In a world where social expectations often dictate who we're allowed to love, a story of unexpected passion and quiet rebellion unfolds.
"Only Just Begun" introduces us to Jeremy Whittaker, a 33-year-old security architect-brilliant, intense, and qu...
Jerry woke with a jolt inside the van Daniel had rented for their long-anticipated road trip through Scotland. The first soft rays of dawn filtered through the windows, casting light over the cramped interior and revealing just how little space he had to move. Blinking sleep from his eyes, he shifted stiffly, his body aching from a restless night of shallow sleep disrupted by the rocking of the road. Comfort wasn't the van's strength, but the thrill of the journey ahead and the energy of six close friends, made the discomfort worth it. The group had set off at daybreak, determined to squeeze every moment out of their Scottish escape.
Jerry rubbed his eyes and looked around. Most of the group was still sleeping. Daniel, ever the responsible one, was behind the wheel with a focused, determined look on his face. Tessa was curled in the passenger seat, her head resting on Daphne's lap. Daphne, too, was dozing, her head leaned against the window. In the back, Roy and his girlfriend Hermione were wrapped in each other's arms, fast asleep.
The van moved smoothly down a winding road, flanked by landscapes straight out of folklore. Moss-draped mountains rose in the distance, cloaked in early-morning mist that made them look mysterious and almost otherworldly. Rolling green fields stretched on endlessly, dotted with lazy, grazing sheep.
Jerry cracked open the window, letting in a breath of fresh, dewy air. The scent of wet grass and wildflowers swept in, and it brought a small, sleepy smile to his face. He was grateful to be there, in the heart of such beauty, with people he trusted. A soft playlist murmured in the background—acoustic and gentle, the perfect soundtrack to their unfolding adventure. As the sun rose higher, golden light spilled across the hills, gradually lifting the fog to reveal quaint villages, still lakes, and centuries-old stone bridges. With every curve of the road, the world revealed something new
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Jerry leaned back into his seat, surrendering to the rhythm of the van, but his mind drifted elsewhere, far from the scenery outside.
Carol.
Her name echoed in his thoughts like a haunting refrain. Her presence lingered in his chest like an ache he couldn't escape. No matter how far the van carried him, he couldn't leave her behind. He was in love with her. Utterly, painfully in love.
Her laugh, her eyes, the warmth of her touch, every moment they had shared surfaced in vivid detail, cutting through him like glass. But that love, as intense as it was, now felt one-sided. The way she had spoken to him before he left, the distant tone in her voice, it rang in his memory like a final note. Her indifference had struck him harder than any fight. The fire of anger had faded. What remained was a hollow ache.
He missed her. Terribly. He thought of Hyde Park, of late nights at the "Grenadier" Bar, of quiet glances and shared smiles. Now, they felt like relics of a fading dream. He wished he could go back—say the right thing, change the outcome. But it was too late. And now, all he could do was sit in silence, watching the road pull him further from the woman who still held his heart.
