Behind Her Eyes

Chapter 03

Unexpected 

The morning was quiet, the sun barely peeking through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I tiptoed past Lumi's bedroom door, careful not to wake her. She had just finished another late shift and was getting much-needed rest before the night shift again. 

I peeked inside, taking in the sight of her curled up in bed, the peaceful rise and fall of her chest. There was a fragile calmness to her that I envied. I couldn't help but smile softly, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face before quietly stepping back out.

I glanced at the clock, there was no time to waste. I needed coffee. Strong coffee.

The bistro Maya ran was just around the corner, and the thought of seeing her face, hearing her voice, felt like a small anchor in the chaos of my mind. My thoughts kept drifting back to the call with Miah. He had reassured me, told me he would handle things, that I wasn't alone. 

But the weight of what I had learned about Mr. Abello, the pharmacy, the drugs, it all still gnawed at me. I needed clarity, I needed a break from thinking about it all, and Maya's place was the perfect distraction.

The familiar bell jingled above the door as I walked in, and Maya's head popped up from behind the counter, her wide smile immediately brightening the dimly lit space. 

"Hey, Lila! What can I get you today? The usual?"

I nodded, taking a seat at the counter. "Yeah, thanks. I could really use it today."

She started working on the coffee, her movements fluid and easy. It felt good to be here, even though my mind was still swirling. Maya had this way of making everything feel lighter, even if just for a moment. She placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of me, her eyes softening when she noticed the tension in my shoulders.

"You look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders," she said, her voice a mixture of concern and gentle humor. "I mean, I know you're always juggling a lot, but this... this seems different."

I sighed, picking up the cup and taking a sip, the warmth spreading through me. 

"I'm just tired, Maya. And stressed. I told Miah everything about Mr. Abello, about the drugs, about the whole mess. He's going to help, look into it. But I'm still waiting for news from him. I don't know if I can keep doing this."

Maya paused, her expression shifting to one of quiet understanding. "Are you saying you might quit?"

I nodded slowly, feeling the weight of the decision pressing on me. 

"I don't want to be involved in something like this. It's dangerous, and I can't ignore it, but I'm afraid of what it means for me. I don't want to be caught in the middle of this if it all goes wrong. Maybe it's time to just... walk away. Find something else. A safer job, something that doesn't have so much risk tied to it."

Before she could respond, I heard a voice behind me, light and casual but laced with a note of concern. "You sure that's the best move, Lila?"

I turned to see Benj leaning against the doorframe, his trademark smirk playing on his lips. He always seemed to show up when things were heavy, like some kind of walking breath of fresh air. He strolled over to the counter, pulling out a chair and sitting down. 

"I mean, I get it," he continued, his tone easygoing, but there was something more serious behind his words now. "You don't want to be a part of whatever this is. It sounds like trouble, real trouble. And you've got enough on your plate already."

I stared into my coffee cup, stirring it absent mindedly. 

"Yeah. It's just... what else can I do? I've already told Miah, and I don't want to risk everything. My safety, Lumi's safety...what if it goes south? What if I end up in deeper than I ever expected?"