The Catch | Zayn Malik

The Catch. ; Chapter 1

001

The cold autumn wind stung Blythe's face as she crossed her arms along her chest to retain her body heat. The grey clouds over-looked the busy city of London as pieces of newspaper and stray leaves littered the sidewalks. Descending from the concrete steps, Blythe carefully made her way down the street. Shivers traveled down her spine as the wind kept hitting her face repeatedly. Making a sharp turn down an abandoned alleyway, she made her way towards a door that was mostly hidden from the amounts of garbage and dirt piled along the walls to the naked eye. Her shoulders shook slightly from the eeriness of the grimy alley. Blythe freed her right arm and placed her hands on the iron handle. Pulling open the door, she quickly stepped inside the long hallway of the building as her nose tingled from the stench. She scrunched her nose in horror as she could smell the foul odor embedded in the walls. Her heels softly hit the ground as they echoed along the walls when she began walking. Another door was found at the end of the hall in which she gladly pushed it open.

A beautiful stone wall with thick stalks of ivy growth hung in a circle-like shape around a small marble fountain. Blythe took a minute to breathe in the fresh air as she could still smell a bit of the nasty odor from prior. Across from her stood a large stone arch, and from it she could see a stone pathway leading up to a thin street. The clouds above of her started to darken slowly as the wind's power started to heighten. She wrapped her thin shawl tightly around her body as she made her way across the small courtyard. The narrow street looked lonely and damp as it was completely deserted and quiet. It felt like as if she were the only living and breathing thing walking along the street. She then spotted a chipped green sign above a small shop in the short distance. A small smile appeared on Blythe's thin lips as her pace quickened towards the small bakery. Pushing open the cracked glass door, a small chime was heard above her as the smell of bread hit her like a ton of bricks.

The small cafe had spotless black and white tiles along the ground with wooden chairs and tables situated around the room. A long counter stretched from one side of the wall to the other, with delicate desserts and loafs of bread filling the glass showcases. Hazy memories flew into Blythe's mind of her younger years here; socializing with customers and helping Papa Armando decorate the cupcakes for that afternoon's sales. That was when, of course, the deserted narrow street was one of the busiest walkways in London. People seem to have forgotten the neighborhood ever since empowering corporations built skyscrapers that towered, and basically hid the independent businesses alongside the bakery. Papa Armando would be lucky to even get a dozen of customers a week, let alone two or three in a one day.

A fat rosy man popped up from behind the counter wearing a faded green checkered shirt with a dirty white apron and tanned trousers. His smile lit up the features of his happy face; the tops of his cheeks lifting up the round frames that sat in front of his bright emerald eyes. He clapped his stout hands together and waddled around the glass counter, his hands cupped in front of him as he walked towards Blythe.

"Mio figlio, Blythe!" His soft voice chirped as he placed his hands around Blythe's rosy pink cheeks, pinching them lovingly. As Papa Armando retrieved his hands, Blythe opened her arms and wrapped them around his chest, burying her head under his thick neck. His hearty laughed roared in Blythe's ears as she felt his hand rub soothingly on her back. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she stepped back from the man.

"Morning Papa!" Blythe greeted back happily. She took a deep breath, taking in the delicious smell of bread making as the smell wafted around the little cafe. Papa Armando placed a hand on his round stomach and looked around his bakery, looking as prideful as ever. Blythe gave him a warm smile yet sadness seemed to fill her eyes. This place definitely wasn't as it was before. With business running slow, his family certainly didn't have enough money to sustain the bakery. Blythe sighed and grabbed Papa Armando's hand, placing a small and careful kiss on it. Papa Armando took his other hand and cupped it over Blythe's, a small smile appearing on his mouth.