Unfit for Love

Chapter 1

Angelina's POV

"Run, my baby, run! You're my little princess, my little angel. I know you can do this, my brave little girl. Don't turn back, run." I turn around and start running as fast as my little feet can take me. I began to struggle with my breathing, feeling it grow heavier. I heard a sudden loud bang right before I was about to fall.

I jerk open my eyes. This nightmare again! My entire body was shaking uncontrollably. I tried to soothe my breathing before rising. It was still 4 in the morning. Since going back to sleep was pointless, I decided to take a lengthy shower. A long hot shower has always been my go-to solution for my nightmares.

Winter is about to start, it gets chill out here. Deciding to wear a black sweatshirt and blue jeans, and pair it with white sneakers. I completed my outfit. Simple and decent was what the reflection in the mirror was expressing. I looked at my shoe collection from the past few months. I always had this weird obsession with footwear, but never really got any chance to cherish it.

I grabbed my phone and bag before leaving. It's 40 minutes drive to the cafe. I own a coffee shop here in Paris. This city has always fascinated me, but I hated the spotlight it put on me. I reached my cafe and turned the open sign on the door.

"Good morning, Melissa."

"Good morning, dear," Melissa greeted me with her French accent. She works here as a cashier.

Soon I got engulfed in my work. The cafe is far from the center city. Not many colleges or offices are there in this locality, but still, I receive an ample amount of customers daily.

"Hi Dione," Stella, one of my regular customers, came in.

"Bonjour"

"One cappuccino." Her eyes roamed all over the menu before adding "and a chocolate chip muffin"

"How was your day?" I asked her while preparing for her order.

"Tiring, I got so many assignments to complete," she sighed and looked at me. "Can you help?" She is half French half American. She is studying design here.

I smiled at her innocence. "I will," she beamed with happiness. "But after the shop closed"

I placed her order on the table and asked her to wait. Then I got so busy serving and cleaning that I didn't realize when the clock struck 7. I turned the board on the door saying closed and told Mellisa she could leave.

"Don't stay too long, both of you" Mellisa warned us before leaving.

" See you tomorrow."

I looked at Stella. She was patiently waiting for me. I took a seat near her; she gave me a few papers to complete. We both were working on her assignments when suddenly she spoke." Dione, can I ask you something?"

I looked at her in confusion. "Yes" I hated when people wanted to know about me.

"Why did you live alone and that too so far from the city?" I looked at her and smiled weakly. "I used to live there with my grandmother. She died a few years ago."

"Oh! I am so sorry"

"It's okay"

"Why don't you move into the city now" She was looking curiously at me," Don't you feel like a ghost there?"

"No, I feel safe moreover peaceful there," I told her honestly.

"Wow! Can I visit you sometime?"

"Yes," I told her nervously. Allowing a stranger into my personal space feels like taking a leap off a cliff without a parachute.

"Dione," Stella's voice lowered this time.

"Yes"

"One more thing" I nodded this time and tried to avoid looking at her. I am getting a bad feeling about this.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend? Don't you believe in love?" I dropped my pen and looked at her. I never thought about love. As I stood there, a mixture of emotions swirling inside me, I attempted to part my lips to respond to her question, but an inexplicable silence hung in the air. Thankfully, her phone rang, and she excused herself to take the call.

I took it as my chance to think of a believable answer. I should have thought about it beforehand. Boyfriend, Love, is what every girl has, and that is when I am literally living in the city of love. I mentally scoffed at my destiny. I have been living here for almost two years now. Paris, The City of Love. Every inch of this city sheds romance, but am I capable of embracing it? How can I fall for someone when I can't even tell them my real name? How could I have a boyfriend, when I don't know where I am today and where I would be tomorrow? Love is just not for me. Even if I tried, I doubt there is anyone who can love me knowing about my past. I can't get rid of the mistakes I have made.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize when Stella finished her call. "I have to leave. It's getting late. Liam is coming to pick me"

I returned from my train of thought when I noticed she had already packed her stuff. "Your haven't finished your work yet"

"It's okay. I'll complete it tomorrow since most of the work is finished" She smiled at me. " Thanks for your help"

"Anytime, dear" With that I collected my own stuff. When we hear a soft knock.

"It must be Liam. I am leaving then. " I walk with her to the door.

"Bonjour! Liam" I greeted him with a smile. Liam is Stella's boyfriend, he often visits this cafe with her.

"Salut Dione," he greeted me with his Italian accent. He is a year senior to Stella. They both study at the same college.

"Drop her home safely" I warned him, with scrunching eyebrows. Pretending to be strict. He nodded and gave me a boyish smile before leaving.

I bid goodbye to both of them and went inside to check everything. I locked the counter and double-checked everything before locking the main door. I hopped into my car, the familiar scent of gasoline filling the air as I turned the key and began driving. The road was quiet and dark; night was showing its effect. The lifeless path which gets darker and darker with time. When I was little, I used to be afraid of nights, but now they are my peaceful heaven. No one can see my shattered self here, my pain, my bruises, my past...

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Hey guys, this is my first time writing a story and jotting down my thoughts. So there may be some errors, some mistakes. Kindly ignore them and let me know how you feel about this chapter. I am a lazy writer so your comments are my only motivation. Hope you bear with me throughout the story.

See you in the next chapter...