Chapter 1: Introduction
The rain pattered against the plate glass window in a steady, rhythmical beat. Alex loved days like this. Lazy rainy days where she could curl up against the soft cushion of the antique velvet couch with a good book or, in this case, her stained French press coffee. Leaning her head against the cool glass of the shop window, she enjoyed the feeling of her hair spilling down her back in soft, curly waves. The onChange color of the leaves was reflected myopically, as raindrops beings streaming down the store window. Melancholy, striving, almost sentient.
That's how Alex described the café's atmosphere. It was the kind of spot where you could hear yourself think, and yet the walls seemed to sag and scream with the weight of memories, secrets and lives lived out by the denizens of this establishment.
The coffee's scent blanketed her senses, enveloping her with its warm embrace, invoking nostalgia and comfort. Alex allowed herself a sip and closed her eyes at the taste's intensity. Languidly, she brought her mug down, resting it on her thighs.