Chapter 4

Sofia was studying the menu, her elbows gently resting on the table. Everything about her minimalist look was harmonious: the black turtleneck perfectly complemented the strict grey skirt, while her long black hair highlighted the brightness of her piercing grey eyes.

Every time Holden stepped into her favourite café, he would freeze, scanning the crowd until he found her. He couldn't understand what she saw in him. She'd be better off with someone like Patrick: a careerist who never gets out of thousand-dollar suits, resides in high-rise skyscrapers and works for a multi-billion dollar corporation.

The café was crowded. A perfect place to confess to Sofia - she wouldn't make a scene in public. She was too reserved.

A waiter passed by and bumped into Holden with a tray, barely avoiding a spill. Patrons jerked at the noise and turned towards Holden. Sofia noticed him and timidly raised her hand to catch his attention.

"Hi," she uttered in her usual calm tone.

"Hi," he replied.

"Shall we order as usual?"

"Yes."

"Great, so I didn't guess wrong."

They sat silently until the waiter brought the order: black coffee for her and a latte for him.

"How's work?"

"Just as usual," Holden mumbled.

"What about your insomnia?"

"Melatonin doesn't work anymore. I'm thinking about switching to something stronger."

"Make sure to consult with a doctor. I have contacts of a good therapist."

"Sure."

It seemed that the other patrons could drink coffee forever. They were chatting, laughing, showing each other their phone screens and laughing again. Holden tried to recall if he and Sofia ever had such a dynamic or if they always sat in silence, trying to find a topic of conversation.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Sofia's question sent his heart into his boots."Talk?" Holden asked, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, you said you wanted to meet and discuss something important."

Desperately searching for the right words, Holden could feel the panic creeping up. His hands were shaking, his heart pounding, and he was struggling for breath.

His phone vibrated.

Holden glanced at the screen:

"Ready for the party xoxoxoxox"

Another vibration:

"Why is my love silent? :'( :'( :'("

Another one:

"I miss you soooo much, reply faster or I'll start calling xoxoxoxo"

A wave of emotions swept over Holden. Warmth spread through his body. His mind shut off; his heart pounded at double speed. Everyone and everything disappeared, leaving just him and the screen filled with kiss emojis.

"Is everything alright?" a cold voice brought him back.

"Yes, sorry. There's a crisis at work; I need to rush back and help. We'll talk later," he ran off so quickly that Sofia didn't have time to respond.

"Check, please," said a deflated girl to a passing waiter.