THE FINAL TRUTH

Against Her Better Judgement

The soft hum of the cafe enveloped Esther like a warm blanket. She sat at a table near the window, overlooking the people walking outside. The chatter of people, the clinking of utensils, and the soft music, all blurred into the background as her fingers traced the ceramic mug filled with hot latte. The golden rays of the early morning sun poured in through the windows, casting everything with an ethereal glow. Esther loved mornings like this; sat in a cozy chair in her favorite cafe, where the barista knew her order by heart; a caramel latte with extra foam. This was her little ritual, it's how she began her day; sitting at the cafe during a quiet morning, watching everyone so busy in their own lives. It was her little moment of peace before a hectic day. 

Her eyes swept over the cafe as she sipped her coffee. Students were hunched over their laptops, couples were inversed in hushed conversations, and people stood in line to get their morning coffee, despite all this, the cafe remained significantly empty. There was one thing, rather one person, that caught her attention, the man seated at the corner table. He was tall, chestnut hair messy yet neat at the same time. His grey eyes swept over the book in his hands, and he rose the steaming white mug to his pink lips. Every so often, he would lift his gaze, as if searching for  something- or someone. No matter how cliche it was, Esther felt a pull towards him, intrigued and wanting to know more. This wasn't love at first sight, no, it was something else. It was unlike her to feel this way for a stranger, but something about him felt so familiar, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. As she sipped her latte, she wondered what it would be like to strike up a conversation with him. To break the invisible barrier between them.

Before she could even finish her thoughts, he got up. He grabbed his coat and wallet, their eyes met for a second and he gave her a small smile and a nod before walking towards the door where the bell jingled as he opened it. Esther's lips parted as time slowed down for her, everything around her became a blur, she felt a shiver down her spine. Esther rose from her seat, compelled to follow him, to bridge the distance that now felt overwhelming. She hesitated a bit, this was unlike her, but she pushed down everything that told her 'no' and followed him out into the slowly bustling streets. She felt a pang of disappointment when she looked up and down the street but was unable to spot him, but she could still feel his gaze on her, waiting for her to make a move.

With a deep breath she pocketed her hands and walked down the street, ready to begin her day, accepting her fate and the lost enigma. 

She had just taken a few steps when she spotted his tall frame walking up ahead, his long strides taking him further away from her every passing moment. Esther quickened her pace, eager to catch up to him. 

"Excuse me!" she called out, her voice an interruption to the quiet morning. 

He stopped in his tracks and turned around, a moment of surprise flickered through his eyes before he smiled at her. Their eyes locked once more, with a feeling of recognition, as if he had been expecting her.  

"Hi, I'm Esther" she said, catching up to him. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help but notice you at the cafe, I haven't seen you around here before," she rushed out, "Are you new?" 

She extended her hand, feeling a rush of boldness. 

"Marcus, Marcus Hale," he replied, shaking her hand firmly. "Nice to meet you Esther, I just moved here a while back."  

His voice was smooth and husky, she felt a thrill run through her at the sound of her name on his lips. 

"I saw you reading, I'm quiet a huge fan of books myself, what's it about?" she nodded towards the book in his hand. He glanced down at the paperback in his hands and back up, "Something about the human mind, it can get pretty dark but it's fascinating to think about what goes inside people's heads."  

Esther nodded her head, "The dark ones are most likely to reveal the truth about us, yeah?" Marcus offered a charming smile, humming, "The darkest one's have the brightest stories." 

As they strolled further down the street, Esther felt a pull towards Marcus, and against her better judgement, she found herself sharing more about her life than she ever expected, to a man she just met. 

"You come here often?" Marcus asked, the tip of his nose turning red at the chilly air. 

"Yeah, most mornings, it's my little haven," she spoke, "How are you liking this place so far?"

 Marcus nodded his head and cleared his throat before speaking, "It's great, this cafe is the only place on my list so far," he chuckles. 

He glances at her through the corner of his eyes, a smirk on his lips and a teasing glint in his grey orbs, "What other hidden gems should I know about?" Esther felt a rush of excitement go through her at the thought of sharing her favorite places with Marcus.

 "Well... there's a bookstore just down the street, like a whole 'nother world. And a park nearby, so worth going, especially during this season to watch the sunset." 

Marcus nodded and smiled, "Perhaps you could show me the park someday?" 

Esther's face flushed red, "I'd be happy to," her voice barely above a whisper. 

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