PRESENT
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MELINA'S POV
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The girls' smiles were bright, but behind them lingered a hint of worry, and I could see they were almost crying for me. How could I not remember such people? Faces full of care, yet strangers to my fragmented memory—my chest tightened at the thought.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Pigeon asked, her hand lightly grazing the bandage on my head, her touch gentle and tentative.
"No," I replied, genuinely smiling at her concern. "I'm fine."
Relief flickered across her face, and I felt a small warmth blooming inside me.
"Do you both work here?" I asked, trying to sound enthusiastic as I looked around the nearly empty café. The place was quiet, almost peaceful, but every corner spoke of charm—the aesthetic was cozy yet vibrant, a soft hum of creativity in the air.
"No," Zara said, glancing at Pigeon with a small smile. "She owns it."
"And I also work here with her," Pigeon added with a modest shrug. "As you can see, it's a very small café, so she helps me out whenever she is free. Unfortunately she have no other job than foul mouthing about someone whose name starts with letter D "
I couldn't help the stupid smile that plastered itself on my face. There was something so comforting about the normalcy of this place, and about these people who welcomed me without hesitation.
"You're so cool, Pigeon," I said, my admiration genuine. "Owning a café and working in it—it's amazing."
But then, something shifted. Zara and Pigeon's faces paled, and before I could even blink, Zara burst into laughter. She clutched her stomach and leaned forward, holding onto a chair for support, her laughter spilling out uncontrollably.
I froze. What did I say? Was it wrong?
"Mel… my name is Dove," she said finally, her smile tinged with sarcastic humor.
Ohh… Dove. Of course. I scratched the nape of my neck, cheeks warming with embarrassment.
"Can… I… um… ahem… can I also join here? To work?" My words came out hesitant, awkward, but my heart beat faster at the thought of being part of this warmth.
Zara's response was instant, protective. "No! You need rest!"
"Yes," Dove added, though her voice softened, "as long as we would love to have you around… but you do need rest."
I sighed softly, thinking of the dark room I had to return to eventually, and how the bright, comforting lights of this café made it almost unbearable to leave.
"Uh… on second thought, you can," Dove said finally, her smile warm but tinged with authority. "But we'll tell you when and what to do. Prioritizing rest."
"Absolutely!" I said, my heart soaring. "I'd love that idea."
"Join tomorrow," Zara said, winking at me.
"Tomorrow is Sunday. We need rest," Dove protested.
"Rest is for people who work," Zara said sharply, a serious edge underlining her words.
"That's right. So tomorrow it is, Melina!" Dove said finally, a soft laugh escaping her as she nodded in agreement.
I felt a rush of happiness, a feeling so rare and foreign it almost made me dizzy. For the first time in days—or was it weeks?—I felt a flicker of belonging. Tomorrow, I thought, I'll step into this world that's bright, warm, and full of people who seem to care more than I can remember. And for once, I didn't feel afraid.
"If only you had come just a few minutes earlier…" Dove said, her voice dropping so low it felt like the words themselves were too heavy for her to carry.
Zara nudged Dove's elbow lightly, as if to reassure her, but the tension in the air didn't lift. I could feel it—subtle, pressing, almost tangible. The café, which had felt warm, safe, and inviting just moments ago, now seemed smaller, quieter, like it was holding its breath along with me.
"What… happened?" I asked, my heart racing in a mix of curiosity and unease. The strange heaviness in the air made my chest tighten.
"Who?" I added, a little louder this time, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound calm.
"One of your friends… Theo," Zara said, calm but careful, like she was trying to choose her words for maximum caution.
Theo. The name hit me like a small jolt. I had heard it before—Melodie's boyfriend. A spark of familiarity flickered in the back of my mind, faint and elusive, like a shadow at the edge of a dream. I felt my pulse spike. Why did this name feel so… significant?
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing thoughts. Theo… Melodie's boyfriend… I could picture him vaguely.
A faceless silhouette holding melodie close to his heart. I hope Melodie is happy, but why wasn't i happy for my sister?
My gaze flicked between Dove and Zara. Dove's usual mischievous sparkle was gone, replaced with something serious, guarded, almost apologetic. I wanted to ask her more, to understand why just mentioning Theo had changed the room, but the words stuck in my throat.
The café, with its warm lights and comforting quiet, now felt suspended in a strange, uneasy calm. Even the faint hum of the refrigerator, the soft clink of cups, and the aroma of fresh coffee seemed muted, as if everything around me was waiting, waiting for what came next.
I took a hesitant step closer, my fingers curling lightly at my sides. A part of me wanted to push forward, to reach out and grab onto the thread of this memory, but another part warned me to hold back. Whatever Theo represented, it carried weight. Something I didn't fully understand.
My heart was hammering in my chest, adrenaline and curiosity mingling in a dizzying rush. The heaviness in the air seemed to thrum with anticipation, and I felt it in my stomach, in the tightness of my shoulders, in the flutter of my chest. I wanted to know. I needed to know.
Then, the name forced itself out, before I could stop it. My lips parted, almost trembling, my voice rushed and unsteady. As if the Universe itself is refusing me to spell the words out, i was cut off.
"Ah! Melodie's bo—"
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