elias

Intro Elias Thorne was a creature of habit. Each morning, he awoke precisely at 5:17 AM, brewed his coffee with exactly 7 grams of beans, and read the same three pages of his well-worn copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude. His life, meticulously organized and predictable, lacked a certain… vibrancy. That is, until he saw Riley. Riley, with her cascade of auburn hair and eyes the color of a summer sky, burst into his carefully constructed world like a rogue firework. She worked at the small café he frequented, her laughter a melody that shattered the quiet monotony of his days. He'd started visiting twice a day, ordering the same black coffee, simply to catch a glimpse of her. He memorized her schedule, noting the subtle shift in her expression when she was tired, the way her brow furrowed in concentration when she was crafting latte art. His obsession grew, a silent, consuming tide. He started leaving small gifts – a single sunflower, a book of poetry, a perfectly ripe peach – anonymously on her counter. He'd watch from across the street, a silent observer of her life, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs. He knew it was unhealthy, irrational, even creepy, but he couldn't stop. Riley was a mystery he desperately wanted to solve, a puzzle he was determined to complete, even if it meant dismantling his own carefully constructed world in the process. One rainy Tuesday, he saw her crying, her shoulders shaking. He hesitated, his carefully constructed composure crumbling. He wanted to rush to her side, offer comfort, but fear held him back. What if she rejected him? What if she was disgusted by his silent, obsessive admiration? He watched, helpless, as she wiped her tears and continued serving customers, her smile a fragile mask. That night, Elias sat at his meticulously organized desk, the untouched pages of One Hundred Years of Solitude mocking him. He realized his obsession wasn't about Riley at all. It was about the emptiness he'd been des