Serendipity (HS)

Chapter 2

Harry

After she had left, I paid for my purchases and strolled through the parking lot. The setting sun painted the sky a breathtaking shade of orange. Once my groceries were stowed away, I climbed into my truck and drove off.

As I drove down the empty street, my eyes scanned the sidewalk. It was then that I saw her, a small figure walking with bags in her hands. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Arcane. She seemed to be struggling, as though the weight of the bags was too much for her.

I pulled over and rolled down the window. "Hey, need a ride?" I offered, but Arcane didn't seem to hear me. She just kept walking, lost in thought.

I knew that if I just called out to her, she wouldn't listen. So, I got out of the car and approached her. "Hey, Arcane," I said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped, startled by my presence. "Oh, hey," she said, a hint of surprise in her voice.

I looked at her, studying her face. She seemed tired, worn out. "What's going on? You said you had a car," I said, hoping to get some answers.

Arcane hesitated for a moment. "My car is parked three blocks away."

"Um, do you need a ride?" I asked awkwardly, stumbling over my words. "I mean, if you want a lift, I could take you where you care is."

"Edward, thank you for your offer, but I'm good," she politely declined, and I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"But you look tired carrying all those bags and your backpack," I said, gesturing towards her heavy load. "Let me help you, please."

Arcane looked torn, as though she was trying to decide whether or not to accept my offer. "Like I said my car isn't that far, you don't-" she began, but I interrupted her.

"Well, c'mon and let me get you there faster," I said, reaching out to take two of her bags in my hand and start walking towards the truck, ignoring her protests.

Arcane screamed for me to stop, but I kept walking. Eventually, she gave up and followed me, her footsteps hesitant and uncertain. I could tell she was uncomfortable, but I didn't know why. Was it because of me? Or was there something else going on that I didn't know about?

We loaded her bags into the trunk alongside mine, but Arcane refused to put her backpack inside. Instead, she insisted that she'll be fine holding it.

We reached the passenger seat, I opened the door for her. "Really?" she said, rolling her eyes.

She gets into the vehicle, put on the seat belt, and holds onto her backpack that sits on her lap. I hop in the driver's seat and start pulling into the driveway. As she settled in, she grabbed her trusty backpack and carefully placed it on her lap, clutching it tightly. I reached for the keys and started the ignition. Slowly but surely, I pulled out of the driveway and onto the open road.

"Where exactly did you leave your car?" i ask for directions.

"Ah yeah, near the book shop." she said.

I turned the truck onto the main road, the dimming sunlight casting long shadows over the quiet street. Arcane sat silently beside me, clutching her backpack as if it held something more precious than anything else. The orange hues of the setting sun bathed the interior of the truck, but the warm light did little to chase away the chill that seemed to surround her.

"So, near the bookshop, right?" I asked, glancing over at her.

She nodded slightly, her gaze fixed out the window. "Yeah, it's just a few blocks from here. You can drop me off there," she replied, her voice distant, almost as if she was somewhere else entirely.