Coincidence

It had been several days since Ella's graduation, and she had been tirelessly working on her paintings, striving to get them showcased in upcoming art exhibitions. Tori, on the other hand, was fully engrossed in her cinematography project, pouring her creativity into every frame she captured.

One sunny afternoon, Ella was having lunch when she stumbled upon some highlights about the theme of an upcoming art exhibition. What caught her attention was the third theme, which allowed artists to portray their thoughts in the context of literature. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the golden opportunity in front of her. This theme presented the perfect chance for Ella to showcase not only her art skills but also her talent in writing, allowing her to express her thoughts and emotions in a truly unique and immersive way. She devoured her lunch in a hurry, unable to contain her eagerness to explore this new avenue.

After finishing her meal, Ella rushed to take a quick shower, the ideas already buzzing in her mind. She dressed up in a long pink floral dress, pairing it with comfortable white slippers, and grabbed a tote bag to carry her sketchbook, art supplies, and a notebook for writing. With a sense of determination and anticipation, she dashed outside her house, plugging her headphones in to accompany her on the walk.

The library in town, the nearest to her house, was her destination. Ella decided to go on foot, relishing the chance to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. The walk was a pleasant one, taking her through familiar streets and charming neighborhoods. The gentle breeze caressed her face, and the music in her ears added a rhythm to her steps, perfectly complementing her enthusiastic mood.

As she walked, ideas for her artwork and the written pieces began to intermingle, forming a beautiful harmony in her mind. She thought about how she could blend her paintings with poetic verses or short stories, creating a captivating experience for the viewers at the exhibition.

With every step, Ella's excitement grew, and she couldn't wait to immerse herself in the creative process at the library. The 15-minute walk felt like a breeze, and soon she arrived at the library's entrance, ready to embrace the endless possibilities that awaited her inside.

As Ella continued on her way, humming to a song, she accidentally bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you," she quickly apologized, immediately kneeling down to collect the fallen belongings of the person she collided with. Among the items scattered on the ground, she noticed a book and a sketch of a road nearby. Ella couldn't help but be amazed by the beautiful sketch, but she didn't intrude on the person's privacy and focused on returning their belongings.

"Uh, here are your belongings," she said, trying to complete her sentence, but as her eyes met the person in front of her, her words faltered. It was the same mysterious male she had encountered a week ago, the one who had saved her from the impending accident. He stood tall, clad in a long black hoodie and plain jeans, his hair slightly disheveled.

"It's alright, I wasn't looking ahead, my fault," the man said as he quickly took back his belongings, seemingly wanting to avoid any prolonged interaction.

But Ella's curiosity and desire to know him better got the better of her, so she decided to strike up a conversation. "Um, hey, I have seen you before," she began, flashing a confident smile.

The man stared deeply into her eyes, clearly recognizing her as well, though he tried to hide it. Ella could sense a hint of irritation in his response as he dismissed her rescue with a nonchalant attitude, calling her a "lunatic." Her confidence wavered, but she kept her composure, determined not to back down.

"Excuse me?" she responded softly, but firmly enough for him to hear. She felt a strange urge to explain herself to him. "I wasn't a lunatic. That day, I had just graduated and wanted to reach an NGO as soon as possible to celebrate my birthday with my babies. So I was in a hurry, that's all," Ella explained, hoping to make him understand the urgency of the situation and her emotional state at the time.

Her words seemed to cause a slight change in the man's demeanor. His lips twitched upward ever so slightly, but he quickly restrained any sign of emotion. "Why are you telling me this?" he questioned, still sounding annoyed.

Ella was taken aback by his response, but she couldn't find a straightforward answer. "I don't know," she admitted honestly, looking down at her hands. There was something about this man that made her want to share her feelings and experiences with him, even though they were strangers.

His intense gaze bore into her, causing her to lift her head momentarily. Their eyes locked for a moment, and time seemed to stand still. They silently observed each other, but it was Ella who eventually broke the eye contact, mumbling a quick "Sorry" before briskly walking past him in the opposite direction.

He remained there for a while, watching her retreating figure, unsure of what to make of the encounter. Eventually, he decided to continue on his way, walking in another direction, but he couldn't shake the lingering feeling of connection he had with the young woman he had saved.

As Ella walked towards the library, her mind was filled with self-doubt and embarrassment over her encounter with the mysterious man. "Why did I say that?" she muttered to herself, replaying the conversation in her head. "How can I say something like that to a stranger? I don't even know him. He must be thinking of me as a lunatic now. God, why is it always me? The world is so small. I don't even know his name. What's his name? Urgh, I am dumb," she continued to berate herself as she reached the library.

Inside the library, Ella focused on finding literature books that aligned with her art concept about the biased system, but with a romantic twist. As she skimmed through the shelves, her eyes landed on a familiar title, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. She instantly grabbed the book, feeling drawn to its theme of "enemies to lovers." Inspired by this classic work, she decided that she would create artwork depicting different literary tropes and then explain them in her own words.

She began reading the book, eager to explore the romantic world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. However, time slipped away from her, and before she knew it, the library was about to close for the day. Reluctantly, she had to put the book back on the shelf, not having finished it, and feeling a strange longing to keep it with her.

She placed a ribbon-like bookmark inside the book to mark her progress, promising herself that she would return to it soon. Then, with a sense of purpose and determination, she left the library, carrying the inspiration she needed to work on her art project. Little did she know that the encounter with the mysterious man and the world of literature would intertwine in unexpected ways, shaping her journey in the days to come.

As Ella sat at the ice cream corner, her mind still preoccupied with her art project, an unexpected turn of events disrupted her thoughts. Out of nowhere, a thief snatched her bag and ran off with it. Shocked and fueled with determination, she immediately gave chase, shouting for the thief to stop. But as she pursued the thief, she misstepped and twisted her left foot, causing her to fall to the ground in agony. She cried out in pain and frustration, her precious belongings for the art exhibition now in the hands of the thief.

Feeling defeated and tearful, Ella's despair was interrupted when she heard footsteps approaching her. To her astonishment, the same mysterious man from earlier in the evening stood before her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at him with a mixture of sadness and surprise. Before she could say anything, she noticed her bag in his hand.

"My bag," she said through hiccups, her emotions overwhelming her. As she wiped her tears away, the man responded matter-of-factly, "Here, now how long do you want to stay down there?" He extended his left hand to help her up, and though hesitant, Ella silently grabbed it. However, the pain in her ankle caused her to stumble mid-step, and she was about to fall again. But the man was quick to catch her by the waist, preventing her from further injury.

Concerned, he checked her foot and noticed her bleeding knee. Without any hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms in a bridal style carry. Ella protested, trying to tell him that it was unnecessary, but he insisted, "No, your knee is bleeding. Let me take you to a clinic."

Feeling somewhat reassured by his gaze and sincerity, Ella eventually agreed, nodding her head slowly. She wrapped her arms around his neck for support as he carried her, her cheek resting against his shoulder. Her heart pounded in her chest, not only from the pain but also from the unexpected kindness of the stranger who had saved her twice in one day. As they headed towards the clinic, Ella couldn't help but wonder about this enigmatic man who seemed to keep crossing paths with her, changing the course of her life in ways she could have never imagined.