Bound by shadow

"Two broken hearts. One twisted year .a thousand shadows-and one chance to rewrite the ending."

Strangers on the same road

Laura

The early morning sun barely warmed the quiet street of the town as I tightened my jacket around my shoulder. Today was supposed to be blooming flowers and blue skies you know like the stereotypical spring, but here the wind still bit like winter.

Shivering from the wind, I adjusted the strap of my bag balancing a file with my assignment in one hand and tried not to be late--again. My first shift at the café was today and if I wanted to keep this job I needed to impress someone other than myself.

Across the street, a boy was arguing with a taxi driver, his voice sharp and unmistakably British. I couldn't help but glance over. Blonde hair that cuts the sun, jeans slightly too loose, a heavy duffel bag at his feet. He looked...lost.

For a moment our eyes met- his bright blue and sharp like the sky right before a storm. He smirked almost like he knew I'd been staring. My cheeks burned, and I quickly turned away, cursing under my breath.

"Great", I muttered, "First day and already acting like an idiot".

I got out of my thoughts when I heard footsteps behind me crunching on the gravel path.

"Hey", a voice with thick Northern English accent called out. "You wouldn't happen to know where the Willow Street Café is, would you."

I froze, heart thudding in my chest. Of course. Of course fate would do this to me.

I turned slowly and forced a smile. "You're lucky. I'm heading there now".

With a mental sigh, I told him to follow me I couldn't afford to be late. Relief washed over me as I stepped into the café and spotted Mr. Willow was just setting up. I bent down to help him move the chairs and arrange the space. "Good morning Mr. Willow, hope I'm not too late. Should I resume immediately?" I said glancing up. Turning around, I faced him.

Mr. Willow looked up from where he was straightening a stack of menus, his kind eyes crinkling behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"Ah, there you are ", he said warmly."

"Right on time, actually. We're expecting a slow start today, so no rush".

Relief settled in my chest, but it lasted only a moment.

Behind me, the boy with striking blue eyes stepped inside, glancing around the café with mild curiosity. Mr. Willow noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Friend of yours?" he asked.

I hesitated. "He's someone who needed directions to the cafe".

The boy gave small nod of acknowledgment then turned to me." Thanks for the help. I'd probably still be circling the block without you".

"No problem", I said my voice a touch too high.

As he walked to a corner table, Mr. Willow leaned in, lowering his voice with a knowing smile. "Someone made quite the impression".

"I have no idea what you're talking about", I said too quickly, grabbing cloth pretending to focus on wiping down a nearby table.

But even as I tried to ignore it, I could feel his gaze lingering on me-worse and, a small part of me didn't mind.

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

I moved behind the counter, trying to focus on wiping the espresso machine while ignoring the weight of his gaze. Every few seconds, I could feel it-like a thread pulling at the edge of my consciousness.

"Laura," Mr. Willow called from the back. "Can you check the pastries? I think I forgot to switch on the warmer."

"On it," I replied, grateful for the excuse to stay busy.

But as I turned, Liam was suddenly there-right at the counter, too close for comfort, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie.

"Do you work here?" he asked, voice low, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

I blinked, thrown off by how casual he sounded. "Kind of. I just started today."

He nodded slowly, like he was filing that information away.

"I'll take a coffee. Black," he added, like it was a challenge.

"Coming right up," I muttered, reaching for a mug, trying not to let my hands shake.

He leaned on the counter slightly. "So, what brings someone like you to a sleepy place like Willow Street?"

I hesitated. The truth was too messy, too close.

"Change of scenery," I said flatly.

"Fair enough." He tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle missing pieces. "You don't talk much, do you?"

"I talk when there's something worth saying," I shot back.

Mr. Willow emerged just then, carrying a tray of glasses and looking between the two of us with amused interest. "You two getting along?"

Liam smirked. "Depends on who you ask."

I grabbed the coffee pot and poured, focusing on the swirl of dark liquid. "Here's your coffee. No charge," I added quickly. "First day perk."

Liam took it, his fingers brushing mine for the briefest second. The contact was electric. Jarring.

"Thanks," he said, eyes never leaving mine. "See you around, Laura."

And with that, he returned to his table like nothing had happened-leaving me gripping the edge of the counter, trying to steady my breath.

Mr. Willow chuckled softly beside me. "You've got that look, kid."

"What look?"

