Astral Diaries

A Somber Scene

The warm glow of the café spilled onto the sidewalk as Adrian approached. He paused for a moment, looking through the large windows. There was Maya, seated in a corner booth, scribbling something onto a napkin. She looked different—serious, almost withdrawn. Her usual lively demeanor was missing, replaced by an expression of intense focus, her brow furrowed.

Pushing open the door, Adrian was met with the familiar scents of coffee and pastries. The murmur of voices and the whirring of the espresso machine filled the air, comforting yet distant. This was a place where they’d shared countless conversations, but tonight it felt like foreign territory.

Maya looked up as he approached, her face softening briefly before returning to its pensive state. “Adrian,” she said quietly, motioning to the seat across from her.

He slid into the booth, unsure of what to expect. “You sounded serious in your message. What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath, tracing her fingers around the rim of her coffee cup. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something that could change everything.” Her voice was calm but laced with a tension that hinted at the weight of her words.