Bringing Her Close Or Driving Her Away

Anna exclaimed with her hand reaching out of the train, "Oh my god, this place is so beautiful!" Taylor grinned in response, "Indeed, but not as beautiful as you."

Anna continued gazing outside, her hands resting on the window ledge, enjoying the sensation of the wind.

"Hey, how much longer until we reach the hotel?" Taylor inquired. The stewardess answered, "Sir, one more hour.

If you experience any discomfort, please use the phone next to the window."

"Okay, thank you," Taylor acknowledged. Anna, still captivated by the scenery, remarked, "Taylor, I could never get tired of this view. It's so beautiful and refreshing." Taylor assured her, "Wait until you see the hotel's view.

You'll be even more enchanted." Curious, Anna asked, "What's the name of the hotel?" Taylor replied, "The Peninsula." Anna nodded, then turned her attention back to the passing landscape.

Frustrated, Porsche exploded, "How much more time will we spend at the airport?" Ken, trying to calm him down, replied, "You stay here, let me go and see what's the problem with our flights now." Porsche irritatedly plopped down on a nearby bench.

He pulled out his wallet and cautiously extracted a photograph.

It was a picture of him and Anna. Porsche stared at the picture, lost in thought, reminiscing about the past. Suddenly, Ken came rushing back, and Porsche hastily stowed the photo back in his wallet.

Ken, breathing heavily, conveyed the news, "Our flights are delayed. We'll have to wait for another 2 hours." Porsche, thoroughly exasperated, let out a heavy sigh, his frustration apparent.

"Sir, you have arrived. Kindly take out your luggage," said the stewardess.

Taylor, who had been dozing off, snapped back to attention. He glanced towards Anna, who was peacefully asleep, her head resting against the window. Gently, he roused her from her slumber.

As Anna stirred awake, she blinked a few times before asking, "Where are we?"

Taylor responded with a gentle smile, "We have reached the hotel."

Suddenly energized, Anna sat up in excitement, eager to begin their stay.

They both retrieved their luggage, preparing to disembark. Taylor insisted on carrying Anna's bags, but she politely declined, assuring him that she could manage on her own.

Anna inquired, "Where is the hotel, Taylor?"

With a smile, Taylor responded, "Well, we'll have to walk there, my dear."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Anna acknowledged, "Oh, yes."

As the chill in the air intensified, Taylor gallantly took off his jacket and draped it over Anna's shoulders.

Anna gratefully replied to Taylor's gesture, "Thank you, bro."

The path to the hotel led them up a picturesque hill, offering a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

While walking, Taylor noticed a pregnant woman struggling to carry her bags up the hill. Motioning for Anna to wait, he hurried over to assist her.

Just as she was about to stumble, Taylor caught hold of the woman's hand, steadying her. The pregnant woman seemed taken aback by the sight of a tall, muscular, and tanned man coming to her aid.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, the pregnant woman taken aback by Taylor's striking features and his chivalrous demeanor. 

Concerned, Taylor inquired, "Are you alright?"

The woman nodded, assuring him that she was fine.

"Please, let me carry your bags," Taylor insisted, gently taking the load from her hands.

Despite her protests, he held on to the bags firmly and gestured for Anna to continue their ascent.

Anna comprehended the unspoken message and gave Taylor an appreciative smile before continuing their journey towards the hotel.

As they walked, Taylor struck up a conversation with the woman, asking, "Are you alone?"

Wennes responded, "I'm supposed to meet my brother, but it seems he's late."

Listening attentively, Taylor noticed Wennes's gentle features and her serene demeanor. With a smile, she inquired, "And what is your name?"

Taylor introduced himself, saying, "I'm Taylor. And you?"

"Wennes Barley," she replied. 

Taylor offered his well-wishes, saying, "Take care, Wennes."

As they arrived at the hotel, a concierge swiftly approached and relieved Wennes of her bags.

Taylor bid her farewell with a wave, then hastened towards Anna, who had been observing their interaction from a distance.

"........"

"Hey, let's get moving," Ken said to Porsche, who nodded in agreement.

They collected their luggage and proceeded through the necessary checks, each exhaling a breath of relief once they were cleared. 

"It's a three-hour flight to Canada, and then it's another two hours from there to the hotel," Ken informed Porsche. 

Porsche, curious, inquired, "Which hotel did you end up booking?"

Ken replied," The Peninsula."

"Are you sure they booked The Peninsula hotel?" Porsche asked, seeking confirmation from Ken. 

Ken assured him, saying, "I am 100% sure about the booking." He then placed his hand on Porsche's shoulder and continued, "But I'm still not sure if you two are just friends or something more." Porsche remained silent, contemplating Ken's words.

The airplane soared higher into the sky, leaving the world below shrinking into miniature fragments.

Porsche sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the patchwork of clouds outside, as though searching for answers among their ethereal formations.

Ken, sitting beside him, sensed the weight of Porsche's unspoken turmoil and pleaded, "Porsche, I implore you, share what's troubling you.

Don't carry this burden alone, not when you're still healing. Let me in, let me understand. I'm here for you, always."

Silence enveloped them for a moment before Porsche's voice, heavy with emotion, pierced through the quiet cabin.

"I despise myself," he confessed, his words weighted with the bitterness of regret. "I hate myself for allowing her to slip away, and I hate her for departing without explanation. She's become a stranger, an enigma I can't decipher."

Tears glistened in Porsche's eyes as he poured out his anguish, and Ken, with a tender touch, offered solace through his mere presence.

"But she doesn't know the depth of my devotion," Porsche continued, a tinge of desperation creeping into his tone. "I won't let someone I've sought for so long vanish so easily. Even if I must act recklessly, I won't back down."

Ken interjected, his voice firm yet soothing. "Enough of this talk. You don't need to resort to extremes. You're not a maniac, and this situation doesn't require you to become one. I can't comprehend why this accident has altered you so drastically."

Ken's voice softened, carrying a sense of urgency and reason. "Porsche, listen to me. If you let the darkness consume you, if you act out of desperation and aggression, you'll only push her away further. That's not what we want. This trip, this journey, it's for you to reconnect with her, to bridge the gap that has grown between you. Remember that."

The hum of the engines provided a steady undertone to their conversation, as the aircraft carried them farther from the troubles on the ground.

Porsche remained lost in thought, his mind wrestling with the intricacies of love and loss, unsure of the path ahead.

In the confines of the cabin, the weight of emotions lingered, hinting at a storm brewing beneath the surface, one that threatened to alter the course of their lives forever.