Dreams Can Come True

35. The Girlfriend

We were all gathered cozily in the small café next to our studio. The atmosphere was relaxed, filled with the sound of clinking glasses and the murmur of other patrons. Nervously, I drummed my fingers on the table while taking a sip of my freshly served pint. My eyes repeatedly glanced at my phone, hoping for a message from Elise.
I had sent her a text to let her know I was grabbing a drink after work, but to my disappointment, there was still no response. My mind began to speculate wildly. Maybe she didn't like that I was having a drink after work? Had she fallen asleep already? Or was there something else going on that I wasn't aware of?
Georg noticed my distraction and made a lighthearted remark about it. "If you keep staring at your phone like that, it might ring on its own," he teased, a playful grin on his face. Tom quickly added, "Uh-oh, does Elise not approve of us having a drink?"
Georg shrugged casually. "Yeah, that's usually how women are," he replied with a wink. I pocketed my phone and looked at him. "Yeah, Georg, you would know all about that now that you have a girlfriend," I said, a hint of irony in my voice.
There was a brief silence in the group, but soon Gustav broke the tension. "Do you have a girlfriend, Georg?" he asked, surprised. Georg looked at me pleadingly, as if to ask why I had revealed it now.
"Relax, Georg," I reassured with a comforting smile. "You would have told us sooner or later."
"Tell us more, Georg," Tom insisted, turning to face Georg. The whole group now had their attention on Georg, curious about his story.

Georg's blush deepened as he hesitantly began his story. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he talked about his girl. "I'm dating a girl named Valerie," he shared with a soft smile.
Tom's face lit up with recognition. "Isn't that the girl we bumped into a few weeks ago while we were out?" he asked, trying to refresh his memory. Georg nodded affirmatively, his gaze speaking volumes about his feelings for her.
"Yeah, exactly," Tom replied with a grin. "She was a pretty girl, but I was too busy with her friend at the time," he added with a wink.
Gustav, always curious, couldn't hide his interest. "When can we meet her?" he asked eagerly, while I couldn't suppress my curiosity and showed my interest.
Georg raised his hands in a gesture of restraint. "Easy, guys," he began with a slight smile, "it's still early days, so I'd rather wait a bit longer for that."
Tom, known for his jokes, couldn't resist making a teasing remark. "Afraid I'll steal her away?" he joked, prompting me to playfully punch his arm. "Tom, please," I teased back, "we all know you're capable of that."
At that moment, the waiter returned to our table, a friendly smile on his face. He asked if we wanted to order anything else, and I looked at my half-empty glass. "Another one, I think," I muttered, imagining how nice it would be to be home with Elise soon.

The evening air was crisp as we drove home after our second pint. The streets of Berlin had quietened down, but my mind was still filled with restlessness.
We were silent in the car, my thoughts racing as I held my phone tightly in my hands. I still hadn't heard anything from Elise, and I couldn't help but wonder where she was and if something was wrong. Tom noticed my unease and tried to reassure me. "Don't worry, Bill," he said, his voice soothing as he parked the car in our garage. "Elise probably just fell asleep. It's late, we've had a long day of work."
I nodded weakly, but couldn't shake the knot in my stomach as we got out of the car and walked to our apartment. The hallways of the building were quiet as we climbed the stairs, and I felt my heartbeat quicken as we approached our front door.
When we finally arrived home, the silence of our apartment felt ominous. The key turned with a creak in the lock, and with a soft click, the door opened. A chill breeze from the hallway seeped in, sending shivers down my spine. I felt the nervousness weigh heavily on my shoulders as I stepped over the threshold.
The darkness inside was suffocating. All the lights were extinguished, leaving the space shrouded in deep shadow. My hand trembled slightly as I removed my coat and hung it on the rack. Every sound seemed amplified in the silent space, and I heard my own breathing echo in my ears.
"Bill," Tom responded, his voice calm. "She's probably just asleep."
With hesitant steps, I ventured forward, my senses on edge as I tried to decipher the darkness. My eyes squinted in a futile attempt to make out anything in the dim room. My heart pounded like a drum in my chest, a symphony of fear washing over me.
Tom turned on the light, and slowly, almost on autopilot, I made my way to the bedroom. Each step felt like an eternity, every second filled with uncertainty and dread. My breathing came irregular and jerky, like a wild storm raging through my body.
When I finally reached the bedroom, I held my breath, almost afraid to look. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the empty room, illuminated only by the pale moonlight streaming through the window. The bed was neatly made, the pillows stacked tidily at the headboard, but there was no sign of Elise.
A cold shiver ran down my spine, my stomach churned with fear. I turned around, my heart pounding in my throat, and called out Tom's name in a hoarse, desperate voice. "Tom!" The sound of my voice seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, and for a moment, it felt like the world around me stood still, filled only with the deafening drumbeat of my own heartbeat.
"Tom!" I called out again, my voice filled with panic as I hurried back to the living room. "Elise isn't here!"
Tom walked into the living room with a furrowed brow. "What do you mean, Bill?" he asked, his voice sounding concerned.
I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts. "She's not here, Tom," I repeated, my voice trembling slightly. "Elise isn't home."