Fated to the moon

Ethan Blackwood had always been a man of routine. He found comfort in the predictability of his life, where nothing ever seemed out of place. Wake up. Coffee. Work. Repeat. His job at the small law firm, though not thrilling, was steady. It paid the bills and allowed him to lead a life that felt grounded, even if a bit lonely at times. The apartment he called home was modest-nothing grand, just a space that felt like it was his, with bookshelves full of crime novels and a view of the city skyline that he rarely looked at.

Ethan had never been one for surprises. He liked the known, the familiar, the quiet existence that made the chaos of the world feel distant. He had learned early on not to expect much from life, and he had made peace with that.

But today was different. Today, for reasons he couldn't quite explain, something was off.

It had started as just another rainy Tuesday. The kind of dreary, overcast day that seemed to stretch on forever. Ethan had finished his late-morning meeting with a client-a brief but tedious exchange of legal jargon-and decided to grab a coffee from the small café across the street. The warmth and the routine of the place usually provided a comforting distraction from the endless demands of his job.

As he stood in line, waiting for his usual-black coffee, no sugar, no cream-Ethan couldn't shake the unease that had settled in his chest. His fingers drummed lightly against the counter as he scanned the shop. It was busy, filled with the usual mix of office workers, college students, and the occasional local who had escaped their own obligations to find solace in the quiet hum of the café.

That's when she walked in.

The door swung open with a soft chime, letting in a burst of cold air that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Ethan barely registered the door closing before he noticed her-a woman whose presence seemed to shift the atmosphere around her, making the air feel heavier, thicker, as if the room had just grown smaller to accommodate her.

She was tall, with dark, wavy hair that cascaded over her shoulders like a dark waterfall. Her movements were fluid, deliberate, as if she was entirely aware of how every eye in the room followed her. When their gazes met across the small space, time seemed to slow down. For a fraction of a second, the noise of the café faded into the background. All he could hear was the thudding of his heart in his chest.

Her eyes were the most striking feature-a rich golden hue, like the last moments of sunlight before dusk. But there was something else in them. Something ancient. A depth that unnerved him, made him feel small in a way he couldn't quite explain. She didn't just look at him-she saw him. It was as if she were looking into the very core of who he was, unearthing things about him that he hadn't even realized.

Ethan quickly turned away, taking a deep breath to steady himself. What was that? He asked himself, but the answer eluded him. It wasn't just her beauty-though she was undeniably beautiful-it was something more. An energy, a presence, that seemed to pull him toward her. Something that left him feeling unsettled, even though she hadn't said a word.

She moved toward the counter, the subtle sway of her hips almost hypnotic. The barista greeted her with a familiar smile, but his eyes flickered nervously as he prepared her order. Ethan couldn't help but notice the way the entire atmosphere in the shop seemed to shift when she entered. It was like everyone could feel it, too-the gravity of her presence.

Ethan could feel her proximity even as he stood at the counter, waiting for his coffee. He glanced over, catching her standing near the window, her gaze distant, as though she were lost in thought. The silence between them was thick with something unspoken, something electric.

And then, she turned to leave.

For the briefest moment, Ethan considered ignoring the impulse that tugged at him. He had no reason to approach her-she was a stranger, and he was a man who knew better than to engage with strangers, especially ones who made his pulse race like this.

But the pull was undeniable. He stood there, motionless, as she reached the door. She paused just before stepping out into the rain, and for a moment, Ethan was sure she had sensed him watching her.

Then, she turned her head, their eyes locking once again. There was a flicker of something in her gaze-something raw, something vulnerable. Fear, perhaps, or recognition? But before Ethan could interpret it, she was gone, disappearing into the rain-soaked streets.

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he stood there, staring at the empty doorway. What the hell was that? His mind raced, but no answers came. He didn't know her. She didn't know him. And yet, there was a connection, something deeper than mere chance or attraction.

He exhaled sharply, as if trying to expel the tension that had built in his chest. The room around him felt suddenly colder, emptier. He grabbed his coffee from the counter, but it had gone lukewarm in his hand, the moment already slipping away from him. He glanced out the window, but there was no sign of her.

Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to change in a way he couldn't control. He'd always been a man who preferred the quiet, the mundane. But now, something had shifted. And it all started with her.