Night Changes

day 7

'𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧

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“You said you'll be here in ten minutes”, I heard her talking through the phone. Yesterday I had promised to help her in the bakery.

“I'm coming, okay?”, I told her and she sighed. Anika seemed a bit less cheerful today, which was very worrisome for me.

I reached the bakery, only to find her dull face searching for help. Once her eyes found mine, she covered up her feelings with a smile and my heart clenched.

I walked into the bakery and she smiled at me. I didn't know what was wrong, but all I wanted was for her to be happy. I wanted to see her smile. I wanted to see her actual smile.

I walked over to the other side of the counter and she looked at me surprised. I grabbed her arm gently and pulled her into a hug. After a moment, she wrapped her hands around me as well.

“It's not working”, she mumbled and I pulled her closer. Anika tightened her grip around me and I caressed her hair.

“It will be alright. Just believe in yourself like I believe in you”, I whispered and kissed her temple. I didn't care about logic. All I knew was that my heart yearned for her one smile.

I pulled away and placed both of my hands on her cheeks. Then I smiled at her and she looked at me. My arm glided down to hers and I took her hand in mine.

“Let's bake something”, I told her and she looked up. Anika stared at me for a moment and bit onto her lip, seconds later there was a small smile appearing on her face.

Anika grabbed my hand and took me to a kind of canteen. She grabbed a jar filled with a flour and other stuff. I pulled up my sleeve and waited for her instructions.

First, we made the dough. Anika started mixing flour with some salt and baking soda, while I softened the butter and sugar. She was so focused that she didn't even notice I had smeared flour all over her cheeks.

But once she did, it wasn't fun anymore, because my hair was full of it. Anika giggled at what she had done. I just couldn't help smiling while looking at how happy she seemed.

She was mixing everywhere together, when I sneaked my arms around her. Anika stiffened for a moment, then her cheeks turned slightly red. She turned her head to me and I smirked at her.

We put our cookies into the oven and that's when the bell rang. We finally had our first customer of the day. Anika was doing her job, while I was leaning against the wall, looking at what she did best.

She turned her head to me and there it was. The twinkle in her eyes that I had been searching the whole morning had finally appeared. She slowly walked over to me.

“Thank you”, she whispered and I looked at her. Anika stood on her toes and pressed her lips against my cheek. And suddenly the world went quiet.

Silence passed through the wind and all I knew was her. As if lightning had hit me hard, I realized that I was giving those ten days because of her. My life had no meaning and purpose at all.

Not until her.

She was what kept me going on these few days. Anika was the way out. It all really works in mysterious ways. But this one was ridiculous. Why was this only happening when I was going to leave? When I had already made up my mind and I was sure that I had nothing to live for.

I promised him I'd turn back to him. This was a foul play. He knew she was awaiting me. And that's why he let me go. Anika was a part of my destiny and I was trying to escape her. Which was impossible.

She was the reason I had to stay. Meeting her was the sole reason for my existence and now that I was with her, he had all the reasons to take me away. I had fulfilled my duty here. If I had left a week ago, she wouldn't have met me.

Anika wouldn't have known I existed. And I had ho idea why our paths were connected, but she certainly was a part of me and I was a part of hers.

When she pulled away, I suddenly forgot how to breath. This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to fall for her. I should've died that day. Why was he playing with me now? I had barely some time left.

She was afraid of death, if only she knew she walked right into its cave.

We ended up closing the bakery early. Anika looked at me and I furrowed my eyebrows. She chuckled and I grabbed her, pulling her over to me.

“So, what do you want to do now?”

Anika looked at me, before her lips formed into a smirk and she started laughing evilly. Well, at least that's what she was trying to do.

And shortly after that, we were back at my place. But Anika had brought something along with her. It was a huge puzzle she wanted to finish with me.

We started working on it, while I also put on some music. I sat down beside her, with my arm around her shoulder. Anika rested her head against my arm.

“This feels oddly like a dream”, it was meant only for her eyes. But I had heard her. I kissed her forehead and she looked at me longingly.

“You must be having a very han domes dream then”, I tried to joke, but she didn't smile. I didn't look at Anika. What was happening to us?

“You're going to leave, aren't you?”, her voice started breaking when she asked me that. I didn't want to lie to her. I didn't want to give her false hopes. I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want to see her cry. I didn't.

“Anika”, I called her name, before I finally looked at her again. Her eyes, her beautiful eyes that were always filled with love, now they only held tears.

“Why did you choose me?”

The tear she had been trying so hard to hold in, finally rolled down her cheek.
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The moment that changed everything.

Amna xx