opaque hearts - prologue or part one

Sophie pushed the door open, the chipped red paint falling piece by piece to the pavements. A bell rang faintly and she was greeted with the soft hum of smooth jazz and the autumnal smell from the incense burning through the rooms. The smell could only be described as wet rain falling onto the warm bronzed leaves and the sweet toffee apples - that Sophie’s grandmother used to make for her as a young child. The building’s interior was just as quirky as the intricate muriel and bright colours that flooded the storefront. Inside: there were fairy lights lining the ceiling; large tapestries of blues and pinks were draped across the walls; the shelves and doors and rails and any rough woods were coated half-heartedly with the many shades and tones of the rainbow; the floor covered with offcuts of carpets and rugs (each piece a different colour and texture)

An elder lady sat by the desk at the end of corridor. She smiled, her hair a bright pink and her wrinkled hand clasped over a first edition copy of The Great Gatsby. “Sophie, my dear. How lovely to see you again, what can I do for you today?” The woman’s face lit up as she looked up from her book, analysing Sophie’s features - as if she hadn't seen her in years.

Sophie was a pretty girl, dressed in a boyish fashion. She had tanned olive skin that stood out against her piercing aqua blue eyes. Her dark brown hair fell down past her sides in surfer like waves, with several braids dotted around her head. Sophie was dressed in a fitted black crop top and a pair of khaki camouflage army trousers. Her top exposed her torso, and the navel piercing on her stomach - enhancing her defined physique. Sophie’s ears were accompanied with large silver hoops and many other intricate jewellery in various places of her cartilage, as well as a silver hoop in her nose. Although she was no more than eighteen,her beauty seemed to add years onto her.

“Rosemary, it is wonderful to see you!” Sophie smiled back, making her way over to the desk. “Adele called, she asked if I could help out in the cafe for a few extra hours. Can I sign myself in please?”

“Well it is wonderful to see you too my dear! Oh and of course, let me just get your badge.” Rosemary rummaged away, in several drawers, before handing Sophie a small name badge and a black apron. “There you go, my dear. How are you these days?” She glanced down at Sophie’s chair, “How’s the physical therapy?”

“I’m good, all things considering. I’m better than I was, in all aspects. I stopped physical therapy a few months ago now but I’m in the gym a lot with a specialist PT - so that’s going well. I can stand and walk a bit with leg braces and a frame but it’s a loosing battle. You know me though, the Doc tells me it is impossible and I say watch me.” Sophie frowned slightly, twiddling her fingers. “But I’ll get through it, don't you worry.”

“Oh, I know you will. You’ve got grit and determination.” Rosemary smiled again. “Have a good shift, dear.”Sophie nodded in thanks before wheeling herself into one of the rooms adjacent to the main hall.

The cafe was one of the largest areas of the building, it occupied two or three rooms - a large open space, filled with tables, chairs, sofas and beanbags; an adjacent room had small library shelves filled with various works of literature, and a free tables for ‘creative thinking’; as well as a kitchen and counter area. It looked out onto the street outside, with the large playing field directly in front of the building. There was always music of some sort filling the cafe, and it was always filled with people from all walks of life - bought together by a shared compassion for coffee and cake.

The cafe’s main door open and a tall young man walked through the door. He was 6’5 and muscular, his physique highlighted by the tight-fitting grey long sleeved t-shirt and black skinny jeans. His hair, a warm blonde, was pushed back into a messy quiff. The man’s face was well defined and accompanied with a light stubble.

“Can I get a large hot chocolate, with all the toppings, and a toffee apple slice, please? Oh and a cheese toastie, on thick white.” He looked at Sophie, for a moment. “Oh, Soph Thomas! Good to see you again.” He smiled, in a half smirk with a devilish look in his eye.

“Yeah, the one and only.” Sophie smiled looking up at him, he’d matured since she’d last seen him - even if it was just a few weeks. “That is £5.00 please, sir.” Sophie shook her head, pausing. “I just think it’s unfair that you are a year older than me and I still have to call you sir and Mr Davies.”

He chuckled, grabbing a five pound note and placing it on the table. “Oh I don't know Soph, there are other things you could have to call me.” He looked down at her, glancing towards her torso and chest before shaking his head a smirking. “But that would be inappropriate, all things considered.”

Sophie rolled her eyes, taking the money and putting it into the till. “You’re right sir, especially since you’ve got a ‘girlfriend’ or is it someone to babysit, seen as she’s what just finished her GCSE”s?” She smiled, moving to the counter and slicing a piece of cake,

“Touch, but we aren't together anyway so it wouldn't really matter.” He laughed, emphasising the not together part. “It’s Theo, by the way.”

“Oh I know what your name is, Mr Davies.” Sophie glanced at him, as she prepared his drink and food. “It’s hard not to when all of year eleven, which I only just finished by the way, in fact the whole school is obsessed with you. I mean obsessed too, not just ‘ooh look at the hot new trainee’ kind of way. I mean the ‘ooh look at the hot new trainee Mr Theodore Edward Davies, Theo for short and some people call him Teddy. He is only nineteen and has done some modelling whilst getting straight a’s and playing for a pro rugby academy and still maintaining perfect hair.’ kind of way.”

“You aren't the only one that the school is obsessed with, Miss ‘Sophie Amelia Thomas who is the most gorgeous girl who even though is in a wheelchair she still goes to the gym everyday and helps out at the rehab facility that she went to after THE accident. She even went back into school two years below, just to do her GCSE’s despite being told to quit school. All while still maintaining perfect and breaking the hearts of many.’ The gossips missed a lot of the good stuff on my life story, Thomas.” Theo smiled.

“Well there is more than meets the eye for my life too, Davies.” Sophie smiled, brushing his hand as she passed him his tray.

Thank you if you read this and would really love some feedback on it, this is a prolougue/introduction part so is quite short but would love to hear your thoughts and advice on it so far! XXX