Why Me ✓ (FINAL EDITS)

Chapter 25

EMERSON FINDLAY

In the morning, I woke up to an empty bed but a very satisfied smile on my face. I stretched and rolled around the bed a little. Soon, I noticed a delicious smell coming from somewhere in the room.

I, very reluctantly, got out of bed and was driven to the kitchenette where the table had a few covered dishes. They naturally pulled me closer and I opened them to see waffles with chocolate syrup on the side with a container filled with some coffee.

There was a huge grin split on my face as I made my way to the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth and have a very wholesome breakfast.

While I was munching on the waffles, I noticed a few brochures along with a note attached to them. It was very distinguishably Adrian's.

"You don't need to sit alone in the room the whole day. If you want, go on any of these tours. I'm sure you'll enjoy them =)"

It read. I smiled once more. All the things Adrian did, really made me feel something warm inside of me. I had always wished to go on a solo trip but I had never even expressed this desire of mine out loud.

There was something about having a person around you who understood you, that could make you feel like a very lucky person.

I quickly ate breakfast and decided to head out. At the reception, I asked them to give me a brochure with a map and off I went.

I had always seen how people posted about their wanderlust, their expeditions and the unplanned off-the-road trips they took on social media. I had always wished to do something like that too but wishing for something and experiencing it are two very different things and I was about to experience that at the moment.

The city was beautiful, displaying its own culture and heritage. I visited a fountain, a common tourist attraction and there, I stood near the centre, the feeling of the most water droplets very soothing. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see that it was a woman.

"Yes?" I inquired.

"It's your first time visiting. Isn't it? I am a local photographer and was just passing by when I saw you with your eyes closed. I clicked this picture," she said while shaking the small sheet of paper that came out of her camera, "here! I hope you like it! You can have it for free."

She beamed. She looked really excited about the picture and I got why when I saw it. I looked really peaceful and very much in the moment. It was really beautifully captured. I had never seen myself in this light. Even though she kept refusing, I paid money to her in the end.

I had always thought of myself as a wallflower, someone who was supposed to be in other people's shadows. However, the moments o was spending here, with myself and with Adrian, made me feel in a completely new way.

To be honest, the feeling of being loved and adored was something I had never experienced in my life. But now that I had, it was pretty addictive and I was not ready to let go.

I moved around as I found my way to the most famous café in downtown. Hungry after my walk, I decided to get some food and fuel.

However, what I saw there, killed my hunger completely. There sat the people, whom I called my parents, who had abandoned me thirteen long years ago.

Hair greyed and bodies a little frail, nevertheless, they still looked happy for people who left their own child in the hands of complete strangers.

I gulped and tried to breathe with my nose as the tears threatened to fall. I knew I shouldn't feel bitter before even hearing their side of the story. I tried to pacify myself by thinking, they must have felt horrible too when they left me. They must have forced themselves to agree to do that.