Joseph didn't linger. After the police station and a heartfelt thanks from the victim, he drove me home, a swift end to our unexpected adventure.
As I stepped out of his car, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The whole ordeal had been so surreal, so out of the ordinary.
I thanked Joseph for driving me straight home, and he simply smiled.
"It was the least I could do for you to trust me," he said.
As I prepared to leave, my eyes caught sight of his iPhone. A quick impulse, a fleeting thought. I grabbed it, entered my number, and saved it under my name.
Returning the phone to its place, I turned to him and reached out my hand.
"Kayleigh," I said, my voice firm."Sorry, I wasn't able to introduce myself earlier."
He held my outstretched hand and shook it. There were a few moments of silence.
As he drove away, I watched him until he was out of sight. Then, I turned and walked up to my house, a strange mix of relief and unease settling over me. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just been a part of something much bigger than myself.
It was a strange but fun experience, but it had also been a reminder of the kindness and bravery that can be found in the most unexpected places.
I made my way to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. As I drank, I couldn't help but think about the events of the day.
The more I thought about it, the stranger the whole thing seemed.
How had Joseph known to be there at the right time? It was almost as if he had been expecting it.
Intrusive thoughts started kicking in, a relentless tide of anxiety. To quiet my mind, I reached for the remote and began to scroll through Netflix. My eyes landed on a documentary about the Menendez Brothers.
It was the kind of dark subject matter that had always fascinated me, though my ex had often warned that it was unhealthy.
'You're going to end up like them,' he'd say, his voice tinged with fear.
Now, as I watched the documentary, his words echoed in my mind. Perhaps he had been right. Maybe there was something inherently wrong that I'm morbidly curious about these things, and I'm sunny.
I paused the film, my heart pounding in my chest. A sudden wave of heat washed over me, and I found myself thinking about Joseph. His strong arms, how well his polo fit his body...Did he have abs?
My phone buzzed. I'm grateful for the brief distraction.
A text from my best friend, Lena: "Still on for our hike tomorrow?"
I smiled, remembering our plans. The fresh air and exercise would do me good. Plus, Lena had mentioned bringing her new puppy along. Maybe I'd even get some cute photos for my nature photography Instagram.
As I texted back a quick "Absolutely!", I realized how much better I felt with my mind occupied by positive plans and interests.
The rest of the evening stretched before me, full of possibility. Maybe after the movie, I'd sketch out some ideas for that short story I'd been meaning to write…
The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed and excited. I met Lena at the park and we set off on our hike. Lena's puppy, a playful golden retriever named Max, bounded ahead of us, sniffing out every interesting scent.
As we hiked, I couldn't help but think about Joseph. I wondered what he was doing that day. Was he working? Spending time with friends? I shook off the thought.
When we reached the top of the hill, we stopped to rest and enjoy the view. It was a beautiful sight.
The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows across. Lena and I stood side-by-side, catching our breaths after a challenging hike. The air was crisp and cool. Max, Lena's golden retriever, lay panting at our feet.
"So, how's that short story you've been meaning to write?" Lena asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
"Oh, you know, the usual," I replied. "Lots of late nights thinking how to start it as I'm experiencing writer's block."
Lena nodded. "I'm glad you're keeping busy. It's good for you."
"Yeah, it helps," I said. "Speaking of being busy, how's your love life? Any updates?"
Lena chuckled. "Oh, you know. The same old, same old."
"Come on, spill the beans," I prodded. "I'm dying to know."
Lena hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Well, I've been thinking about my ex."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you were over him."
Lena nodded. "Yeah, I thought so too. But lately, I've been feeling a bit nostalgic."
"Nostalgic? For what?" I asked.
"For the good times, I guess," Lena replied. "You know, when we were first together and everything was new and exciting."
I could understand why she'd miss that. I can hear my heart silently breaking reminiscing the times I spent with Emman.
"I can see why you'd miss that," I said. "But don't you think it's better to focus on the present and the future?"
Lena sighed again. "You're right. I just need to remind myself that there's more to life than what I had with him."
"Exactly," I said. "And who knows? Maybe something even better is right around the corner."
Lena smiled. "Maybe."
I looked down at Max, who was fast asleep. "At least you have him."
Lena smiled warmly at me. "You know, I'm really grateful for your friendship. You always know how to brighten my day, no matter what's going on."
Lena paused, then changed the subject. "Speaking of brightening days, how's Emman? Still shooting for that promotion?"
My smile faltered. "He's doing okay," she said, my voice a little quieter than before. "He's still working on that, but..." she hesitated, "we're not together anymore."
Lena's eyes widened. "What? You're not together anymore? When did that happen?"
I took a deep breath. "It's been a few months now. It wasn't easy, but he decided it was for the best."
Lena's expression was a mix of surprise and concern. "Oh, Kayleigh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I thought you guys were doing so well."
"It happens," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Life takes unexpected turns."
Lena reached out and squeezed Kayleigh's hand. "I'm here for you, you know that, right?"
Kayleigh nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude for her friend's support. "I know. Thanks, Lena."
At least someone appreciates my positivity. Now I'm starting to have second thoughts about myself. Was I ever worth it to him? In the blink of an eye, my mind wandered suddenly to Joseph.
My attention was suddenly drawn to a familiar voice. "Kayleigh, is that you?"
Turning around, I saw Joseph approaching the trail. Wearing hiking gear, his forehead was drenched in sweat.
"Joseph! What a surprise," I exclaimed, not knowing how to react. "Lena, meet Joseph, a new acquaintance of mine. Joseph, this is Lena, one of my closest friends."
"Hey, Lena. It's a pleasure to meet you," Joseph greeted with a friendly smile as he extended his hand for a shake. He then crouched slightly and began petting Max while asking, "and who is this adorable little fella?"
Lena smiled at Joseph's interaction with her dog and responded. "My adorable furbaby."
I raised an eyebrow and interrupted them. "What brings you here, Joseph?" I asked him.
Joseph stood up and brushed his hand through his hair. "I decided to take a hike to clear my mind. My job has been incredibly demanding lately, so I figured spending outdoors would be my breather."
I became suspicious of his answer. My forehead creased. "Oh really?"
Joseph seamlessly steered the conversation to a different topic, and Lena again joined in. I chimed in and he occasionally added his own experiences balancing work, and personal pursuits to the conversation. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but steal glances at him, admiring how the dimming sunlight highlighted his features.
As the sun slowly descended, we unanimously decided to wrap up our hike. Joseph graciously volunteered to accompany us on our way down. Parting our ways, Joseph's eyes fixed on me for a moment longer. "It was wonderful our paths have crossed. Maybe we'll bump into each other again soon?"
Despite the unbelievable coincidence of this encounter, I managed to nod.
"Perhaps," I responded cautiously to maintain nonchalance.
While driving home, emotions swirl within me. There was the dying curiosity of unexpectedly running into Joseph that my mind couldn't help but retreated back to Emman. Upon finally arriving home, the heavy burden of my past relationship had smothered me yet again.
I stared at my phone, rereading the sweet text messages I had with my ex for the hundredth time. The word blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. I blinked them away, refusing to cry over him again.
When I finally freshened up, I noticed the apartment felt emptier than ever, the silence broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall.
I kept walking back and forth, biting my nails. If I am easily swayed by my emotions, how many hours would I spend, curled up on the couch, waiting for his "Good night" text?
Too many to count. I thought.
I needed something - anything - to distract myself again from the looming dark thoughts threatening to drag me under.