At the Restaurant…
She sat alone in an isolated restaurant corner like a precious jewel intentionally hidden from the public gaze. Her bag was her only companion on the adjacent chair—such a lucky companion!
Sitting at a table opposite hers, I didn’t realize I was closer than I should have been—close enough that I feared she might hear my messy thoughts. However, it was just a coincidence—what a coincidence!
I saw her for the first time and was amazed at how fully immersed she was in her tiny world, without the slightest awareness of what was happening around her or who was sharing the place with her.
The restaurant was elegant yet simple, situated in a beautiful, luxurious hotel. It had a blend of bright colors and warm lights that successfully reflected the modernity of the place.
My attention was drawn to her slow eating, which made me think she had all the time in the world, even though her appearance indicated otherwise. She was wearing a white shirt and black pants. I had never thought that such simple formal attire could look so elegant until I saw her.
She continued to eat very slowly and with extreme patience, as if she were being merciful to the food.
I glanced at her for the second time, and that was when our eyes met. Suddenly, the whole world became as quiet as a winter night, yet my mind was as noisy as a stormy shore. The sparkle of her eyes dazzled me, and I felt as if it was penetrating my soul.
I wanted to look at them more deeply, but I was too afraid of the noise of my internal storm. I ordered all my senses to stop for a second, in a desperate attempt to prevent this sparkle from penetrating my soul.
I wanted to hide this enigmatic feeling. The place was crowded, and she seemed the last person to care about her surroundings.
Moments later, I suddenly felt overwhelmed by fear, pain, and confusion—fear of what her eyes made me feel in seconds, pain because I discovered I had such a vulnerable heart, and confusion over how all that was possible in the blink of an eye.
I sank into an ocean of questions: Did her eyes just penetrate my soul? Is that scientifically possible? Why has she suddenly turned into a puzzle I am dying to solve? Why did she eat so slowly if she had work in the morning? Why did she seem so confident and proud of her beauty? Is she arrogant, or is she just lonely, with a broken heart perhaps?
With all those lingering questions, I started to develop another fear: that I wouldn’t find the answers.
However, I couldn’t resist having one final glimpse, despite knowing the risk of letting the sparkle in her eyes penetrate my heart and soul. While I was deep in thought, she suddenly stood up without warning. She was leaving. She passed me by like a calm breeze, yet she left behind a violent storm and an inexplicable anger.
Oh, if only you knew how much those short moments affected me! You wouldn’t have left like that without warning…
She went her way, and I left for work.
At Work…
I was technically married to my job. It had occupied my heart for the past twelve years. It used to be my safe refuge in times of mental stress. But for the first time, that day, no matter how much I worked, I couldn’t distract myself—not for a second—from what I felt.
Yes, she was the one who occupied my mind all day. A day that passed as if it were another year.
All my colleagues had left except me. I sat in my office for a while, trying to gather my scattered thoughts before leaving.
Oh, this place has suddenly become scary and dull.
My feelings were all over the place, and my mind was unable to answer the questions her eyes had deliberately thrown at me.
Yes, deliberately! I could not believe she hadn’t noticed me suffering from her captivating beauty and deadly eyes.
After a few minutes of contemplation, I decided to leave work. I headed to the park. I needed to get some air, but the shadow of her eyes continued to follow me with every step I took.
In the Park…
While I was walking through the crowded streets, I saw that woman from afar again. She was walking toward the park too! What a coincidence!
The more she walked toward the park, the more its beauty seemed to fade before her extreme beauty.
I felt that fate was pulling me toward her, so I decided to follow her from a distance without getting too close. I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable or think I was stalking her.
She walked slowly among the trees, looking up as if she were greeting the leaves one by one. She sat on a wooden bench under a large tree, opened her bag, took out a small book, and immersed herself in that world just as she had in the restaurant.
The park felt quieter in her presence, and the rays of the setting sun filtered through the branches. I sat nearby, hidden behind a tree, watching her silently.
This time her face was free from mystery, like the open book in front of her beautiful eyes. There was something about her that triggered my curiosity. She began to read in a low voice. I couldn’t hear the words, but I felt that every letter she read carried a part of her soul. She seemed to belong to another world—a world of magic, beauty, and intellect.
