Serendipity's Embrace

Chapter-5

Haile's P.O.V

"Is there any problem?" A deep, husky voice spoke out. I struggled to see past the brown-eyed guy towering over me. He was way taller than me, I'll give him that.

"No, nothing important for you to know. How about we go somewhere else and talk?" The crazy woman tried to sound seductive, but to me, it sounded like a crow attempting to sing "Let It Go".

The brown eyed guy didn't move much at her words. He remained unfazed and gestured for someone to come forward. I peeked out of curiosity and watched a tattooed man appear, swiftly escorting the woman away as she hurled profanities.

As the crowd dispersed, the brown-eyed guy turned to leave but I impulsively reached out, grabbing his large hand with my small one. He turned around, raising his eyebrows at my bold move. Flustered I abruptly left his hand as a smirk played on his lips. I could feel heat rise to my face starting from my neck.

"I, uh, wanted to say thank you." I stammered awkwardly. He continued to gaze at me intently, shaking his head as if dismissing my gratitude. Just before he could leave, I blurted out, "Don't you think we have met before?"

He turned his whole attention towards me, his arms crossed, a loose curl threatening to escape from his perfectly styled hair. I resisted the urge to reach out and tousle it.

"Did we?" He questioned in a really low tone, sending flutters through my stomach. If he hadn't been occupying my thoughts constantly, I might have doubted myself. Yet, I nodded hesitantly.

"What do you suggest we do about that?" He inquired, his demeanour cool and composed. 

"We could start with a greeting. Hi, I'm Haile Katz." I offered, extending my hand for a handshake. He studied it for a moment before shaking it firmly. Is he germaphobic?

"Jarek Dawson" He replied. For someone with such an attractive face, he was surprisingly reserved.

"Nice to meet you, Jarek," I said, trying to fill the awkward silence. He barely nodded in response and left. This time I didn't try to stop him. I just watched his back intently in awe.

What the hell's wrong with me? Snap out of it Haile. You still have lots to do. But one question lingered in my mind, will we meet again?

Back at the office, I delivered the lunches and also apologised to Mary for my earlier behaviour. She waved it off like it was nothing.

I still felt guilty so I bought her an extra drink as a way of redemption.

Today's work ended a bit earlier than usual. By the time I head out for home the evening sky had started to disappear. It was one of those chilly days, with the cold wind blowing, making me shiver involuntarily.

I hastily speed-walked to the subway. Reaching home by 7 o'clock, I had plenty of time. Bella wouldn't arrive for another hour, so I decided to make today's dinner. Spaghetti was a dish both of us died for and it was also one of my specialties. I changed out of my work clothes into a loose oversized T-shirt and leggings. For my hair, I messily tied it into a bun. I grabbed my mini speaker and put on a random Taylor Swift playlist. I love her music.

Entering the kitchen I grabbed the apron and put it on. Filling a pot with water, salt and some pasta I boiled it. Meanwhile, I chopped up some veggies and sauteed them with some salt and pepper. I put the pasta in the veggies, lightly seasoned it and stirred it occasionally. Finally, I grated cheese, plating it on two plates like a chef.

Now all I had to do was wait for Bella to arrive. Glancing at the wall clock, it showed 7:30 pm. It's been a while since I have drawn something. Hence I went to my room to gather my art stuff and came back to the kitchen island. Unlike others, I did not write in a diary to clear out my mind;  instead, I drew out whatever emotions I was feeling.

I, originally, had wanted to be an artist but because of my early need to work I couldn't accomplish my dream. I still try to draw once in a while so I do not lose my skill. I opened my sketchbook, flipping through the pages. On a fresh page, I decided to draw about today. What was today's highlight? I bit the pencil and replayed the entire day in my mind. One thing that caught my attention was meeting that brown-eyed guy, Jarek Dawson again. With an unexplainable smile on my face, I started sketching the moment he appeared in front of me like a shield.

I tried my best to capture the surroundings, then I started drawing Jarek. Since his back was turned towards me, I closed my eyes trying to imagine the exact scene. With each stroke, I attempted to capture the strength and solidity I had felt in his presence, the way his shoulders stretched across. His entire demeanour demanded attention without effort. Lost in the sketch, I couldn't help but reflect on the impact of his presence.

The way my heart had started beating frantically at his mere sight or the way my breath had caught in my throat at his proximity, I couldn't pinpoint a particular reason. It was as if his very being had cast a spell on me, leaving me spellbound and unable to resist the pull of his presence. And so, I poured my heart and soul, thriving to achieve the perfect sketch of Jarek.

After half an hour of sketching, I got up and stretched my limbs. A shout escaped from me instead when I found Bella smirking at me, from her room's door.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." I placed a hand over my racing heart. She approached me smiling curiously, "What were you drawing so happily? You didn't even notice my arrival."

"Umm, nothing important." I nervously whispered, attempting to retrieve my sketchbook. But before I could reach it, Bella unexpectedly lunged forward, catching me off guard as I fell on the floor on my butt twice, today!

"BELLA!" I exclaimed though laughter bubbled up within me as she helped me up to my feet, already clutching my sketchbook in her hands for dear life.

"Give me that." I insisted but she playfully pushed me away.

"Come on, Haile! We are besties for a reason. Let me see- I won't say a word to anyone." She teased, flipping through the pages until she landed on the sketch in question.

"Who's the guy?" She inquired with a smirk and I couldn't help but sigh. It was going to be the longest night of my life.

However, as the night passed, I came to a realisation that I had encountered someone who would leave an indelible mark on my life, whether I was ready for it or not.

Cut!! Any book cover ideas?