Night Changes

day 4

𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰

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It was almost noon and Anika hadn't texted me. Even though I hadn't known her any longer than a few days, I somehow had grown attached to her. Maybe I was attracted to her innocent personality or her kind heart.

I had no idea what it was, but I just wanted to make sure she was doing alright. I texted her through WhatsApp but the message hadn't been delivered. For some reason I had started feeling anxious. She didn't seem the kind of to vanish so unexpectedly.

I sat down on my couch and Cleo jumped onto my lap and settled herself there. I started caressing her head. At least, she was here. I kept thinking about all the possibilities why she had disappeared, but none of them made true sense.

And why was I so bothered by any of it? I wasn't going to stay, I had to leave in a few days. Getting closer to her was only more harmful for me and her. I didn't want her to feel close to me. Not after what I had seen death does to her. She couldn't stop crying for half an hour.

Sighing, I stood up and left my place. I walked down the street to her bakery. The town seemed a lot quiet today. And for the very first time in many years, I didn't like the silence. It felt like it was eating me up.

Maybe I only cared about her, because she was a precious little bean. I had never seen someone like her. She was filled with love and care for whatever had a heart to beat. How could somebody not adore her?

Once I reached the place, I just stood there frozen, when I noticed that the bakery was closed. That only added more fuel to my anxiety. I took my phone and started calling her. The bell would ring, but Anika wouldn't pick up.

What was wrong with her? I should've asked her where she lived. I mean, she just arrived at my place without a word. It wouldn't have made me seem like a creep. I was deeply regretting not asking her anything about herself.

I walked through the town. While going through a lot of houses. I even stalked her on social media, but she was nowhere to be found. That's when I bumped into someone. I looked up and food Aditya staring at me as if I had grown two horns.

“What the fuck are you doing outside? I thought you said you didn't want to leave your apartment. So, now you'll lie to me?”, he started scolding me and I just rolled my eyes.

“I'm looking for someone?”, I told him and suddenly his eyes widened. Before I knew better, the back of his hand was pressed against my forebear and he was checking my fever.

“Are you on drugs?”, he asked me and I just stared at him speechless. I opened my mouth to say something, but he groaned in annoyance .

“Are you on fucking drugs?”, he screamed into my ear and I pushed him away, rubbing that side.

“What is wrong with you?”, I asked him and turned around to walk back to my place. Aditya followed me.

“It's just not you”, he whispered and I just looked at him unbelievably. He really had the audacity.

Once we were back home, he opened two drinks and we sat down on my terrace. I would peak at my phone from time to time, but there would be no news from Anika.

“I met this girl”, I said and Aditya slowly turned his head towards me with a huge smile covering his face.

“It's not what you think”, I glared at him and he just rolled his eyes at him. Aditya had been trying to hook me up with a lot of girls, but it never seemed to work out.

“Or maybe it is. She's just so sweet and I don't know what it is about her”, I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't like the way she was making me feel. We were strangers.

“You like her, it's just as simple as that”, he said and Cleo joined us. I watched her strutting around.

“But we don't really know each other?”, I said while taking a sip from my drink. My phone vibrated and I turned to look at it. Unfortunately, it was from somebody else.

“And how does that matter?”, Aditya raised an eyebrow and I just sat there. Wouldn't it be weird?

“What if she doesn't?”, I asked him and he just smiled at me. Aditya put away his drink and looked at me with his head resting against the wall.

“I'm sure she does”, he winked and I just looked at him. Sometimes I really wanted to strangle him to death.

Aditya stayed over the afternoon, until it was almost time for dinner. He decided to help me make some food. And obviously he'd stay over for dinner. Aditya never had to ask. Wherever I was, it was his home too.

He never hesitated and maybe that was what I really loved about it. To Aditya I was his brother, his friend. Somebody he could rely on. Somebody who made him feel comfortable enough to be himself. And even though I regretted being alive, I couldn't deny the fact that he was the sole reason I stayed a bit longer.

When he left, I decided to walk him out. We walked down the stairs and I opened the door for him. Aditya hugged me and I chuckled, but soon enough I stopped when I saw someone standing just behind him. It was her.

Aditya pulled away and patted my shoulder before leaving. I just stood there with my hands in my pocket, watching her. Once he was gone, she slowly started walking over to me.

“Where were you?”, I tried to keep my calm, but I was so worried about her. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and I gulped.

A lonely tear ran down her cheeks and before I could've figured out what to do, she had her arms around my waist and her head resting against my shoulder. I didn't hug her back. Not until I fully recovered from the shock.

“I don't like how you make me feel”, she whispered and suddenly my heart dropped into my stomach. She didn't like me.

“But I can't help it”, she said while sobbing into my ears and all I did was go completely numb.
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Amna xx