My Emotions

My Emotions Chapter Two 2

Chapter Two: A Sudden Change

Two weeks had passed since my parents left for their anniversary trip, and everything in the house had been quiet and peaceful, just as I had imagined. The silence was a welcome break from the constant noise of school, friends, and life in general. I spent my days in the comfort of my room, binge-watching rom-coms, writing short stories, and practicing my singing. It felt like I was living in my own little world where I was the only character who mattered.

My room was my sanctuary, the place where I could escape from the prying eyes of others and just be myself. It was simple, yet it had everything I needed—a desk cluttered with notebooks and papers, a bookshelf full of books I could never seem to finish, and a bed that I always sank into after a long day of pretending to be normal.

But, despite the peace, something nagged at me. It was like an itch I couldn't quite reach, a feeling that something was going to change, something I wasn't ready for. I couldn’t place it, but it sat in the pit of my stomach, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it was there.

One afternoon, as I was walking into the kitchen to grab a snack, my phone buzzed. I looked down to see a message from my mom: We’ll be home tomorrow. Don’t forget to clean up the house!

I rolled my eyes. She never gave up on reminding me about chores, even from miles away. I quickly replied, I’m on it, mom. Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon.

It was strange to think that my parents had been away for almost a week, and I had barely felt the emptiness. It was almost as though I had adapted to being alone. Still, tomorrow, they'd return, and the routine I had grown accustomed to would start again.

But what I didn’t expect was that the day before their return, something would shake up the peaceful life I had been living for the past few days.

---

It all started when I was at the local coffee shop the next afternoon, catching up on my writing. I had grown used to coming here to escape the loneliness of my room, to be surrounded by the hum of quiet conversations and the rich scent of coffee. I’d been sitting by the window for nearly two hours, typing away on my laptop, when I felt the familiar buzz of my phone in my pocket.

When I checked the notification, I was shocked to see that it was a text from an unfamiliar number. It read: Hey, this is Michael from the company you visited a while ago. I hope you're doing well. Would you like to grab coffee sometime?

Michael. My mind raced. This had to be the guy—the one who had shown me the respect I never expected from any man. I hadn’t thought about him in weeks, but now that his name was in front of me, all those feelings I had pushed aside started to surface. He was polite, respectful, and handsome, and I couldn't deny that a part of me wanted to get to know him better. But what was he doing texting me out of the blue?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I could ignore it. I could easily erase the message and pretend it never happened. But my curiosity got the best of me. I quickly typed a reply: Hi, Michael! It’s nice to hear from you. I’m doing well, thanks. Coffee sounds nice. When were you thinking?

A few moments later, my phone buzzed again. His reply was quick: How about tomorrow afternoon? I know a quiet little café nearby. Would 2 PM work for you?

I stared at the screen for a moment. Tomorrow. Was I ready for this? Was I ready to meet him again? There were so many things that could go wrong. I could easily embarrass myself, or worse, I could let myself fall for someone I could never have. But something inside me urged me to take the risk. For once, I wanted to step outside my comfort zone, to do something unexpected.

I typed back: 2 PM sounds great. See you then.

---

The next day, I spent hours preparing for the meeting. I debated over what to wear, what to say, and what to expect. It was just coffee, right? A casual meeting between two people who had met once before. Yet, it felt so much bigger than that. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I couldn't help but wonder why I was so nervous.

When I arrived at the café, I took a deep breath before pushing open the door. It was a small, cozy place, with soft jazz music playing in the background. I scanned the room, looking for Michael. And there he was, sitting at a corner table, looking just as handsome as I remembered. His dark hair was neatly styled, and he wore a simple button-up shirt that made him look effortlessly put-together.

"Hey," I said softly, walking over to him. "It's good to see you again."

He smiled, standing up to greet me. "Cynthia. It's great to see you too. How have you been?"

We both sat down, and for a moment, there was an awkward silence. I wasn't sure how to start, but Michael quickly filled the gap.

"So, I’ve been meaning to ask," he said, stirring his coffee. "What made you want to come work with us that day? You seemed… out of place."

I laughed nervously, pushing my hair behind my ear. "I guess I just wanted to see if I could get a job. Things have been a little quiet for me lately, so I thought I’d try something new."

He nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I get that. Sometimes we all need a little change. But I'm glad you came in that day, even if it didn’t work out. It was nice meeting you."

My heart fluttered at his words. It had been so long since anyone had made me feel this way. Sure, I had always been surrounded by boys who couldn’t get their minds off my looks, but Michael... he was different. He wasn’t like the others. He made me feel seen for who I really was, not just for my body.

As the conversation flowed, I found myself relaxing. We talked about everything—our hobbies, our dreams, our pasts—and I realized that there was so much more to him than I had first thought. He wasn’t just a handsome face; he was kind, intelligent, and genuinely interested in getting to know me.

---

Hours seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. The café had emptied out, and the once bustling room was now quiet and calm. Michael and I were still talking, and I couldn’t help but feel like I had found someone who understood me. But as the conversation shifted to more personal topics, I felt a familiar knot in my stomach. Was it possible for someone like me, someone who was so guarded, to truly open up to him?

"So, Cynthia," Michael asked, his voice softer now. "Do you ever think about what you want in the future? Relationships, love... all of that?"

I froze. I hadn’t been expecting this. My mind immediately went to the years of hurt and distrust I had built up around men. But somehow, sitting here with Michael, I felt safe. Maybe I could share just a little of what was buried deep inside me.

"I used to think that I could never fall in love," I said quietly, my fingers tracing the rim of my coffee cup. "But, I don't know. Lately, I’ve been wondering if maybe... maybe I’ve been wrong all this time."

Michael's gaze softened, and for the first time, I saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I think you deserve someone who sees you for who you really are, Cynthia. Not just the girl everyone thinks you are because of your looks, but the real you. And I think you're someone who's worth getting to know."

I looked at him, my heart racing. Had I just found someone who was willing to break through the walls I had built? Could it be possible that I was starting to fall for him?

As the sun began to set outside the café, I couldn’t help but feel like my life was about to change in ways I couldn’t yet understand. But for the first time in a long while, I was willing to let it.

Maybe, just maybe, I was ready for something more.