He Called Her

Unable to find solace in sleep, Anna sat in her bed, the weight of the night's turmoil etched into her weary features.

Weary and restless, she glanced at the clock, its hands pointing to 8:00 in the morning, marking the passage of time in the wake of a night marked by unanswered calls and messages to Porsche, her heart heavy with the weight of their unspoken conversation.

Determined to seek solace in the fresh air of the morning, she donned a plain-colored shrug and made her way towards the courtyard. However, before she could reach her destination, her phone rang, its shrill tone cutting through the stillness of the morning.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Porsche's name flash across the screen, a mix of shock and elation coursing through her at the unexpected sight.

With a sense of urgency, she swiftly answered the call, her voice tinged with a mixture of hope and apprehension.

"Hello?" she greeted, only to be met with Porsche's stern, commanding voice on the other end of the line.

"Meet me at the lake view point before sunset," he instructed, his words firm and resolute, leaving no room for negotiation or debate.

Before Anna could muster a response, the call abruptly ended, leaving her standing in the hallway, the weight of Porsche's words hanging heavy in the air. 

Anna's repeated attempts to reach Porsche through phone calls remained unanswered, fueling her mounting concern and apprehension about the impending meeting at the lake view point. 

As she slowly moved and entered entered the courtyard occupied by her thoughts of meeting Porsche, her eyes were met by the sight of Taylor engaged in his morning exercises.

Taylor, glad to see Anna, extended a warm smile and approached her, his demeanor marked by a sense of enthusiasm. "Anna, today we aren't going anywhere," he shared, his words carrying a sense of anticipation. Intrigued, Anna inquired, "Why is that?"

Taylor took a sip of water from his bottle before elaborating, "They've designated this day for us to travel wherever we wish, and tomorrow, we'll embark on an ice walk tour to Johnson Canyon ice walk."

Anna's face lit up with excitement at the prospect of the upcoming adventure, but her elation was tinged with the ever-present weight of her concerns about Porsche.

His presence loomed large in her thoughts, casting a shadow over what should have been a day of carefree exploration and delight.

Taylor's suggestion of taking a walk to the view spot, located a mere 3 kilometers from their hotel, broke through the fog of Anna's turbulent thoughts. Despite her desire to be alone, she acquiesced, not wanting to dampen Taylor's enthusiasm or the opportunity for a pleasant excursion.

Nodding in agreement, Anna masked her inner turmoil with a faint smile, her gratitude for Taylor's company overshadowed by the weight of her own emotions.

Taylor, brimming with excitement at the prospect of their walk, added with a touch of anticipation, "Okay, once you're ready, meet me at the lounge. I'll be waiting for you there."

Observing Anna and Taylor's departure from the hotel, Wennes couldn't shake off the odd sense of unease that settled within her but still she tried to not bother that strange feeling.

Wennes then made her way to Ken and Porsche's room, her footsteps guided by a mix of curiosity and concern. Knocking on the door, she was greeted by Ken, who opened the door with a sense of guarded anticipation.

Sensing the urgency of her inquiry, Wennes wasted no time in posing her question, her words laced with a growing sense of worry. "Where is Porsche? Did you leave him alone last night?"

Ken, his expression a blend of weariness and concern, closed the door behind Wennes before offering an account of the previous night's events.

"I brought him back at 5 in the morning, but he couldn't sleep. He insisted on going out for some fresh air," he explained, his voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and helplessness.

Wennes, her worry mounting with each passing moment, couldn't help but voice her concerns, her words a reflection of the fear that had taken root within her.

"But why did you let him go? You know we can't trust that child. What if he-" Her sentence was cut short as Ken interjected, his voice firm as he sought to assuage her fears.

"Wennes, he isn't a child anymore. I did warn him, but I can't confine him to these walls," he explained, his words a quiet assertion of the delicate balance between protecting and granting freedom to someone whose turmoil remained shrouded.

"..........."

Porsche found solace on a weathered bench, his gaze fixed on the picturesque scenery that unfolded before him.

Despite the beauty that enveloped him, his heart remained heavy with the burden of guilt, the weight of his remorse tugging at the edges of his consciousness.

He knew he had to confront Anna, but the fear of facing her, of bearing the brunt of their shared pain, left him at a loss for what to do next.

Hours passed, and still, Porsche remained seated on the bench, his thoughts consumed by memories of Anna and the role she had played in his life.

"You've always been the one to protect others," he murmured softly to himself, "You fought battles for everyone, yet you never fought for yourself. You accepted whatever life threw your way," he continued, his voice tinged with a mixture of regret and resignation.

As the memories of Anna's struggles flooded his mind, Porsche found himself overcome with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes as he recalled the moments of anguish and pain that she had endured, particularly at the hands of Josh.

The mere thought of her suffering sent a shiver down his spine.

"Anna, do you have any plans for tonight?" Taylor inquired, his voice filled with a sense of anticipation and curiosity.

Anna met his gaze, her expression a mix of uncertainty and reservation. "Well, I and Porsche decided to meet at the lake view point," she shared, her words carrying a hint of quiet resolve.

"Oh, God, I've been itching to visit that place. Would you mind if I join you?

"............." 

The moments leading up to the meeting with Anna felt interminable for Porsche, his anticipation mounting with each passing second.

As he caught sight of Anna approaching in the distance, his heart quickened its pace, a mix of nervousness and excitement surging through him.

Yet, his elation was quickly dampened when he noticed someone else by her side.

A surge of unexpected emotions flooded Porsche as he recognized the figure walking alongside Anna as Taylor.

His heart sank with a sense of disappointment and frustration, the sight of the two of them together igniting a fiery surge of rage within him.

Unable to bear the sight of Anna and Taylor smiling together, he turned away, his face a mask of silent turmoil and unspoken turmoil.