THE INN

Chapter: 6 When Someone Looks In The Mirror

'What is wrong with you? Whatever it is, I'm sure we can talk about it,' Emma pulled her hair back. 'We can't end it like this, we just can't.'

Stiles folded his clothes and place them in the closet. He didn't respond which made Emma even angrier.

'You weren't like this. You stopped communicating with me, and-and you always make excuses to avoid hanging out with me. All you want to do is to sit alone in your room and watch television and read books. What has happened to you? What happened to us?' she cried, throwing the rest of the clothes on the floor.

Stiles turned and made some space for Emma to sit on the bed. 'It's not what you think. You need to breathe. Come here and sit down. He said, softly pulling her by the arm.

Taking a step back, Emma pressed her hand on her forehead. ''I'm dying here shouting at you. How the hell can you be so calm? Is this your way to break up with me? If it is, then just say so. I simply can't take it anymore.'

Stiles put his hand on Emma's shoulder. 'You want me to talk, then let's just talk.'

Emma removed his hand and asked. 'Do you love me?'

'You know we have been together for so long, now. We can work things out. I want you to be happy.'

'You still didn't answer my question, Stiles. I wish you could hear me. Why can't you hear me?'

'Can you hear me? Just move, will you? Hey! I'm talking you. The guy in green sweatshirt.' Stiles heard an unfamiliar voice.

Stiles unaware of his surroundings looked up and saw a five-foot nine girl riding a bicycle. She was coming right at him. Her high pony tail was flying in the wind. Before Stiles could say or do anything, he got hit by the bike and fell backwards. After getting hit by a bicycle, Stiles snapped out of the day when Emma left him. He realized he was away from home and not with her.

The throbbing pain in Stiles' head didn't let him stand.

'Are you hurt?' the girl dropped her bicycle and went running towards Stiles.

She waved her hand in front of Stiles' eyes. 'Hello? Can you hear me? Don't tell me you are concussed.'

Stiles looked down at the bruises on his right elbow. 'Can you please stop yelling? I'm fine, but I don't think you are.'

'What?'

'You don't even know how to ride a bicycle. Ever heard of brakes?' Stiles brushed off the dust from his clothes.

The girl brought a bottle of water from the basket of the bicycle. 'Here.'

Still looking at her, Stiles took the bottle from her and poured some water on his dirty arms.

'That's for drinking you i***t,' the girl snapped.

'Please, forgive me. I don't know why I did that. I forgot that wearing mud is the new fashion here in this town.'

The girl snatched the bottle from his hands. 'This how you treat people who help you? You are a terrible person, and I know I didn't hit you on purpose, but now I'm kind of glad I did.'

'You were the one who attacked me with your bicycle, okay? You do not get to yell at me, I do.' Stiles grabbed the bottle by its cap.

'The bottle is empty, you know that right?' The girl lifted up her bicycle. 'Come on now. Let's get you cleaned up.'

Stiles was a little taken aback by her statement. 'Are you kidding me? This is insane.'

'Hmmm...' She uttered.

'First, you hit me because of your zero riding skills and lack of knowledge about how to use brakes, then you yell at me, and now you're just leaving me here like this and-and on the top of that you are actually talking

The girl slowly walked towards Stiles and said, 'I was talking to you.'

'Oh, I'm sorry. I- I thought you were... You look like... Never mind.'

The girl pointed towards a small coffee house behind Stiles. 'Okay, we can go in there. Maybe you can wash up there if you're lucky.'

'Oh, yeah. Thanks.' Stiles was facing the shop. He turned towards the girl and let his hand out to introduce himself. 'By the way I'm Stiles.'

The girl shook hands with Stiles. 'Nice to meet you. My name is Skye. Before you ask, it's S-K-Y with an E. I'm sorry you got hurt because of me, but in my defence I tried to warn you. I guess you were busy in your own universe.

I'll wait for you outside.'

Stiles went inside the coffee house. He rubbed his hands together to get the mud off. His thoughts of taking a warm and soothing bath were soon crushed when the picture of the inn's bathroom appeared in front of his eyes.

'I'm fine. Who needs a bath anyway?'

