Who Are You
The next morning, the sun remained veiled behind a shroud of dark clouds, casting a somber hue over the world. A palpable sense of sorrow and despair seemed to permeate the atmosphere. The once vibrant sky was now dominated by ominous black clouds.
Anna stirred from her sleep, and as she stretched, the outside view through the window evoked a sense of disturbance within her. Moved by an inexplicable pain, she hastily rose from her bed, opened the window to the balcony, and stepped outside. The sky, cloaked in black, mirrored the turmoil within her.
While Anna herself couldn't comprehend the sudden surge of emotion, tears streamed down her face. Despite not feeling explicitly sad, her heart resonated with a profound melancholy. Wiping away her tears, she sought solace, attempting to quell the mysterious ache that lingered within. With a deep breath, she reentered the room, grappling with the enigma of her own emotions.
Anna reached for her phone on the bedside table, intending to check for any messages. As she powered it on, she was met with a string of missed calls from Taylor – a total of sixteen. A nervous flutter danced in her stomach as she swiftly returned his call.
When Taylor finally answered, Anna, her voice tinged with concern, inquired, "Taylor, is everything alright? I'm sorry; my phone was on silent."
A heavy silence lingered before Taylor sighed, breaking the quiet. "Anna, I would like to take you somewhere today after lunch."
Concern etched on her face, Anna hesitated, "Taylor, I think the weather is not good today."
Undeterred, Taylor insisted, "Anna, I have made the arrangements, so don't worry. I just want you to go with me. Please."
Anna sighed, contemplating his request, and eventually conceded, "Well, okay then. I'll see you."
With that, Anna ended the call, her thoughts turning to the mysterious plans Taylor had in store for her.
Anna, still holding her phone, decided to check her chat with Porsche. To her surprise, there were no recent messages. She stared at the empty chat, contemplating whether she should reach out to him.
In a moment of self-reflection, she murmured, "Should I call him? Should I ask if he is feeling good?" After a moment's consideration, she sighed and decided against it, muttering, "Maybe not."
Her gaze then shifted to Porsche's profile picture. The vivid image of him singing the night before replayed in her mind. A subtle blush crept onto her cheeks as she entertained the thoughts of him.
However, the pleasant memories were overshadowed by the image of Porsche alone in the dark forest, without any light. A pang of concern and sadness gripped her heart. She covered her face with her hand, getting lost in the conflicting emotions stirred by thoughts of Porsche.
Anna, in a moment of self-reflection, found herself questioning her own emotions. "But why am I still worrying about him and thinking about him after how he treated me last night?" she pondered. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions and conflicting thoughts.
"Why am I attracted to him?" she asked herself, diving into the complexity of her emotions. "The warmth I feel when I am with him, even when he treats me this way. I feel safe around him, but why is it like that?"
As she looked around, she wondered about the person who had become such a significant part of her life. "Who even is he? How did I grow so affectionate to him?" Anna found herself lost in contemplation.
Staring at Porsche's picture once more, she couldn't help but voice the pressing question in her mind, "Who is he?" The realization of her own curiosity widened her eyes, and she repeated the question as if searching for answers within herself, "Who is he?"
After spending an hour lost in thoughts about Porsche, Anna received a message from Taylor inviting her to lunch. Eager to divert her mind from Porsche, she agreed with a simple "yeah, sure."
In an attempt to shake off her contemplative state, Anna rushed to the bathroom. Splashing her face with water three times, she stared at herself in the mirror with questioning eyes. Exiting the bathroom, she quickly dressed, choosing to wear the jacket from the day before over her shirt. As she slid her hand into the pocket, she felt the bracelet she had found yesterday. Silently, she placed it back in her pocket, styled her hair, grabbed her phone and purse, and left the room.
As Anna entered the lounge, she found Taylor already waiting for her. His well-dressed appearance caught her attention, seeming a bit out of the ordinary. Their eyes met, and Taylor greeted her with a grin as he approached.
"Let's have lunch," he suggested, and Anna nodded in agreement. As they walked toward a table, Taylor inquired, "Do you want to eat here, or would you prefer to go outside?"
Glancing out of the window, Anna replied, "Um, I guess inside is better." Taylor proceeded to guide Anna into her seat, and he remarked, "I thought you liked rainy and cloudy weather."
Awkwardly, Anna smiled and responded, "Well, um, it's just that the weather today looks a bit sad to me." An awkward silence settled between them, filling the atmosphere with unspoken tension.
Taylor, in an effort to lighten the atmosphere, started cracking jokes. He began, "Remember the days when I was new at your store, and you used to be so strict."
Rolling her eyes, Anna retorted, "I was never strict, okay."
Laughing, Taylor continued, "You used to scold me a lot, more like a school teacher."
Anna joined in the laughter and teased, "Obviously, you were so dumb."
They shared laughs, making fun of each other's past. After finishing their lunch, Taylor suggested, "Anna, I think you should wear a scarf because it's going to be cold outside."
Anna responded, "Yeah, I have one in my bag. Also, where are we going?"
With a smile, Taylor replied, "I am taking you to Lake Minnewanka. It's a very beautiful place."
Anna slightly smiled and nodded, curious about the destination.
