Waves of reality.

ADRIAN'S NOTE

The following day, Serene slowly woke from a fuzzy dream. For a moment, she felt like she was still surrounded by the bustling crowd, but as she opened her eyes, she was met with the hushed silence of her room. The dim light of the setting sun filtered through her curtains, indicating that it was nearly 5 PM.

Serene sat up, her mind still a bit groggy. She reached for her phone and noticed several missed calls from Jenna and Mary. Her heart skipped a beat as she checked for any messages from Adrian, but there was nothing.

Dragging herself out of bed, Serene made her way to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water helped clear her head, and as she stood under the stream, she began to feel somewhat better. After her shower, she changed into comfortable clothes.

Serene decided to call Mary, who answered on the first ring, her voice filled with concern.

Mary: "Girl, where were you? You scared me."

Serene replied, her voice apologetic, "I'm sorry, Mary. I didn't mean to scare you. I overslept."

Mary felt a sense of relief upon hearing from Serene. She suggested that Serene come over for a meal, but Serene politely declined, explaining that she needed to clean her room.

After ending her call with Mary, Serene mustered the courage to make herself breakfast. She prepared some toast and scrambled eggs, trying to regain a sense of normalcy in her life. As she ate, her thoughts inevitably drifted back to Adrian, and her heart ached with his absence.

Determined to keep her mind occupied and ward off the constant thoughts of Adrian, Serene decided to start cleaning her room. She began with the shopping bags that Adrian had left for her. As she started unpacking the clothes he had bought, a wave of emotions washed over her.

Serene had grown accustomed to solitude, having lived alone since childhood. Mary was the only person she had known throughout her early years, and Jenna had become her closest friend. However, there was no one she could truly call family, no one with whom she could share her joys, sorrows, and secrets. Adrian had been the one to bring a glimmer of hope into her life, dispelling the darkness that had surrounded her. Now, he was gone, leaving behind a void that seemed impossible to fill. His absence weighed heavily on her heart, and she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever hear from him again.

As the evening wore on, Serene managed to clear most of the shopping bags, but her small wardrobe was now overflowing with clothes, shoes, and jewelry that Adrian had bought for her. It was as if he had shopped for her entire lifetime, and she was overwhelmed by his generosity. She contemplated where to store all these items, not expecting to find any more surprises.

However, her eyes widened when she noticed two more shopping bags tucked away in the corner of her room. Serene sighed, unsure of what to do with even more items. The bags themselves looked exquisite, and as she opened the first one, she found an array of high-end skincare and makeup products. Serene was astonished to see that Adrian had included her favorite Sarena skincare products, something she couldn't even have dreamed of affording.

As she was examining and swatching the products, a subtle card slipped from within the bag. She set the cosmetics aside, her curiosity piqued by the card. It appeared to be handwritten, and there was a note attached to it. Serene abandoned everything else and hastily wiped her hands on her clothes before picking up the card to read the handwritten note. Serene carefully unfolded the handwritten note, her heart racing with anticipation. As she read the words Adrian had penned, a mixture of emotions welled up within her.

"Serene," the note began, "I know that by the time you read this note, I will no longer be in your country. I can't find the right words to explain everything, the connection we shared, and the happiness I experienced during these past few days with you exceeded my expectations. I never wanted to leave you alone, but the circumstances are such that I can't take you with me, given the absence of an official relationship between us."