity of my broken heart.

After what felt like eternity, I felt a light touch on my shoulders. Clouded in tears, I couldn’t see. It was just a hand offering a white handkerchief with silver linings at the edges. The delicate fabric still managed to glow even in the dark.

Without thinking, I took it, wiping my tears and releasing the phlegm of my nose into it. When I finally composed myself. That was when reality struck me.

This fabric… I knew it. As a matter of fact, I had one just like that in my wardrobe which I had treasured for years.

My subconscious screamed:" Who’s in your house, Vira” In that instance, I sprang up immediately in fear. Looking around me in the darkness, searching for the mysterious figure.

My phone! I needed light!

I searched for my bag to find my phone, switching on the apartment light. The sudden brightness made me squint.

That was when I saw him. Seated elegantly on my couch, his eyes fixed on me. The same golden eyes, the ones that had haunted me for days.

The stranger.

My heart froze. How did he get there? Why was he here? He didn't move, no smile, no expression.

I stood paralyzed, unsure of what to do next. The handkerchief slipped from my hands and landed on the floor.