"The one someone gets when they're life is about to change".

I busied myself with wiping the already spotless counter, stealing the occasional glance in Liam's direction. He sat with one arm draped lazily over the back of his chair, sipping his coffee like he had nowhere to be, yet somehow always alert. His eyes scanned the café-but every so often, they found me again. Like a magnet.

I hated that I noticed.

Mr. Willow hummed a tune under his breath as he adjusted a display of croissants. "You okay, Laura?"

"Yeah," I lied. "Just getting used to the place."

He nodded, not pushing. "Takes a bit, but it grows on you."

I mumbled something in agreement, but my thoughts were already drifting-dragged back to a night I'd buried long ago.

---

The fire had crackled through the walls like it was alive. I remembered the heat, the shouting, the sirens. I remembered gripping someone's hand in the smoke-small, like mine, trembling. And blue eyes.

Always the eyes

---

A sharp clatter brought me back. Liam had dropped his spoon. He crouched to pick it up, then met my gaze from beneath the table's edge. For a second, something flickered in his expression-like he recognized me too.

But then it was gone, replaced by that infuriating smirk.

"You always look this serious?" he asked, walking back to the counter with his empty cup. "Or is it just me?"

I arched a brow. "Depends. Are you always this annoying, or is it just today?"

He laughed, but there was something strained in it. "Touché."

Mr. Willow, ever the observer, stepped in with his usual timing. "You two should work together more often. Sparks are flying already."

My face burned. Liam grinned.

"I'll see you around, Laura," he said again-like it was a promise.

And as the door closed behind him, I finally let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

I glanced up from behind the counter, still pretending not to notice him watching me from his seat in the corner. But when I saw who had entered, my breath caught.

A man in a charcoal coat stood at the threshold, scanning the room with calculated interest. His eyes brushed past me-lingered just a second too long-then moved on. My stomach twisted. I knew that look. It was the kind you didn't forget.

I ducked down behind the espresso machine, heart racing. I hadn't seen that man in years-not since the night everything changed.

"Laura?" Mr. Willow's voice was soft but curious. "Are you alright?"

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. " Just dizzy for a second."

From the corner, I could feel him-Liam, as I now knew him-watching me again. Not in that amused stormy-blue-eyes kind of way this time. No, this was sharper, quieter. As if he'd noticed the shift in me and was trying to piece it together.

A strange chill crept up my spine.

Then, without thinking, I looked at him. Really looked.

And in that moment, it hit me. His eyes-those eyes that had haunted my dreams once-weren't just familiar.

They were the same eyes I'd seen the night the fire started.

Flashback – One Year Ago

The building burned fast.

It was supposed to be a safe house-a temporary stop before the next city, another alias, another beginning. But someone tipped them off.

I remember the heat, the screaming, the pounding in my chest as I tried to find the exit in the dark. Smoke choked the air. My legs ached from running. Then-

"Hey!" a voice cut through the panic.

I turned. A boy-no, a guy around my age-blood dripping from a cut on his forehead, eyes wild but clear. He reached for my hand without asking.

"This way," he said. "Trust me."

And I did.

We ran through the narrow hallway, ducking falling beams and flames that licked at the ceiling. When the back door finally burst open, we didn't stop. Not until we hit the tree line. Not until sirens started wailing.

I turned to him, shaking. "Who are you?"

He looked like he was going to answer.

But then headlights appeared-and he was gone.

---

Present Day – Café Alley, That Evening

The door clicked shut behind me, leaving the café's warmth behind. The cool evening air brushed against my skin, grounding me-until I saw him.

Liam.

He was leaning against the brick wall, hoodie half-zipped, hands in his pockets like he belonged in this moment. Like he hadn't been avoiding me since this morning.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked my voice steady despite the way my stomach flipped.

"Long enough to know that guy from earlier wasn't just some random customer."

My heart thudded. "You saw him too."

He nodded. "Yeah and I've seen him before."

I stepped closer, keeping my back straight. "Why is he watching me?"

Liam's eyes softened-barely. "It's because of last year. Because we survived something we weren't supposed to."

I stared at him, the distant flames from memory flickering behind my eyes. "It was you. In the hallway. You got me out."

He didn't say anything.

Didn't need to.

Instead, he said, "They thought we didn't know anything. That we were just in the wrong place."

"And were we?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

Liam's gaze darkened. "Not anymore."