After a few minutes, she slowly closed the book and raised her head to look at the sky. I felt a deep sadness in her gaze, but her beauty overshadowed it.
Suddenly, I felt like I was getting closer to understanding this mystery, but I was still far from the whole truth. I had neither spoken to her nor heard her story.
I gathered my courage and decided to talk to her. I started walking, but I felt as though shackles were holding my feet. But I continued anyway.
As soon as she sensed my presence, she closed the book and smiled. Our eyes met again, and this time their spark didn’t penetrate my soul. I felt as though the noise of the outside world had returned, but my inner storm had suddenly calmed. I felt an unusual peace as I was about to sit next to her on the other corner of the bench.
I didn’t know what to say, but her smile was enough to melt all my fear and hesitation. I was afraid she might hear my racing heartbeat and scattered thoughts.
After a few minutes, I asked her about the time, hoping that this question would be the beginning of a long conversation and a beautiful discussion.
“It is time you stop looking at me this way,” she replied firmly and sarcastically.
Silence conquered the space, and I lost my ability to speak; my tongue was suddenly tied.
“Who are you? And why do I have a feeling that I’ve seen you before? Are you stalking me?” she asked. “You don’t seem like the type who follows women,” she continued.
I finally replied after the knot loosened from my tongue, with enthusiasm:
“I can only answer the first question,” I said. “As for the second and third questions, use your intuition to find out.”
She reopened the book, placed her fingers inside, and closed it. Then, resting her other hand under her chin, she looked at me, seeming to listen to my answer with all her senses. Her gaze intimidated me, but this was my only chance to properly introduce myself.
I told her, with pride and fear:
“I was born in this city, but I felt like a stranger in it only today. I was lost even though these streets were the arena of my childhood.”
“Hmm,” she exclaimed, her eyes filled with curiosity, adding another layer of beauty to her face.
“I can’t tell you why. You’ll have to wait,” I replied, using a sarcastic tone and a cunning smile.
Then we talked for almost an hour about many things: life and dreams, the past and the future. Her words were full of wisdom and mystery. She shared stories about the places she had visited and the people she had met. I felt as though I were living an adventure I had never experienced before.
The sun began to set, and I wished time would stop so I could savor every moment with her. But that’s life—every beautiful moment passes quickly. Before I could say another word, she said, as if reading my mind:
“I should go now. It’s getting late.”
My heart filled with sadness; it was time for us to part ways. She stood up, smiled, and handed me the book.
I took the book and thanked her, watching her leave. She walked confidently toward an unknown path—not toward the train station, the parking lot, or the tall buildings.
She took a path to the forest, where the trees obscured the view. Everything inside it was eerie and mysterious.
I looked at the book and felt that I had finally gotten hold of part of her mystery. Yet, at the same time, I realized there was still so much more to discover within its pages.
At Home…
I returned home feeling a little happy and curious. I rushed to my room to look for my reading glasses, like someone searching for a lamp in the middle of a dense forest. As soon as I found them, I felt that the pages of that book would carry something new, beautiful, and exciting.
I opened the book and started reading. Each letter told a different story, and each story carried a part of that mysterious woman’s soul.
And how surprised I was! It was a book that narrated her adventures in life. It was about the experiences she had in her travels and the distant countries that I dream of visiting. I felt as if I was living her adventure.
- “Who are you?!” I wondered.
I had a feeling that I would meet her again someday, somewhere, to complete a story that had begun in a fancy restaurant, continued in a small park, and unfolded through an endless book.
While I was in that state, diving deep into the pages of the book, I suddenly felt a slight dizziness. The colors around me faded, and the shapes and sounds blurred, as if I was returning to those moments of her magic and mystery.
I realized something strange when I opened my eyes. At that moment, I found myself on my bed, and the sun sneaked through the curtains into my eyes like an uninvited visitor.
- “Oh my God, everything I saw was just a dream?!” I screamed.
I realized then that I had been exploring the depths of my hidden feelings and desires, and the sparkle I felt in her eyes was nothing but a reflection of my sincere desire to search for love.
I sat on the bed to remember every detail—how she was sitting alone, how my heart was beating fiercely, and how, and how…
That woman symbolized everything I needed in my life. She was everything I was looking for.