Stiles saw a guy serving coffee to a customer at the counter. He went to him and patted him from behind. 'Hey?'

The guy turned his attention towards Stiles. The name 'Matt' was sewn into his uniform's left breast pocket.

'Yeah?'

Matt ran his eyes over Stiles from top to bottom. Stiles' clothes were covered in mud and he had a big spot of mud on his face that he probably got while he was trying to get up.

Stiles looked down at his condition. 'I crashed into a bicycle. Can I use the washroom here?'

The expression on Matt's face told Stiles that he wasn't interested at all in what Stiles had to say. 'You have to buy something first.' The guy rolled his eyes.

Stiles took a deep breath. He could see Skye standing out through the glass door. 'Okay, then can I get one cup of cappuccino with no sugar?'

Matt blinked in response.

Stiles turned away from the counter, letting a couple waiting behind him to pass by. Stiles felt stupid getting hit by a bike. He thought he was over his breakup with Emma, that he was ready to leave that chapter of his life behind him, but clearly that wasn't the case. He thought about the various reasons that made him think about her again after six months.

Stiles had the tendency to not let the people around him affect him. He probably wouldn't be able to survive if he did. Being a push over has its own pros and cons. He always let his family and friends deal with the future of their relationship with Stiles. He never interfered in between when he definitely should have. He lost the ability to speak what was in his heart and what he really thought many years ago. The decisions his family and friends took without bothering to consult with him left an irreparable hole in his heart.

Stiles knew he couldn't blame the doom of the relationship only on Emma. He was to blame equally as well. It got him three years to see that the only cause their relationship lasted all those years was him letting Emma take the control. The question that never crossed Stiles' mind when he was with Emma was, 'Whether he could've saved it if he just tried to give in and not give up so easily?'

Stiles shook his head sideways in order to shush the thoughts in his mind. He reached in front of the only washroom in the café. He opened the door and let himself in. Stiles closed the door behind him when he saw a girl already inside. She was standing in front of the round multicolour mosaic wash basin. The girl was sprinkling water on her face. She turned the tap off and rose her head in front of the rectangular mirror right at the top of basin covered in water droplets.

'I'm so, so sorry. I thought it was vacant. I didn't you see, I'm sorry. I'm gonna go now.' Stiles rushed out of the washroom.

Stiles put his hand on his chest and breathed loudly. 'What a day!'

Stiles went to the counter to give Matt a piece of his mind. 'You should get a lock on that thing.'

'What are you talking about?' Matt asked, counting his tip.

'Lock on your washroom door. There was someone already inside and I made a complete fool of myself. Are you happy now?'

Matt slid the penny beside the tip jar and leaned forward on the counter. 'You sure you okay, man?'

'Is there anyone here who can actually hear to what I have to say?' Stiles put his hands on the counter.

'Hey, you done?' Skye's voice came from behind.

Stiles leaned on his right to see Skye. 'Yeah. Well, no. Somebody is inside, but I didn't know that,' he looked at Matt. 'Obviously.'

'What are you giving me the look for? I don't keep a tab on who is using the washroom and who isn't. My work is to take orders and count the tip that people often forget to leave in the tip jar.' Matt held the jar in his hands.

Skye left her mouth half opened like she was waiting for the right time to raise her concerns. 'How hard did you hit your head? The bathroom's door is open, Stiles. No one is inside.'

Stiles turned to see the door of empty bathroom. 'There was a girl inside. I went in and-and saw a girl. She was there, and she washing her face.'

'Yeah, sure. Maybe she is playing hide and seek with you.' Matt snorted.

Skye straightened her back, unaware what to say. 'This cafe is not big enough for people to hide and besides I was out there the whole time. No one has left the café, Stiles.'

'You sure?' Stiles asked. 'Because I am pretty sure I saw a girl in there.' He stopped when he saw Matt and Skye looking at him like he was uttering non sense. 'Well, I should go and clean up because it's empty now.'

Stiles went inside and locked the door. Leaning against the door, Stiles looked at the mirror. He could clearly see his reflection. The mirror was clean now with no water droplets. 'Someone was here, I'm sure.'