Lily • Rosa • Jeanine • Park
The street lights shined brightly in my tired eyes. The cold wind from outside breathed through the empty every thing around me. Sounds echoed from the space up to my ears. Life. I sensed every aspect of it. Even though it was very early in the morning, the sun hasn't risen yet and I was so glad that I could be there, running, right now. All by myself. Free.
Sunday morning went too fast. I reached out to Léo and talked to him about yesterday. About the things that I managed to experience in such a short meantime. Made sure he doesn't worry about me. I told him things he needed to know. Nothing more, nothing less.
I traveled back to my hotel. All of the employees greeted me as soon as they saw me, with a warm look. I smiled at them and said mine as an answer to their heartwarming greeting.
The moment I entered my room, I've never felt so relieved and glad. I transferred all my weight to the bed as I let myself be swallowed up by it. Then I fell asleep.
• • •
"Feel. My heartbeat."
"Feel it. Till I can breathe."
"Watch. I'll be back when I'll stop tripping onto myself."
• • •
I woke up with a strong and stabbing headache. The words were eating me up from inside. And I couldn't get them out. They were glued to my brain. Pinned to stay.
My phone rang.
"Mom?"
"Hi, baby...were you sleeping? Did I wake you?"
"No, I just took a nap after running."
"Ah, okay. I'm glad you still find time to run. Really." She released with a clear relief in her voice.
"Yeah, me too."
"But why'd you call?" I asked, sternly. I was tired. Out of energy. After yesterday.
"I only wanted to hear you."
•
•
•
"I love you, mom."
"I love you too, Ross."
I hang up pissed, but at the same time trying to understand. There was something she didn't tell me. She knows that she can't hide it. She's such a bad liar.
Why is everyone lying?
What are they hiding?
3 WEEKS LATER
Lily • Rosa • Jeanine • Park
My studies all went well. Too well. Somebody could even tell I visited the school already. But no. It was mostly thanks to Léo. He helped me with every little assignment or homework given by our teachers. I often spent nights at his dorm, learning what I didn't learn on the lectures, which I enjoyed, because he never made it strict and he never forced me. He always asked me if I understood the specific curriculum of each subject that we were currently studying, always eager to explain to me. As he studied at the same faculty, and even with the same department.
Today we also agreed to meet, because I got lost in my studies and needed a "tiny" help. So we'll meet at his place. 8 PM.
"Lily? You're here?" He asked curiously speaking to the phone.
"Yes, I'll be there in twenty seconds." I replied and announced to the phone, rushing up the stairs, climbing the last few steps before reaching out to his "inconspicuous" awaiting in the opened door of his dorm.
Léo let me in and welcomed me, to which I only thanked, as it happened to already become a ritual. I sat down on the couch, to sort out the papers and materials that we had planned to discuss. He brought me my favorite tea, placing it on the coffee table, as he knew it always helps me to study and focus better. Like music.
After bringing the tea, he was already setting up the music, enhancing the mood.
• • •
We spent studying and fulfilling my materials from school exactly the time of three hours and 40 minutes. Now the time being 11:40 PM. If I am not wrong, the time it takes me to get there, whether from the hotel here or vice versa, takes twenty minutes on foot if I'm not in a hurry. Which means that the next time I will be able to lie down and sleep is around anytime after midnight. Good enough. But only if I leave right now. I better do so.
"Grazie, Léo! But I better go now, I want to catch some sleep."
"Prego, Lily. You don't need to thank me. But I feel a little bad to let you walk alone in the night..." Léo's eyes searched for something unknown in me. His eyes never leaving mine now spoke to me.
"You can...maybe...stay over...?" The description of this situation was impossible. How was I supposed to react?
"Yeah, okay." I just released, simply, when Léo's face turned red and relieved at the same time.
The thought of me, honestly, walking around in the dark night in the streets of this busy city was making me uneasy and stressed. Leaning towards this option seemed to me the most reasonable thing I could do at this moment. So I simply agreed. What only could happen? He's one of the people I grew up with, he was one of the people I felt safe with, so there seemed to be everything perfectly fine with me staying over for one night. But, what I didn't expect, what I didn't know, was how the situation could turn a whole 360 degrees.
"Léo, thank you for letting me stay," I expressed my thank to him, whispered, yet loud enough for my words to travel though the space between us as I laid on his bed while he found his place on the floor, his ears still catching my words.
"It's not worth talking about, you don't need to thank me... I was happy to help you."
"You are always such a selfless and modest person. I'm surprised you are still single. I wonder how you are still without a significant other."
"Life comes with challenges and questions. The answers already apply to our decision-making and perception. What has to come, will come. That's how I see it."
"Your imagination and dictionary they enrich me and pleasantly surprise me. We are still full of unexplored life and knowledge that cannot be prepared for. You're right: Everything that's meant to come will come. Good night, Léo."
"You too, Lily. Have a good night."
These were the last words I could process before I plunged into the realm of dreams and adventure. But before I even knew, the adventure only started once I entered the world of knowledge and understanding, only once I opened my eyes.
Dark.
Sometimes what we experience in the realm of dreams, is the true reality that we are unable to see in the daylight. Then it is a reversal, but also growth.
Knowledge.
The eternal and everlasting abundance of information and the true purpose of being.
To be continued...