Zara had barely stepped off the bus when the noise of the city hit her, horns honking, people talking, and the occasional screech of tires. She pulled her coat tighter around her as the wind picked up, biting her skin. The office was just a few blocks away, but the walk felt longer today. It was one of those days when the weight of the world seemed to be pressing down on her, even though she kept it all inside.
As she crossed the street, she noticed a sleek black car parked at the curb, its shiny surface reflecting the sunlight. The kind of car you only saw in movies or on rare occasions when someone was too wealthy to care about flaunting it. Zara stopped for a moment, mesmerized by the luxury of it. She had always dreamed of owning something like that, something that could carry her away from the mundane life she had built. A life that was too small, too quiet.
She pulled out her phone and began filming, hoping to catch the car in the background for her vlog. It wasn't anything special, just a small hobby she indulged in when she wanted to feel like she was part of something bigger. The phone camera clicked as she zoomed in on the car, unaware that her gaze had already drawn the attention of its driver.
Suddenly, the woman in the car in front of her slammed on the brakes. The luxury car's tires screeched as the driver tried to stop in time but failed. The impact was sudden, jarring. Zara's phone dropped from her hands as the sound of metal colliding with metal filled the air. The woman in the car in front of the luxury vehicle screamed as she stumbled out, clutching her arm. The driver of the luxury car, a man, sat frozen in his seat for a moment before quickly exiting his vehicle to check on the situation.
Zara instinctively grabbed her phone, heart pounding, and started filming the scene. She had seen accidents before, but this was different. The man, tall and imposing with a dark, almost mysterious air about him, was acting strangely, too calm, too composed, despite the accident. He approached the woman in front of him, and Zara could see the tension in his face, but he didn't seem afraid or worried. If anything, he looked... detached.
She zoomed in, her mind clicking into professional mode as she recorded the incident. The police would want to see this footage, and maybe it would help clarify what had happened. She had no intention of getting involved in the situation, but the opportunity to witness such an event firsthand, this was the kind of thing people only dreamed of capturing.
The woman, now standing by the side of the road, was yelling at the man. "You hit my car! You should've been paying attention!"
The man, in his late twenties, looked unfazed. He checked the front of his car, then turned to the woman with a strange smile. "It's just a scratch. No need to make a scene."
The woman was having none of it. "Are you serious? Call the cops!"
Zara couldn't help but feel a pull toward the scene. Something about this man... it was as if there was more to him than just the expensive car and the calm demeanor. He exuded an energy that made her uneasy, but also strangely drawn to him. She walked closer, still filming, careful to stay out of the way.
Just then, the man turned to look directly at her, his sharp gaze locking onto hers. Zara froze for a split second, feeling an inexplicable chill run through her. It was as if he could see straight through her, into something deeper, something hidden.
Before she could pull away, the man spoke. "You don't need to record this," he said, his voice low and smooth, but with a force that made her shiver. "You have better things to do than get involved in this."
Zara swallowed, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never been one to back down, but there was something in his presence that made her feel small, powerless. She shook her head, trying to regain her composure.
"I'm just... I was just filming," she stammered, her phone still in her hand.
The man stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he turned back to the woman and offered to pay for the damage to the car. He didn't ask for her contact information, didn't seem concerned about insurance. He simply resolved the matter with an unsettling ease.
Zara stayed behind, watching the whole thing unfold, unsure of what to do next. The man didn't seem to care about the police anymore; he was already getting back into his car. As he drove off, his eyes met hers one last time. This time, the chill was gone, replaced with something else, an unspoken connection that left her feeling both intrigued and unsettled.
She put her phone away, her fingers trembling. It was a strange encounter, one that would stay with her long after she returned to her routine. But she didn't know it yet,this was only the beginning.