Matters Of Hearts

Chapter One | When It Happened

Chapter One | When It Happened

H A Z E L

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The rush of caffeine through my veins was the only thing that helped me through the days at uni.

Scratch that. Torturous, mind-numbing, and borderline lethal days at uni.

That was the reason why I loved the quaint cafe nestled in the corner of our university's campus. Unlike the other establishment that refurbished themselves to attract a flow of students, this place kept its old-school charm. From the hardwood paneling along the walls to the canary light cast by the bulbs, everything about this place screamed for comfort and privacy. Aptly living up to its name, Intimo.

It even had that tiny bell that chimed when I walked into my comfort zone. The icy breeze of the air conditioning felt like a soft touch on my warm skin, making me sigh in contentment.

With my heavy books, the ones I just got issued from the library, clutched in my hand and my laptop tucked under the other arm, I walked straight to the counter. My clothes stuck to my skin after my walk in the harsh LA heat. For September, it was too hot this year.

Yet, even looking like a chaotic mess, Noah smiled when he met my eyes. Had I not been frequent with my visits, I would have shied away from his eyes as they roamed over my makeup-free face and the messy bun on top of my head.

"Tough day?" he asked, still keeping that brilliant smile. His pin-straight hair flopped into his eyes, obscuring his cerulean eyes.

"More like, I dressed wrong for a hot day," I replied, leaning against the counter in an awkward pose.

He gave a quick chuckle at my words, leaning forward in his arms. "So, I assume it's going to be the usual?"

His face was suddenly close to mine, making it impossible to avoid his eyes. I felt awkward.

Trying not to be obvious, I smiled, standing straighter in my spot. Regaining my personal bubble. "You know me."

"Why don't you take a seat and I will bring out the order for you? You look like you have your hands full." He gestured towards the tables.

Shooting him a grateful smile, I quickly twisted on my heel. Scurrying towards the tables, I took one against the glass wall of the cafe, depositing my stuff on the top. With no second thought, I quickly worked on the paper my professor graciously tasked us with in the first week back after summer.

I barely looked up when Noah placed the scalding hot coffee on the table. Giving him a half-hearted thanks, I kept my eyes glued to the screen. Hoping somehow. The words in front of me started making sense.

It was when I reached for my coffee that my eye fell on the napkin placed underneath it.

With the cafe's name printed in beautiful calligraphy in a corner, the napkin held a messy scrawl. A phone number.

My composure evaporated quickly, and like a fool, I looked up to meet Noah's eyes. As if expecting the attention, he was staring right back at me. There, in his cerulean eyes, was hope, making my heart sink. The feeling of my thousand insecurities clawing up my bodies, made me duck my head.

Memories after memories replayed in my mind, making me grit my jaw in frustration.

Our hearts are fragile little things. Once broken, they never collect the same. And the first love always leaves behind a scar in its wake.

As time passes, it heals until it stops hurting anymore.

But there are days when the scar suddenly throbbed, bringing back a smattering of the pain from our past. That's what I felt at that moment. The scar was hurting again.