As they strolled out of the hotel, Anna's curiosity heightened, and she inquired, "Are we going to walk to that lake?"
Taylor chuckled and replied, "Obviously not. I have booked a car for the ride."
Anna nodded with her head down. She then asked, "How much time is it going to take to reach that lake?"
Taylor considered, "I guess about 10 to 15 minutes."
As Taylor maneuvered the car, his occasional glances at Anna revealed her lost gaze out of the window.
Anna spoke, "Did you see Porsche last night?"
Taylor gave a done look and replied, "Anna, can we please not talk about others and enjoy the moment?"
Anna quietly turned her head away, fixating her gaze out of the window.
Acknowledging his mistake, Taylor quickly apologized, "Anna, I just want you to be happy in the moment and forget about everything else. Please." He insisted.
In her mind, Anna muttered, "I can't forget him even for a second." Nevertheless, she gave an awkward smile and replied, "No, yeah, don't worry, I am fine and happy."
Taylor whispered, "You don't seem to be."
As they reached the lake, Anna was completely taken aback by the beautiful view of the serene waters. She stepped out of the car while Taylor parked it, and Anna began to walk ahead, captivated by the stunning scenery. Lost in her thoughts, she murmured to herself, "Why does everything remind me of him?"
A voice from behind interrupted her thoughts, "Anna, come with me." It was Taylor. Anna quietly followed him as he led her to a hotel beside the lake.
Upon reaching the rooftop, Anna was completely stunned. The entire place was beautifully arranged and adorned with flowers, leaving her frozen and unsure of how to react.
As they reached the lake, Anna was completely taken aback by the beautiful view of the serene waters. She stepped out of the car while Taylor parked it, and Anna began to walk ahead, captivated by the stunning scenery. Lost in her thoughts, she murmured to herself, "Why does everything remind me of him?"
A voice from behind interrupted her thoughts, "Anna, come with me." It was Taylor. Anna quietly followed him as he led her to a hotel beside the lake.
Upon reaching the rooftop, Anna was completely stunned. The entire place was beautifully arranged and adorned with flowers, leaving her frozen and unsure of how to react.
Anna surveyed her surroundings, feeling a bit overwhelmed and uncertain about how to respond. Taylor stood beside a table adorned with flowers and her pictures, creating an atmosphere of both surprise and anticipation. Confused, Anna questioned, "Taylor, what is going on?"
A warm smile played on Taylor's lips as he slowly approached her, holding a carefully wrapped box. Anna took a step back, unsure and not quite ready for what might unfold. Taylor, sensing her hesitancy, maintained eye contact as he bent down, making Anna all the more uncertain about what was to come.
As Taylor opened the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring, Anna instinctively retreated. The sparkling jewel caught the light, but Anna wasn't prepared for this unexpected turn of events. Holding Anna's hand, Taylor began to speak, "Anna, I've come to realize that you bring joy to my life. Your presence makes me appreciate myself more. You are someone incredibly special to me, and I want to cherish you for a lifetime. Will you give me the chance to be the one who protects you and stands by your side?"
Anna felt a surge of emotions, her eyes welling up with tears, as she began, "But, Porsche—"
Before she could finish, Taylor interrupted with a hint of aggression in his voice, "Stop worrying about him because he has already left you. Here, take this bracelet." Standing up, he retrieved a bracelet from his pocket, continuing, "He gave it to me last night." Taylor presented the bracelet, her name delicately engraved on it.
Anna's eyes widened as she stared at the bracelet, her emotions in tumult. Taylor continued, "He told me to give this to you and asked me to be by your side till the end."
Tears streamed down Anna's face as she accepted the bracelet from Taylor. Her mind flashed back to the bracelet she found with 'Den' engraved on it during the hiking, realizing they were identical. The weight of the situation pressed on her, leaving her in a state of confusion and emotional turmoil.
As Anna retrieved the other bracelet from her jacket's pocket, her heart shattered at the sight of the identical bracelets that unmistakably belonged to Porsche. The revelation of 'Den' engraved on the bracelet flooded Anna's mind with a cascade of questions and uncertainty.
Suddenly, heavy rain began to pour, the sound resonating in the secluded ambiance of the rooftop. Anna stood there, drenched in the rain, staring at the bracelets that seemed to unlock a floodgate of memories from her past. The weight of the past overwhelmed her, driving her mind into a chaotic frenzy.
With tear-filled eyes, Anna turned to Taylor, her voice shaky as she apologized, "I-I-I'm sorry, Taylor. But I think I need to go and see Porsche right now." Ignoring any response from Taylor, Anna turned away and started running, getting soaked in the pouring rain. Her mind raced with questions about her and Porsche's shared history, propelling her towards a tumultuous journey of self-discovery and understanding.
As she ran through the pouring rain, a determination fueled Anna's every step. Her mind echoed with a myriad of questions, and tears blended seamlessly with the raindrops on her cheeks. In a whisper to herself, she questioned, "Who are you, Porsche?"
In that moment, all other thoughts faded away, and the only thing that occupied Anna's mind was the enigma of Porsche. The answers she sought, the emotions she grappled with, and the mysteries of their shared history fueled her relentless sprint towards uncovering the truth.