Chapter 25: The thought behind words

BLISSFUL EUPHORIA

Jay felt a pang of uneasiness as he read Aria's text. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. He tried to brush it off, thinking that Aria must indeed be tired and in need of rest. But as the night wore on, Jay found himself tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Aria began to revisit all the moments they had shared. When individuals are in a positive mood, they tend to recall pleasant memories, but when they are consumed by negative thoughts, they often see only the negative aspects of everything. Jay came to Aria's home to pick up some items, and they spent some time together outside. Although Jay was not aware, Aria was good at masking her emotions, and she pretended that everything was normal. However, every time he mentioned something related to family or friends, Aria was deeply observant. She gave subtle hints and spoke about topics related to family, parents, and friends, but Jay responded with one-word answers and casualty changed the subject.

On that day, things went in a similar way. However, the next day, Jay did not initiate any communication via text or call and did not respond to her attempts to reach out. This made her anxious and she began to wonder if he was put off by her behavior the day before and was purposely avoiding her. Eventually, he sent her a location and called her after 7 pm, instructing her to visit that place the next day morning before 8 am. She was furious at his ignorance and thought of not following him. Although it was located outside the city, early in the morning, she woke up and got ready, and made her way there. Despite her attempts to call him, he did not pick up the phone but instead sent a message with instructions on where to go.

a bush with pink sweet alyssum flowers on a sunny day

Having followed his instructions, she arrived at a field of pink and purple Sweet Alyssum flowers. As she walked along the path surrounded by the blooming flowers, Aria felt a sense of serenity wash over her. The delicate fragrance of the Sweet Alyssum was so enchanting that it made Aria forget all her worries. The pink beauty of the land, the slight fog, and the cool weather coupled with the warm sun rays made her feel as though she had stepped into another world.

After the field of Alyssum flowers, the land was covered with a carpet of small, green grass. In the distance, Jay stood, dressed casually. Aria felt a rush of relief upon seeing him and started walking toward him. However, when Aria reached the edge of the flower field and was about to step onto the grass, Jay held up his hands to stop her. She took a step back and stood on the field, looking at Jay with curiosity. "What's going on, Jay? Why are we here?" she asked.