Anya stepped out of the office building, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. The confrontation with Sarah had left her feeling unsettled, a strange mix of anger and confusion swirling within her. She tried to dismiss it as a momentary blip, a minor inconvenience in an otherwise productive day.
As she walked down the bustling city street, Anya decided to treat herself to a small reward. She spotted a boutique window displaying a nice black shirt, its fabric soft and inviting. Ethan had always looked good in black, she thought, a faint smile touching her lips.
She entered the boutique, the scent of expensive perfume filling the air. The shirt, even better in person, was displayed on a mannequin. Anya imagined Ethan wearing it, his broad shoulders filling out the fabric, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Anya purchased the shirt, a small smile playing on her lips. It was a small gesture, a way to acknowledge the growing connection she felt with Ethan, a connection that went beyond mere friendship.
As she left the boutique, she bumped into a group of her old high school classmates, their faces a mixture of surprise and delight.
"Anya! It's been ages!" exclaimed Emily, her eyes wide with excitement. "You haven't changed a bit!"
Anya laughed, exchanging pleasantries with her former classmates. They reminisced about their school days, catching up on each other's lives.
Emily suggested they have dinner in a nice restaurant, and they all agreed on it.
Anya then texted Ethan,
"Hey Ethan, I won't be back for dinner tonight, I'm catching on with old highschool classmates"
she sent the text... she waited and didn't see any response on his side, so she shut her phone and put it in a her.
"We should have a reunion," suggested Ben, a former classmate who had always had a crush on her. "It would be great to see everyone again." he said looking at Anya
The idea resonated with Anya. It had been years since they had all last gathered. It would be a good chance to reconnect, to see what had become of their lives.
"That sounds like fun," she agreed, a genuine smile gracing her lips.
So they agreed on communicating with old classmates to invite them for the reunion
"Uhmm ..Anya, you should invite Liam too, after all we are both classmates and he's your ...u know....Emily started winking at Anya
Ben chimmed in, "yeah Anaya bring him along, after all then in school you guys acts all lovey dovey, he laughed
well the truth is that nobody knows that Liam and I have broken up and well I'm freaking engaged to someone I've never known.
I smiled as they said those words.
As she parted ways with her classmates, Anya felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. It was strange how quickly time flew by. It felt like just yesterday she was navigating the complexities of high school, and now she was a successful lawyer, her life taking unexpected turns.
She thought about Ethan, about the garden, about the enigmatic guardian and the unsettling events of the past few days. The encounter with Sarah had momentarily distracted her, but the lingering unease about the garden and the mysterious woman remained.
She decided to put the unsettling thoughts aside for the moment. She had a reunion to plan, a life to live. And perhaps, just perhaps, a deeper connection to forge with the enigmatic Ethan.