The last of her customers left the cafe, the jingle of the bell signalling their exit. The café was lit up by the late afternoon sun filtering through the wide glass windows. Aria wiped her palms against her apron for what must’ve been the tenth time. The sting in her wrist a constant reminder of Ethan's visit and their impending meeting. Every sound, from the ticking of the wall clock to a random cling of a bell from a bicycle that passed by her café, felt like a silent taunt by the world. Everything seemed to mock her somehow.
She forced herself to breathe normally. To stop her hands from trembling. To act like she hadn’t been threatened by her ex hours ago. Like her entire world hadn’t tilted on its axis.
The bell above the café door chimed, startling Aria a little. Then she saw the f
