Rewind

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Adam?"

     My deep brown eyes continue staring back at his hypnotizing grey ones, and even though I was sure that I caught a flicker of recognition flashing through them, it was gone as soon as it came. Other than the fact that he is much older now, maybe by four years or so, he looks just like in the photo in his wallet except for one thing that made him seem as though he's not himself- something that I can't quite lay my hands on. Something that made him seem like a stranger to one's eye.

     None of us has spoken yet. Not a word has been said after I uttered his name, which I learnt from his master card, until he cleared out his throat. "How do you- I'm sorry, but you are?"

     I stare at his eyes which were now looking at me like a total stranger; a person he has never met, and my mouth suddenly feels dry like I just lost the ability to speak. As I eye his features warily, I shift a little closer to him, trying to boost any memory to see if I recognize or if we ever met, but as soon as I stepped closer, he took a step back.

"Do you know me?" I ask him in a low voice and retreat back; a dark shade of red brushing my cheeks.

    Just before he takes a look at his watch, attempting to check the time, I can't help but notice how he stiffened at my question but then I remember  how he looked at me like I'm a complete lunatic a few seconds ago which made my doubt myself.

Maybe I was just being too paranoid.

"Listen, I'm kind of really late for something here; how can I help you?" He asks, with an unmistakable annoyance, which was evident in both his voice and face, but once I got out the wallet from my black purse, it morphed to a one full of gratitude and understanding.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion; I just wanted to return this since I saw it fall out of your pocket earlier today," I reply softly as I hand him the wallet.

He takes a few steps forward. "Thank God."

He slowly takes it from my hands, making sure not to make any skin contact and pulls it directly to him. "I've been looking for it everywhere. Listen." He flickers his eyes to me before saying, "Thank you for returning the wallet, but I'm really sorry; I have to go."

    Just as he was brushing past me as he made his way from his porch to his black Porsche, that I couldn't help but notice as I came by, I grab his arm as a means of stopping him from leaving now.

"Wait, please!" He surely notices the eagerness in my voice because he stops in his tracks, giving me a chance to speak.

I pull my hands away from him. "I know I had no right to open your wallet, but while I was searching for your identity card amongst the other cards you own, I found a picture."

     He shifts his legs awkwardly and motions with his head for me to continue, clearly not getting where I'm heading at, so I explain slowly. "I saw the young girl in the picture, and I couldn't help but notice how similar she looks like me. If you don't mind me asking, who is she?"

    He turned his entire body so that he faces me with a sudden vulnerability and sadness tainting his eyes as he replies, "She was the love of my life."

"Was? Does that mean s-she...?" I gulped suddenly feeling that I was stepping into a private territory by asking questions I know that I have no right to even ask in the first place.

"She died in a car accident a few years ago." He looks away, for he was desperate to shield the emotional vulnerability that's so clear in his eyes that even a stranger like me could notice a mile away before saying that he has to go.