The morning is tranquil and bright. The disastrous rain from last night lingered as water puddles. They mirrored the beauty of the street. People are too busy heading to their work to notice the scenic splendor. And the ones who did notice were unable to appreciate it. Just Like Maya, who did not give credit to this peaceful morning for being so hopeful.

But Maya's beauty was not one to be compared to that of this morning's. It would be an irrational comparison. The morning would happily agree.

Maya's beauty is uniquely simple and extraordinarily attractive. Despite being nearly thirty years old, she looked young and contemporary as ever. She could have managed a modeling career with those looks if she aspired to. Her features never spoke to the beholder. They bragged.

A long black coat embraced her stiff body, paired with black jeggings. She walked on the streets looking like night. Her all-black array in the bright and colorful streets resembled a devil lost in heaven.

She reached for the door of the much underrated but cozy and enchanting library cafe named 'Mary's shelf.' The little golden bell on top of the red and white door tinkled to announce and welcome her arrival. The warmth hugged her as soon as the door behind her clenched itself. She felt her body relax in its embrace and smiled at its surreal tenderness.

The cafe was not as famous and ample as other cafes in the same block. But it was pure heaven for our angel who loved coffee and books. And lucky for her, it provided both. It was more like a library than a cafe, a library with hints of an art gallery.

The floor was unevenly structured, breaking the museum-like library into different sections.

The vibe of some chambers was different than the others. There was a long compartment in the middle of the cafe that involved chairs arranged in a side-by-side fashion within the long white table. This unpaired section was popular amongst students and freelancers. They sat alongside strangers and worked while being extremely productive.

The cafe also had small and medium-sized individual units decorated creatively to promote the engrossed and inspiring ambiance.

Most introverts loved such units as it allowed them to work in peace without worrying about any disturbance from people. They effortlessly slipped into their worlds and forgot about the world outside.

People loved working in comfortable and relaxing surroundings that they picked themselves according to their preference on that particular day.

The furniture was vintage in some sections and modern in others. There were tons of pillows and small warm blankets. It made them feel at home and at the same time motivated to accomplish quality work. It was perfect for people who could not get their job done in the comfort of home.

There were motivational quotes and pictures of rare sceneries on the walls. The bookshelves ended at a wall, brightly painted by an array of colors. The pattern in which the colors fell on each other created a rare panorama.

Cycle tires were hanging in the kitchen-like canteen area. A maroon vintage sofa in one corner faced a three-dimensional art of half a scooter coming out of the wall. The scooter looked so real that it could be mistaken for an actual one to the viewer at first sight.

Every corner had a different vibe. Diversity being endeavoured at its best here.

Maya disliked any human interactions other than the necessary. She hated engaging in an awkward conversation and not being able to get out of it.

Therefore, like any other introvert, she chose a private corner. The corner she chose was simple and elegant. It contained two white-colored modern leisure chairs with coupled black metal legs facing each other. The elegant-looking chairs added a soft feel to the tiny room. The table between them was brown and had a vase filled with pink flowers.

She placed her bag on one chair and sat on the other. The soft spongy cushion felt like a cloud as she made herself comfortable. She rested her hands on the arms of the mini sofa and looked at the wall-sized window.

The view of the city was beautifully chaotic and yet perfectly tranquil. All the noises of the morning were lost as they touched and died at the window. Looking at the scene on mute was fascinating to her. She was content with her choice. This room was perfect for her.

She moved her gaze from the window and started working. She typed on her laptop and used her phone to look up and research. She also took notes in a book. She constantly switched between her laptop and notes. From typing the keys to writing in ink, she kept shifting from one to another.

Hours passed, and she suddenly stopped penning the words and looked up. Her mouth left a deep sigh without her realising it. She was tired.

She stared into space. After a while, she got up and walked out of her cubicle. She walked to the bookshelves and looked around at exquisitely arranged books. She smiled as she passed a few of her favorite shelves, mystery, and thriller. She tried to glance at every shelf as she aimlessly walked through each lane. Her slow steps paused in front of a colorful frame.

She recognised a book or two in children's books. It reminded her of her childhood. As she reached for the book, the smile on her face widened. It kept widening until her smile reached her eyes, making her look like an innocent child.

She looked at the artistic drawing on the cover and reminisced about her life when she first read the book. She flipped open the book and turned the pages slowly as more memories flooded her. All the moments that she thought she forgot flashed in her head as clear as a movie.

She was relishing her reminiscence and somewhat reliving it until she felt a strange feeling. She suddenly felt conscious. She felt like someone was looking at her, observing her every little move. She felt someone's eyes on her.

Her heartbeat fastened as she nervously put back the book and turned to look for the eyes. She made sudden eye contact with the stranger. The stranger was startled but did not look away. Instead, he continued with his gaze. A feeble frown appearing on his face as he struggled to say something.

Maya was confused and nervous at the same time. She started looking elsewhere, hoping that he would eventually stop. She carefully but gently raised her eyes again to check if she was still being watched. To her surprise, he was gone. She sighed in relief.

She was turning to go back when she was frightened by the figure standing next to her. She almost let out a scream. Her eyes widened in bewilderment. The stranger who was staring at her was now standing next to her, facing her and smiling at her.

Maya had so many questions in her head that she was asking through her piercing eyes. The stranger giggled at her strange reaction. They were staring into each other's eyes. Neither of them looked away nor uttered a word.

The stranger slowly spoke, "Maya Laeno?"

Her eyes widened even more. It looked like they might fall any moment now.

"Y...Yes?" she slowly uttered while still giving him a suspicious look. "Do you know me? How do you know my name?" she finally questioned him using words.

"It really is you. Oh my God...I can't believe this," he blabbered and struggled to accept the actuality in front of him while the smile never left his beautiful face. "I am...a...a big fan of yours. I...I have read every book of yours. I...I...you...you are my role model." he spoke but mostly stammered.

The tension in her face resolved, springing the furrow in her eyebrows to disappear. She took a breath of ease. Everything made sense now.