CHAPTER 2: AN ANGEL IN A DEVIL’S CLOAK – Imaginary Encounter Unfolds...
Jewel… It’s been so long since I saw her in my dreams. I miss her so much. I had become so consumed by the search for her in the real world, I had forgotten the real people around me. I pushed everyone away because I wasn’t sure if they were real to me in the first place. My Jewel... How I longed for her company. The only company that kept me at peace. I know she’s not real, but she felt more real than most people I’d come to know.
“You look lost in your thoughts again?” Ife’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. She was standing in the doorway, staring at me through the mirror I’d been fixated on for too long. She chose to visit my apartment because she missed me, or at least, that’s what she said. But I knew deep down, she was here because our parents were worried sick about me. And so was she.
“I made breakfast for you,” Ife said, still gazing at me, her eyes concerned. When I didn’t respond, she continued, “At least have breakfast before heading to work.”
After a moment, I finally nodded and stood to eat, though I wasn’t really present.
My mind kept drifting, and her words faded in and out.
Later, I got into my car, or at least I thought I was heading to work, but then something felt off. I found myself driving on an unfamiliar road, as if I was being led by something I couldn’t quite grasp.
And then, there it was.
A beautiful tree stood in the middle of the road, its branches stretching out, casting a soft shadow over the ground. Beyond it, I could see the city skyline peeking through a misty veil.
The air felt crisp, the kind that comes after a heavy rain, with birds singing and chirping, creating a gentle melody. I pulled over, stepping out of the car. The cool air brushed against my skin as I walked toward the tree. Beneath it, a carpet of soft grass invited me to rest. My body longed for the peace it promised, so I sat down, allowing the serenity to wash over me.
As I sat on the grass, the air shimmered, like it couldn’t decide whether to hold the silence or scatter it. I didn’t expect to see anyone there, not in this forgotten place, not in the haze I’d been wandering through for days.
Then, from nowhere, she appeared—not entirely real, not entirely imagined. Just... there. Sitting on the other side of the tree, holding a book. This time, the title was clear: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Her hair was cut low, her caramel skin glowing under the tree's shadow. Her eyes were gentle and familiar in a way that twisted my chest.
“You came,” she said, like I was late to something I didn’t know I was invited to.
I nodded, unsure if I should sit, run, or collapse.
“I wasn’t sure you’d still believe in me,” she whispered without raising her eyes.
“I’m not sure I do,” I replied, my voice barely above a breath. “But I needed someone.”
And she smiled—not the kind of smile that fixes things, but the kind that understands when they can’t be fixed.
As I lay beneath the tree, I felt a light drop of rain on my face. It stirred me from the dream. I looked up, expecting to see her, but she was gone. The rain began to drizzle down, soft and warm, as I lay there, beneath the tree, wondering how much of this was real.
I reached out, trying to grasp at the fading vision of her. But as my fingers met the cool grass, I realized something. There was no book. No Jewel. Only the scent of rain and the quiet, empty space around me.
Had she ever really been here? Had I imagined it all?
But in the pit of my stomach, something told me I wasn’t just dreaming. Jewel was out there, somewhere, waiting for me. I just had to remember how to find her.
I closed my eyes against the soft drizzle, feeling the rain mix with my tears, and for a moment, I let myself believe.
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