Chapter 4 Three

• The sun was scorching hot outside the cafe, and the noise coming from the customers inside, and the smell of the brewed coffee surrounded the place. I sipped my favorite coffee, cappuccino, without delight.
• Sanna sat in front of me, stirring her coffee, not meeting my eyes. I broke the ice between us, saying, "You should tell Kelvin, Sanna." She lifted her brown eyes, meeting my stare. I didn't want to talk about the night when she mentioned me marrying a guy I've never met. That was crazy.
• I placed my cup on its plate and was getting my dessert spoon when she spoke. Sadness was visible in her eyes, "Laur, please, not now. I don't want to think and decide. I'm going to lose my sanity. Can we leave that for a while and enjoy this me-time?" Her words begged for me.
• I tasted the blueberry cheesecake she ordered for us. It wasn't bad, tasted good. I ate one spoon before I gave her my answer, "Okay, fine. We will not talk about it and last night like it didn't exist," I said with a smile.
• My heart was so heavy right now. I only had four hours of sleep on my bed, overthinking. Sanna gave me a forced smile. I itched to talk about her problem, but I needed to understand her. It was not easy.
• We ate in silence, and the numerous thoughts passing through my mind were killing me. Some lingered for a minute and I wanted to scream. My feet were ready to run, away from everything. Because I couldn't control it.
• The cake was becoming more tasteless on my taste buds. Today was not a good day for me. Sanna had insisted on having a conversation with me at the cafe and enjoying our time every Friday. But this day was not for me-time. We were not enjoying this.
• She grabbed a napkin and wiped her eyes; her tears were ready to fall. Sanna's face was so red, indicating she couldn't handle everything.
• I placed my warm coffee on the table. I just couldn't bear seeing my friend like this, and I could hear the sound of my heart breaking. What happened was not easy for her, and also for me.
• "Laur, I feel so afraid. I don't want my child to have a life without her father. I love Kelvin so much, but what if his love isn't enough to accept this?" She was searching for an answer from me.
• A heavy sigh came out of my mouth. "Sanna, you won't find an answer if you keep it to yourself. You know, the best thing to do is to tell him. Your what-if, Sanna, will be answered if you do so," I advised, fixing my posture and looking at her coffee cup.
• "You're right, I will tell him. Dad was happy when he knew about it, but still got mad because I had a baby without getting married first." She planted a palm on her head as if it was hurting.
• "Dad told Mom when she came back from her charity program this afternoon, and I hope she understood," she sighed with a troubled expression.
• I touched her hand and looked into her eyes. "Everything will be fine, Sanna," I said to reassure her.
• She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thank you for being here during this difficult time," she muttered with meaning.
• "That's what friends are for, right?"
• "About last night, I'm sorry for dragging you into my family's problems. I wasn't thinking clearly, and it was stupid and crazy. You have the right to say no, Laur," she added with a laugh. I couldn't help but smile.
• "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing the whole night, crazy and stupid. Are you feeling better now?" I asked, giving her a concerned look.
• She nodded and looked behind me. I suddenly realized that the place had gone quiet. Then I saw how Sanna's face slowly turned pale. "What's wrong? What are you looking at?" I asked in confusion.
• I turned my head to where her eyes were directed. The spoon I was holding loosened in my grip and eventually fell, creating a sound for a mere second.
• No way... this wasn’t happening. I felt like I was struck, and I couldn’t move.
• As he walked in, the atmosphere in the cafe shifted. It was as if time stood still, and every person in the room turned their heads towards him. Even the sound of the espresso machine seemed to fade away, and the clinking of utensils died down.
• He had an air of confidence that demanded attention, and his features were sharp and defined. His presence was so powerful that it felt like the room had suddenly become smaller. He was like a magnet, drawing everyone's attention towards him.
• After five years, it seemed like he hadn't aged a day. He still had his chiseled jaws and the same mischievous glint in his eyes that could make anyone weak in the knees. His eyes looked even more dangerous than I remembered, like he was ready to pounce on his prey.
• The brown wavy hair on his head was a bit messy, but it only added to his rugged charm. My jaw dropped as my tongue rolled inside me, and I couldn't take my eyes off him. He looked like a million bucks in his suit and tie, like he was born to wear them.
• The pain that was squeezing me felt like a vice tightening around my chest. I could hardly breathe as I relived that moment at prom. The way we danced with such love and intensity, as if we were the only two people in the world. I remember the butterflies in my stomach, the thrill of being in a fairytale come to life. And when he made me turn around, it felt like he was showing me my future, one that was perfect and bright.
• But as I looked at him now, I knew I had been wrong. I had been living in that fairytale for too long, holding onto the promises we made and the plans we had. But it was all just a dream, a mirage that I couldn't let go of.
• My vision started to blur with tears, and I had to take deep breaths to stop myself from crying in front of him. How could I still be stuck in the past after all those years? Why was my heart still broken, unable to heal even after all this time?
• “Ren, long time no see,” he said with his mischievous smile, stopping by my side, towering over me like he was the god I needed to get away.