Everyone asked me the same thing.

“What is wrong with your eyes?”

I’ve became too lazy to retort to the same question again and again. Of course. I do understood the reason why they asked.

But…

How am I not supposed to feel so? My darling really is the cutest person ever. I still remembered the first time we met.

It was a day like any other day. Yet it also a day where unusual thing kept happening.

I stepped on a puddle on my way to work. My phone crack as I was changing to my working attire. The coffee machine stopped working as I was making latte for customer. A glass jar filled with coffee beans slipped and scattered all over the floor when I went to check the inventory. I even made rookie mistake by misplacing customer’s order.

During break, I sighed. Long, big sigh. This kind of misfortune never happened to me before. Not even when I was still new to work.

I’m not trying to brag, but even when I first started, I was excellent in my work. Because of that, the manager let it slide, telling me to take a break.

“Was there anything wrong lately?” he asked.

“Nothing. Who knows, maybe it was like that, you know. A bad day,” I replied. Truly, even I could not comprehended the misfortune I’m currently experiencing.

“Never had one before?”

“I live my life positively. No. Never.”

“Wow. Somehow, that irked me. Well, take it as a new experience. But, make sure not to make too much mistake after this. My hands already full with that little troublemaker.”

“Ah~ The new kid? How was she?”

“Clumsy was not enough to describe it. It was a nightmare.”

“Yet you still keep her.”

“She’s just a kid. As long as she learn the rope, I’m sure she would get the hang of it.”

“Sure, sure,” I waved my hand. “She’s so lucky to get a kind and cool boss like you.”

Laughter filled the break room. As the clock hit twelve, I returned to the front. Thankfully, I stopped making any mistake.

The bell jingled as the door opened. A customer came in. A good looking one. He was tall and quite built.

His had wheat skin that complimented his look so well. A foreign? Might be, cause his hair was silver blonde. The common color for local was either black or brown.

His eyes was… emerald green? No. Similar but the color was lighter. It was much more beautiful than the color of gemstone. When I looked into his eyes, it was so enchanting, and I almost lose myself.

“Excuse me?”

His husky voice reverberated into my heart, tugging my soul. I snapped out of it.

“Yes? May I help you, sir?”

“Iced americano.”

“Iced americano, one. The total came out is 2 dollar. How would you like to pay?”

“Card.”

“Thank you for the payment. Please wait while we prepare your drink.”

There were not many customer. Only two including the good looking man standing by the counter. Thus, I was the only person at the front. But, that was fine, it was an honor to be able to make the drink for such a hunk.

“Here’s your drink, sir. Wishing you a pleasant day.”

Perhaps, I let my guard down at that time because of his look, that’s why I gave him a smile that was sincere unlike the business smile I always gave to others.  

For a second, I swear I saw his eyes jolted. But, it might just be my imagination.

He replied with a beautiful grin, “may you have a pleasant day too.”

I guess all that misfortune was just me running out of my luck because it was used to meet him. How lucky. Only I would thought so.

The next day, he came again. And the next. And the next day too. In over a month, he came by almost everyday except for Monday where he said he had somewhere he need to go.

Before I knew it, he had became a regular at the cafe where I worked. Of course, our business booming like no other day.

Mostly because the customers would come to see the good looking man sitting by the window seat.

The manager and I was happy, for sure. Except that, there’s only three of us during the busy day. Now, that’s tiring.

“Eden,” I called out his name as I put down the glass of iced americano and a plate of cookies on the table.

“You could just called for me. There’s quite a number of customer. I’m sure you have a lot on your hands.”

“It’s not a problem. The cafe had more customer than before because of you. We were thankful for that, you know. Plus, if I came here, I get to see your face up close.”

“I will come more often.”

“What? How often would that be? You already come here almost everyday, you know.”

“Hm… Then, how about I stay here for full day everytime I came?”

“No. Don’t do that.”

“Can’t I?”

His eyes. I swear I will do anything if he looked at me with that eyes. “It’s not that you can’t. But. What if you get bored and you stopped coming altogether?”

“So, you don’t want me to get bored?”

Clearing my throat, I said bashfully, “of course.”

Even the way his eyelashes trembled everytime he chuckled was lovely. “You know, I really love that honesty of your.”

My cheeks warmed and I felt as if I was shot with an arrow. “Wha—”

“Even the way your face goes red everytime I praised you was adorable,” he quipped with a playful smirk on his face.

Frankly, we became quite close since he became a regular. Close enough for him to tease me every chances he got. I’m still not immune to it.

“I’ll go back to work,” I said as I fled the scene, unable to retort his teasing.

Most of the customers came for him. Maybe because of that, I could hear from the mumbles in the crowd mentioned lady cashier or some even harsher, that bitch.

Not that I care much either. They can talk about me all they wanted. As for me, whetever they said, won’t hurt a penny in my paycheck.

I know. I know. They might be talking about the other lady. But that newbie had not yet took upon the job as cashier, you see. It’s either me, or the manager who obviously a man.

