My Coffee Girl

Chapter 1: Single

I didn't know where to begin. 

I glanced up and saw Caroline trying to save a piece of lettuce from falling off her burger. The thin stripe of pale green lettuce dangled dangerously for a moment before dropping onto the burger wrapping paper. 

She sighed with her shoulders slumped, muttering something about stupid lettuce. She shook her pale blonde curls that tumbled off her shoulders softly before taking another bite of her food. 

It suddenly struck me that; maybe months ago, I would have laughed at her dramatic gesture, pinching her cheeks slightly while calling her my cutie. 

But right now, I could only stare at my untouched fish and chips, with a lump in my throat and no appetite for food at all. 

I took a deep breath and looked up. "Caroline," I whispered hoarsely. It didn't sound like me at all. 

Upon hearing her name, she looked up immediately, her gaze meeting mine. Her baby blue eyes search my face worryingly, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I want to break up with you." 

There. I said it. There was a sickening silence looming over us as the finality of my tone sank in slowly. I shifted my gaze away, knowing that I couldn't bring myself to see the hurt and sadness in her eyes. 

"Zane. Please. We can work it out together. Just give us another chance. Please," she pleaded, her voice soft and close to breaking. She placed her hands on mine, grabbing it tightly. 

"Is it me? Am I not good enough for you? I'll change, Zane. Just...please. Don't do this to me." I could hear her sobbing quietly now. I looked at her again. 

"You and I both know we couldn't work it out. We tried. But we just...couldn't do it," I swallowed, hating the fact that my voice was laced with regret. "I loved you, Caroline. But not anymore. You're an amazing person. Don't get me wrong. You still are amazing. But I couldn't love you the same way I did back then anymore." 

We had been together for two years. We fell in love when we were sixteen. Somewhere along the way, we had changed. We drifted apart. We know there was something wrong but we tried to pretend everything was fine and did nothing to fix the gap between us. Now the hole had gotten so huge that I didn't have the energy or heart to stitch it back together.

We were falling apart. I have to cut the frail strings between us to set us both free. Free from pretense. Free from pain. 

She didn't reply me. Again, she didn't have to. We knew what I said was true. 

We left the fast food restaurant and took a walk in the nearby park. A few people were milling about idly, chatting easily with each other or just simply appreciating the beautiful sunset view. The sky was painted with hues of soft reds and oranges, the streaks blending together perfectly like a cross between citrus and mixed berry sorbets. The sun was slipping lazily but gradually into the fluffy clouds. The world seemed to be cast in its magical golden glow permanently.