I heard knocking on my door. As I opened my eyes, I saw Gabriella still sleeping on the couch. I got up from the floor, my back aching from lying on it all night. I rubbed my lower back as I stretched, groaning softly.

The room was still dim from the early morning light filtering through the curtains. I took a deep breath and blinked a few times, trying to fully wake up. Then, I heard it again—another knock on the door, this time more insistent.

I stood up slowly, my feet stiff from the uncomfortable sleeping position. As I walked toward the door, I glanced at Gabriella once more, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath. She looked so peaceful, almost like a little angel. But that thought was quickly pushed aside as I reached for the door handle.

I opened the door, and a delivery guy stood there, holding a box. He was dressed in a standard uniform, but I couldn't help but notice the way his hat sat slightly crooked on his head.
"A package for Mia?" he said, looking at the box, then at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied, still trying to process what was happening. I wasn't expecting anything today.

He handed me the box and asked me to sign a paper. I did so quickly, trying to keep my eyes from lingering too long on his face. After a brief moment, he took a photo of the box and left without another word.

Confused, I stepped back inside, closing the door behind me. I went straight to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to open the package. As I sliced through the tape, I couldn't help but wonder what was inside.

When I finally opened the box, I found it packed with all sorts of cat-related items: a bed, a litter box, an automatic cat food dispenser, toys, food, shampoo, a brush, scratching posts, paw and nose balm, and nail clippers. The sheer quantity of it made me smile. It was like someone had gone all out to spoil a cat.

I immediately set up everything in the living room, arranging it so Pearl would have a comfortable little corner. I even made a drawer for her things, making sure everything was neatly placed. Once it was all set up, I looked down at her, and she seemed to approve. She padded over to the new bed and sniffed it, then started playing with one of the toys I'd left on the floor.

She's going to love this, I thought as I continued to play with her, the minutes slipping by quickly. I still had a couple of hours before I had to head to work, so I was happy to spend the extra time with her.

Suddenly, I heard Gabriella groaning softly. I looked up, and she was sitting up on the couch, stretching and scratching her head. Her messy hair made her look even cuter, and I smiled.

"Good morning, Gabriella," I said, standing up and picking Pearl up in my arms. I made my way over to her, and she gave me a sleepy smile.

"Good morning," she said, cupping my face and giving me a gentle kiss on the lips. Her touch sent a little shiver through me.

"How are your fists? Do they hurt?" I asked, flipping her hands over to check the bruises. She had gotten into a bit of a scuffle with a guy last night who was bothering me. Gabriella had punched him to defend me, and though I was grateful, I couldn't help but feel concerned.

"They hurt, but just a little, because you took care of them last night," she said with a smile. She gazed into my eyes, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just the two of us, in that moment.

After Gabriella had cleaned up, I showed her everything I'd bought for Pearl. Her eyes lit up, and she kept cooing over how cute everything was. She spent the next few minutes playing with Pearl, making little squeaking noises as she encouraged the kitten to chase after the toys. It made me laugh, but I had to get ready for work. I had a shift in a couple of hours, and there was no time to waste.

I grabbed a quick shower and then started working on my hairstyle. I decided on space buns today, a cute and easy look that didn't require too much effort. After finishing my hair and doing my makeup, I opted for a simple button-up shirt and baggy jeans. I threw on a jacket and sprayed some perfume before heading out the door. I paused for a moment, looking back at Gabriella, who was still lost in playing with Pearl.
"I'll see you later, babe!" I called, walking backward towards the door

"See you!" she called back, waving.

As I stepped outside, I felt the cool breeze on my face. It was a good day, despite the early start. When I was close to the café, I found that it was still a little quiet. There was a soft buzz of conversation in the background, but it hadn't reached its usual hectic pace yet.

I heard someone calling my name. I turned to find Evelyn running toward me.

"Mia! Wait up!" she called, breathless as she came to a stop in front of me. "Let's walk together!"

I blinked, unsure of what to say. She had literally run over just to ask if we could walk together?

"Uh, sure," I said, offering her a smile that I hoped didn't look too awkward. She wrapped her arms around mine, and we began walking side by side.

I felt uncomfortable with the closeness, but I didn't want to seem rude. I wasn't the type to speak up in situations like this. I was always the quiet one, the one who avoided confrontation, even if I didn't like something. Honestly, physical contact from people I didn't know well made me uneasy.

As we walked, Evelyn began asking questions, as she always did.

"So, what happened last night? Who was that person you were with? And why were her hands bruised?" she asked, still holding onto my arm.

I wasn't sure how much I wanted to share with her, but I decided to keep it short and to the point.

"To make a long story short," I began, "I thought someone was following me. So, I sent my location to Gabriella. Turns out, a drunk guy was following me and started hitting on me. Gabriella showed up and punched him, then the police took him away. After that, we just walked home."

Evelyn nodded, clearly processing the story. "I remember serving her. Is she a regular?" she asked, stopping as we reached the corner.

"Oh, yeah," I said, smiling uncontrollably. "She comes in every day between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and orders the same thing every day." I couldn't help but chuckle. It was kind of funny how predictable Gabriella's order was.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You two seem close. Are you friends?"

I felt my cheeks heat up as I glanced down at my feet. "Uh... actually, we're dating," I said, my voice quieter than usual.

Evelyn's reaction was immediate. She dropped her arms from mine, her expression shifting. She seemed... disappointed?

I looked up at her, but her gaze was fixed on the ground. I couldn't figure out what had just happened, so I brushed it off. Maybe I was reading too much into it.

We continued walking to the café in silence. Once we arrived, I greeted Mei with a huge smile and gave them a tight hug. They wrapped their arms around me, and for a moment, I felt all the tension from the morning slip away.

Evelyn eventually joined us, and the three of us spent the next few minutes chatting away. The usual pre-shift banter filled the air, and before I knew it, time had passed, and we were ready for work.

At around 11 a.m., I saw Gabriella walk into the café. Her order was already prepared, and just as I was about to pick it up, Evelyn swooped in with a mischievous grin.

"Don't worry, Mia," she said, "I'll serve this one."

I nodded and stepped back, letting her take the tray to Gabriella. As I turned to greet another customer, I saw Gabriella glaring at Evelyn from across the room. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I didn't have time to think about it.

It was another busy day, and as usual, I had to skip my break. I kept telling myself I was fine; after all, I'd had breakfast with Gabriella. But by the time lunchtime came around, I could feel the exhaustion creeping in.

I glanced at Gabriella, who looked a little confused, then shook my head subtly to let her know I was fine. She frowned but then smiled, nodded, and got up to leave.

After a few more hours, Evelyn finally left, and the café was down to just Mei and me. It was busier than ever, but Mei insisted that they would close tonight, and I should go home. That was unusual. Mei had always hated closing, but I didn't question it. I just said my goodbyes and left.

I sighed in relief as I got into my car. I started the engine and drove home, looking forward to the quiet of my apartment. When I arrived, I sent Gabriella a quick text.

Gabriella 💋:

"Hey babe, I'm in the building.
I'll be heading to my apartment
🩷"

G:"Okay! Text me when you get there 🫶"

"I will!"

I put my phone away and unlocked the door to my apartment. But as soon as I stepped inside, I felt something was off. The door had been left unlocked, and music was playing softly in the background. Who was here? I wondered.

I checked the room number again: "31B." This was my apartment, but the door was ajar, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right...

Mia's hairstyle:

*****

END OF CHAPTER 10!

Q: favorite color?

A: green, pink, white, and red