Ghost

Unexpected Encounters

Emily's POV:

I walked into the small café on the corner of Maple and 5th, hoping to grab my usual cup of black coffee before the day really began. The bell above the door chimed as I entered, the familiar sound that always seemed to ease my nerves, even if just a little. The café was quiet, the early morning crowd thinning out, leaving only a few scattered patrons lost in their thoughts or their laptops.

I liked this time of day-the world was still waking up, and for a moment, everything felt almost normal. Almost. I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets, feeling the cool metal of my bike keys against my fingers. My mind kept drifting back to last night's chase, and the way that cop had nearly caught me. I could still feel the adrenaline, the thrill of it all. But there was something else too-a weird, unshakable feeling I couldn't quite pin down.

"Morning, Emily," the barista called, breaking me out of my thoughts. She was already reaching for the cup she knew I'd be asking for.

"Morning, Jess," I replied, forcing a smile. "The usual, please."

As Jess started making my coffee, I glanced around the room, taking in the quiet hum of the place. And then I saw him.

He was sitting at a table by the window, a cup of coffee in front of him, flipping through a newspaper. There was something familiar about the way he held himself, the way he was so focused on the page in front of him. It took me a second to recognize him, but when I did, my heart skipped a beat. It was him-the cop from last night. The one who'd almost caught me.

What the hell was he doing here?

I froze, my mind racing. Did he know who I was? Was he here because of me? But as I studied him, I realized he wasn't looking at me. He seemed completely engrossed in whatever he was reading, oblivious to my presence. Still, the sight of him sent a jolt through me, a weird mix of fear and curiosity.

I couldn't stay here. Not with him sitting so close. My mind was already working on a quick exit strategy when Jess called out, "Emily, your coffee's ready!"

I winced, knowing it was too late to make a quiet escape. The cop looked up at the sound of my name, his eyes scanning the room before landing on me. For a second, we just stared at each other, and I felt that same strange connection I'd felt during the chase. It was like he could see through me, see the secrets I was hiding. But then he smiled-a casual, friendly smile-and I felt the tension in my shoulders ease just a little.

"Thanks, Jess," I said, grabbing my coffee and heading for the door. But as I passed his table, I caught his eye again. There was something in his gaze that made me hesitate, made me feel like he was trying to figure something out.

"Morning," he said, his voice casual, but there was a hint of something else there too-like he was sizing me up.

"Morning," I replied, keeping my tone as neutral as possible. I was already halfway out the door when I heard him call after me.

"Hey, do you come here often?"

I paused, debating whether to answer or just keep walking. But something made me turn back, just for a second. "Sometimes," I said, trying to sound as uninterested as possible.

"Maybe I'll see you around, then," he said, that same smile still on his face.

I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything more, and quickly left the café. The cool morning air hit me as I stepped outside, and I took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing of my heart. What the hell was that? I couldn't believe I'd just had a conversation-no matter how brief-with the guy who'd been chasing me for weeks.

But as I walked down the street, coffee in hand, I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

Ryan's POV:

I watched her as she left the café, a strange feeling settling in my chest. There was something about her that I couldn't quite place-something familiar. I couldn't stop thinking about the way her eyes had widened slightly when she first saw me, like she recognized me too. But from where?

As I took another sip of my coffee, I replayed our brief encounter in my mind. She'd been guarded, almost like she was trying to get away from me. But why? I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye.

"Maybe I'll see you around," I'd said, but in my head, I was already planning how I could make sure of it. There was something about her that intrigued me, something that made me want to dig deeper.

And then it hit me-her name. Emily. I'd heard that name before, but where? I tried to remember if I'd come across it in any of the reports or files I'd been going through, but nothing came to mind. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew her from somewhere.

As I sat there, watching the spot where she'd just been, I couldn't help but think about Ghost. The thrill of the chase, the way she moved, the defiance in every turn she made. There was something about Emily that reminded me of her-of that same wild, untamed spirit that had drawn me to Ghost in the first place.

But that was ridiculous, right? Emily was just a woman grabbing her morning coffee. She couldn't possibly be the same person I'd been chasing through the city streets. And yet...

I shook my head, trying to clear the thought. It was too early to start jumping to conclusions. But as I finished my coffee and headed out, I couldn't help but keep an eye out for her. There was something about Emily that had grabbed my attention, and I wasn't about to let it go.

Maybe I would see her again. And maybe, just maybe, I'd figure out why I couldn't stop thinking about her.