Impossible Lovers

Chapter 1

It was getting late, yet rest was the last thing on my mind. After laying on my bed for what seemed like 30 minutes, I decided to unwrap myself from my cozy little burrito of sheets. Maybe I should go to the cafe tonight before they close, I thought to myself. A caramel macchiato and a pastry normally brings my mood back to where it should be.

I shuffle to my closet, turning on some Neo-Soul tunes in the background. While humming to the music, I picked out a beige t-shirt, dark wash jeans, some white sneakers, and my nice black winter coat. I topped the outfit off with a gold chain, a ring, and a watch. Spraying on some cologne, I walk over to my full-length mirror to get a good look at myself. I look good. Everything about my appearance matters to me. Next, I head to the bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth, comb out my beard, and moisturize my locs. I took a good look at my dark brown, warm-toned skin. 

Taking my left hand, I slowly trace the scar on my face. It stretched from above my left eyebrow, across my eye, ending right above my mustache. Ever since the night of the accident, both of my eyes haven't been the same color. My right eye is still the same dark brown, but my left eye is this golden color. It kind of reminds me of the color of honey, glimmering even when there is no light. Honestly, it has been one of my biggest insecurities.

After making staring at myself in the mirror for a few minutes, I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. Keys... I forgot my keys. I went over to grab them off of my kitchen island. Twirling them on one of my fingers, I proceeded to walk out of the front door of my apartment. As I locked my door, I could hear the echoes of people in the distance walking to their units. The hallway walls are made of red brick and white drywall. Vine decor and lights strung the hall. This has honestly been one of the best apartments I've ever lived in.

I take the elevator down to the first floor, spoke to a few people from my building, and headed for the sidewalk. Surprisingly, it was relatively peaceful tonight. Usually, many people come home from work during this time. The amount of silence tonight night put me into deep thought. My thoughts were becoming a  jumbled mess, waiting to be sorted out. It was not an easy task, but it had to be done. I sighed in frustration. When will this end? Never, I thought. No person like me is considered normal to anyone. Hell, I don't even consider this normal.

The sudden change in weather tore me away from my thoughts. As the rain gradually fell harder, I noticed people staring at me. My scar. The one thing that can bring those horrible memories back. Pulling my hood over my head as far as it would go, I quickly maneuvered my way past the crowd. Moments later, I stepped into a small café. It was cozy, but not enough to make the stares go unnoticed. I always notice.

Ordering my coffee and pastry, I took in the environment around me. The place was engulfed in orange. Brown and gold decorations were neatly placed on the walls and centered on the tables. Taking my food to the back booth, I noticed only one person not staring at me like the monster I was. She looked at me and smiled. She was wearing a grey v-neck sweater that clung to her tightly, showing her full breast. Her black pants and brown knee-high boots perfected her look. She had thick, kinky, dark brown hair that was styled into a puff and caramel brown skin.

She was absolutely beautiful. I put a hand in my pocket trying to hide my obvious erection. Damn it. She probably thinks I'm a perv. My lucky day, I thought. I smiled back and continued walking to the back booth. Thinking I should go back and speak, she stood and walked towards me, sitting on the opposite side of the booth.

"Hi, I'm Jade," she said. "Are you new here?" She had the most welcoming face and body language. Being approached by her made me a little bit nervous, but not at all in a bad way.