Cora
The day had finally arrived. The day before the wedding, the day I fly to San Francisco.
I have never been there and even though I won't see much, I'm usually thrilled to go to new places.
Maybe it is because I have actually never been anywhere.
Me and Leo had gone shopping last Sunday to look for my dress. He liked a bright red one, however I decided on a simple black silk dress. I didn't want to drag any attention to myself.
A mix of emotions washes over me as I am packing my small suitcase since I will only stay in the hotel for two nights. Leo had paid for that and the plane tickets, I'm guessing he did that because he felt bad.
On one hand, I'm incredibly excited for Anna and can't wait to witness this beautiful milestone in her life. The thought of seeing her walk down the aisle, radiant and filled with joy, living our dream, fills my heart with warmth.
But there's also a tinge of sadness lingering within me. I can't help but feel a sense of disappointment for my own safe love.
While I might also feel a pang of longing for my own partner to be by my side, I know that tomorrow is about my best friend, not me. And in that realization, any traces of self-pity fade away. I want to be the best friend I can be, the one who supports her unconditionally and makes her feel loved and cherished on this memorable day.
On the plane I keep reminding myself that being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely.
I will have the opportunity to meet new people and maybe reconnect with some old high school friends. It's a chance for me to be fully present and soak up the joy that surrounds this special day.
And I also remind myself that this is what I chose for myself. And Leo is not a bad person. His heart is in the right place. This is what I need. This is what I deserve. This is safe.
Then I fall into a deep sleep due to my tired body. I couldn't get comfortable all night last night and Leo's snoring in my ear didn't help me at all.
When I land, the lady sitting next to me has to wake me up, in order for her to get out of her seat.
I'm even more worn out than before. I turn 25 this winter, but sometimes I feel like my soul is stuck in a grandmother's body.
When I step out of the airport, all that I want is to get a cab, find my hotel and sink into a well-deserved rest.
As I am looking for my phone, a man's voice catches my attention from like a few feet away.
I glance in the direction of the sound, noticing a figure with his back turned towards me.
Dressed in a sleek suit, his hair immaculately styled, he appears to be engaged in a tense conversation on his phone.
Intrigued by the intensity in his voice, I find myself momentarily captivated by this stranger. I can't see his face, but his body language shows an air of confidence.
I catch fragments of his conversation, snippets of high-stakes negotiations or perhaps the resolution of a pressing business matter. Despite the stress evident in his demeanor, there is an undeniable cold calmness that emanates from him.
Suddenly I don't feel tired. Suddenly I forget what I was about to do.
It feels like only a second pass, when he is already stepped into a cab and smashes the door behind me.
I feel disoriented. Maybe I was hallucinating.
How could only a man's back and voice make me this intrigued?
I seriously need some sleep.
Suddenly the door from the same cab, where this guy had just gotten into, opens and a middle aged man looks around and yells.
"Who else is going to the Four Seasons hotel?" He yells out and I feel myself starting to get almost sick.
I don't want to drive in the same car with that man.
Isn't it great that we share the same hotel?
And isn't it great that we also have a psycho cab driver?
"I am." I raise my hand like I am back in school and start to walk to the cab.
The driver gets out of the car and takes my suitcase.
I sigh before I open the door on the other side. Surely, this man can't have it all. He must look like a beast.
"What the fuck?" I hear him groaning and I nod my head in an agreement even before I have stepped my foot in this car. But once I finally do, I regret it instantly.
In a sea of faces, there it was—the most perfect face that seemed to stand out like a work of art.
He wasn't paying attention to me as he was looking at his phone but I could catch a glimpse that his eyes were dark brown, almost black. And then, the lips. They held a hint of mystery, as if they knew secrets that the world had yet to discover. They were big, well moisturized. He had shaved better than I have ever seen any man do before. And he also smelled better than anyone I have ever met.
The suit he was wearing, a deep shade of midnight blue, seemed to enhance the strong lines of his frame. The jacket hugged his shoulders perfectly, and the trousers draped just right. Every detail, from the subtle sheen of the fabric to the way he adjusted his cufflinks, spoke of perfection. He is the definition of perfect.
I get uncomfortable. People like him scare me.
When the cab driver finally starts to drive, I sigh once more, seeing that the drive will be 56 minutes in total.
56 minutes with him.
"What is it?" Suddenly his voice fills this car. He is talking to me like I would be an annoying child.
"Sorry, I'm just tired because of the flight." I quickly turn around to give him a little smile only to find him staring at me right back.
He takes in my whole body before saying anything back.
"Mhm.." he then says.
"Is this even legal?" I point out at both of us sitting in this cab.
I can hear him let out a little chuckle. To my own surprise, that scares me even more.
"Even I can't tell you that." He says.
He is quite literally the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my whole and I can't believe that this is actually happening. Especially while I am wearing my pajama pants with hearts on them.
I need to stop myself and my mind so I turn my head away from him and ask him a question that would make him go back to his stone cold face and voice. I bet a guy like him doesn't like talking about himself.
"Are you staying here for work?"
"No."
And I was right. The rest of the car ride, we don't exchange any more looks nor words.
I see Leo calling me for the fifth time, so I text him that I will call him back as soon as I get to my hotel room.
"Enjoy your stay." He says like he is the receptionist and tosses the money to the driver.
Then he opens the door and is out of my sight.
"Sir, is all of it there?" I ask to the driver, before getting out myself.
"Oh, yes, and even more than just all of it." The driver smiles, showing me his yellow teeth.
"Goodnight."