In Her Words

chapter 3

Alice's POV :

I was sitting in my favorite café, a little

tucked-away gem that I had stumbled

upon years ago. It was the perfect place

to write-quiet, cozy, and usually empty.

I liked it that way. It gave me space to

think, to let my thoughts flow freely onto

the page without the distractions of the

world outside.

The past few weeks had been strange.

Leo was acting off, as if he was keeping

something from me. I could see it in the

way he hesitated before speaking, the

way he avoided certain topics. But I

didn't push him. Leo would tell me when

he was ready. He always did.

Today, like most days, I was lost in my

writing. My pen moved across the page,

capturing the thoughts and feelings that

had been swirling inside me. I was just

getting into the rhythm when I heard the

door open and someone walked in. I

didn't look up at first-it was London,

after all, and people were always coming

and going. But then, something made me

glance up.

The woman who had entered was

wearing a mask and large sunglasses,

almost like she was trying to hide her

identity. She took a moment to look

around, and then, as if sensing my gaze,

she removed her glasses.

And that's when I saw them-those eyes.

The eyes I had seen in countless

interviews, on album covers, in every

corner of my mind. My heart stuttered in

my chest. It was her. Adele. The woman

who had been the center of my thoughts,

my stories, my unspoken dreams for

years.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Her

eyes scanned the room, and then they

found mine. For a moment, we just

stared at each other. There was

something in her gaze, something I

couldn't quite name. Recognition?

Curiosity? Whatever it was, it made my

pulse race. Then, she smiled-a soft,

almost knowing smile-and my heart

nearly stopped.

Adele walked over to a table near mine

and sat down. I was trembling. My

hands, my entire body-shaking with a

mixture of shock, awe, and a deep,

intense fear. What was she doing here?

How could this be real? But more than

anything, I was terrified of making her

uncomfortable. The last thing I wanted

was to be that fan who couldn't keep it

together.

I decided then that I had to leave. I

couldn't stay, not like this. Not when

every nerve in my body was screaming

at me to run, to hide, to protect the secret

I had held onto for so long. I stood up,

trying to gather my things as quickly and

quietly as possible, but my hands were

trembling so badly that I nearly knocked

over my coffee.

But before I could make my escape, I

heard her voice-soft, melodic, and

unmistakably hers.

"Are you leaving already?"

I froze. She was speaking to me. Adele

was speaking to me. Slowly, I turned

around, and there she was, looking

directly at me with those eyes that had

haunted my dreams.

"Um, yes," I managed to stammer out, my

voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't

want to bother you."

Adele's smile widened just a fraction, and

there was a warmth in her expression

that I hadn't expected. "You're not

bothering me at all. Actually, I was

hoping you might stay."

I blinked, unsure if I had heard her

correctly. "Stay?"

She nodded, gesturing to the chair across

from her. "I was wondering if you'd join

me. For a coffee, maybe?"

My mind raced, trying to process what

was happening. This was Adele, the

woman I had written for, dreamt about,

admired from afar for years. And now,

she was asking me to sit with her. It was

surreal, unbelievable. And yet, there was

a sincerity in her voice that made me

think this wasn't just some passing

moment for her either.

"Sure," I finally said, my voice trembling

as I moved to sit down across from her.

My heart was pounding, every part of me

on high alert, but I couldn't refuse. Not

when this felt like the start of something

I had only ever imagined in the privacy

of my own mind.

As I sat down, Adele looked at me with

an intensity that made my stomach flip.

"I've been meaning to meet you, Alice,"

she said, her voice low and serious.

"There's something we need to talk

about."

And just like that, my world tilted on its

axis. She knew who I was. And from the

way she was looking at me, I realized

that this meeting was no accident. She

had come here for me.