No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter one

Lucy sat by the window in the coffee shop, the glow of her laptop illuminating her face as her fingers danced across the keys. The story was flowing smoothly today. The characters, the setting, the plot twists—it all seemed to fall into place effortlessly, making her forget the world around her. These rare moments of creative focus were what she lived for.

The soft murmur of the café and the rich aroma of brewing coffee created a pleasant backdrop, but it was the barista's abrupt approach that pulled her back into reality.

"Hey, you need to buy something or leave," the barista said, a slight edge to her voice. Lucy blinked, realizing how long she'd been sitting there without ordering anything. She hadn't meant to loiter—it just happened when she was deep in her writing zone.

Lucy looked up at the barista, feeling a surge of embarrassment. She could afford a coffee, obviously—her family's wealth ensured that money was never an issue—but it hadn't even crossed her mind. She wasn't used to being told what to do, especially not in a place like this.

"I—yeah, I'll get something," she mumbled, shuffling her laptop aside and reaching for her purse.

Just as her fingers brushed the inside of her bag, a voice interrupted her.

"I got it," said the voice, casual and confident. Lucy looked up, startled.

It was Henry, one of her classmates from school. He stood at the counter beside her, his expression as calm as ever. Henry wasn't someone she knew well—just another face in the sea of students she saw every day. They'd shared a few classes, maybe worked on a project together, but that was the extent of it.

Before Lucy could say anything, Henry handed the barista a crisp bill. "A large mocha for her," he said, matter-of-factly.

Lucy froze, her mind racing. What was happening? She could buy her own coffee—why would he...?

Before she had the chance to ask or even thank him, Henry flashed her a small, unreadable smile and turned to leave.

"Enjoy your coffee, Lucy," he said as he walked away, disappearing into the crowd of the coffee shop without another word.

Lucy stood there for a moment, stunned, the mocha in her hands warming her fingers. She blinked, her thoughts swirling. What had just happened? Henry, someone who barely acknowledged her existence in school, had just bought her coffee like it was nothing.

Feeling a little dazed, Lucy returned to her seat by the window, the mocha still steaming in her hands. She set it down, her laptop now forgotten as her mind lingered on the unexpected encounter. Why would Henry do that? They weren't friends. They'd never even had a real conversation. So why go out of his way to buy her a coffee?

She sipped the mocha, the sweet warmth filling her, but it didn't dissolve the confusion in her chest. Was he trying to be nice? Did he feel sorry for her? The thought stung. Lucy had grown accustomed to assumptions about her because of her family's wealth—most people thought her life was easy, that everything was handed to her. But in this moment, it felt different. Like maybe Henry had assumed she couldn't buy her own coffee, or worse, that she didn't deserve to be here unless someone else paid for her.

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling creeping in. But she couldn't stop wondering. Henry was always so quiet, so distant, never going out of his way to interact with anyone. What did he want from her?

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her story forgotten as her thoughts kept drifting back to him.