“You know. I was thinking, maybe what you’ve been feeling all this time were one of this haters you recently got. The timing coincide,” the manager said as soon as I got into the counter.

“There is possibility. But, it’s not like they will took action based on speculation only.”

He clicked his tongue. “Useless officer. Our tax goes into their pocket for them to protect us.”

“Now, now. Halt your tongue. It was logical, you know. It might just me feeling restless. I only felt someone was following me, staring at me. But, I can’t be sure of it. There was no evidence to say I was stalked by someone.”

“Then, what? You want to wait until something happen first? Only then would you be sure? So careless!”

“No worries, I didn’t took up taekwondo class for nothing.”

“You want to fight them? What if they were much stronger?”

“No, no. I have no intention to fight. Just gonna buy me some time to run. There’s a police station just 3 meter away from my apartment.”

He sighed. “Still… Why don’t you just hopped on my car?”

“No need. You know my house is in the opposite direction. Plus, you still have to send the little girl back home.”

“Why don’t you buy yourself a car or a bike? At least, that would be safer than walking back home.”

Seriously. I know how worried he was, but I need to save money for other thing. I can’t wasted it on buying something that were not an essential yet.

“Alright, alright. I’ll think about it.”

He shook his head, sighed again, said, “I know you want to avoid talking about it. I won’t pressure you anymore, but do let me know before anything happen, okay?”

“Promise…”

On the day I promised not to let anything happened to myself, I unfortunately had to break it.

That night was cold and windy. Bavoom. Thunder roaring in the sky. I never forgot with me my foldable umbrella. Before it began to rain, I quicken my pace, hoping I could arrived home before the water hit the ground.

The apartment where I lived was only three blocks away from my workplace. I took the usual route. That was my habit. I always followed a certain routine in my daily life. It was much comfortable that way.

There. The creeping stare. I felt it again. The chilling sense etched in my bones. It had been a month since.

Weirdly enough, it was different from the hateful gaze I received at the cafe. That was how I became certain, it was not any of them. Then, who? Why? Questions that popped up in my mind. One that I do not knew the answer.

I never felt the need to glance at my back to get a peek on their face. Nor have I thought about confronting those eyes. Because I thought, it might just be an illusion.

I don’t know what came to me. Perhaps, it was the weather. I decided to look back. It was someone I never expected. Or was I?

“Eden?” I mumbled out his name.

His lips curved up as I met with his gaze. “Finally, you look back.”

I paused. My feet froze. My mind in jumble. I was puzzled. He stepped closer. Tap. Tap. Tap. He walked. Then, he stop. Right in front of me. Just an inch gap.

“It took quite a while for you to turn back. I was wondering when you will look at me,” he said.

His hands squishing on my cheeks. He tilted my head so my eyes would met his. He lowered his head so his face would get closer to mine. He nuzzled the tips of our nose together.

“My sweet honey,” he whispered, “I’m really overjoy you finally noticed me.”

Here I am, trying to grapple on the situation. I was confused. I was stunned. The situation overall was out of my expectation.

“Eden.”

“Yes?”

“Was it you? The one who had been trailing after me this whole month?”

“Yes, I am. I was worried about you. I have to make sure you arrived home safely.”

“I see… Then, why didn’t you said anything? I thought you were a stalker.”

“Well… I don’t want to be rejected.”

“I would never!”

“Then!” He grasped my hands, said, “can I walk you home from now?”

“Um… Sure. But, won’t that be a burden for you?”

“Not at all. I lived in the apartment opposite to yours.”

“That fancy building?”

“If that how you see it, yes. Want to visit my house?”

“May I?”

I wouldn’t say an apartment opposite to mine. It was more of a condominium that elite people would lived in. The price for the smallest house in this condominium was 6 time more expensive than my current place.

Does a writer made that much money from writing? I have an acquintance who was also writing for living, but she had not earned more than my 3 month salary for one novel.

“Of course you may!” he said.

Somehow, my gut kept telling me to retract my decision and just go back home. I think I missed something.

However, it was too late when I had already step into his house. The rain showered heavily, and bolts of lightning keep flashing.

Although my house was near, he adviced me not to go out. It was not safe outside, he stated. I don’t know why, but I was convinced.

“Tell me the truth, you were actually second generation rich people, aren’t you? Could a writer really afford this place?” I spoke as I stroll around the house.

His house was at the top of the condominium. Actually, the top floor was his. Definitely spacious. Too spacious that there were two floor in his house.

There were two bedroom and one bathroom on the second floor. A study room on the first floor. Kitchen, dining room, another bathroom was also on the first floor.

He took out two identical mug from the cabinet and made some instant coffee. He said, “I’m not trying to show off, honestly. But, my book does fit in best seller category. Have you not search for it? I’m hurt.”

“Ah… I haven’t had the time to check on it. I promise I will. Really.”

“Don’t worry and just sit on the sofa. You can turn on the tv if you’re bored.”

“With how clean your house is, I’m afraid I might dirty your couch.”