In the morning, Tabby was awakened by the loud singing of birds outside the window. She slowly opened her eyes and first of all had to realize where she actually was. Warm rays of sunlight began to insistently rub through the turned blinds and pleasantly tickled her face. She glanced at the alarm clock, which had not even had time to ring yet. Six o'clock! It was high time for her usual morning routine. She got up quickly, rinsed herself briefly in the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Then she put on only light sweatpants and a cotton T-shirt and pulled her restless curls into a braid. She finished the super quick grooming by putting on a canvas cap with a peak. Sid blocked her path in front of the house again, whining happily. But for now, she was unpleasantly enduring his affection and had no desire to change it.
"You're here again? Stay, you can't come with me, you'll only get in my way!" She hissed at him grumpily.
He sat down and stared at her intently. She turned to leave and after a few steps behind her she registered a suspicious movement. She turned her head and found that Sid was behind her again. He simply took a few steps behind her at the same time as her and when she looked back, he remained standing there as if transfixed, watching her with an innocent and disarming gaze. When it happened about the third time, she couldn't take it anymore and laughed:
"You deserve a dog Oscar for this. Okay, I'll take you with me then. But if you don't listen to me, it was the first and last time, do you understand?" Then she took the leash from the basket by the door, put the headphones of the player in her ears and ran out with Sid towards the huge park. It was truly amazing, crisscrossed by countless narrow paths, strewn with tiny gray stones that creaked pleasantly with every step, and there was plenty of lush greenery all around.
She closed her eyes for a moment before the turn, because her favorite song, "Shy," which she adored, had just started playing in her ears. But then she screamed in shock because she had bumped into someone. She immediately opened her eyes and stopped. When she saw the person she had run into and wanted to apologize to, she felt her heart pounding in her throat. If she hadn't had a head, it would surely have jumped out. She registered the disheveled dark chestnut hair, the slightly swarthy face, and the most amazing brown eyes with spots the color of autumn oak leaves! But today they reminded her a little of melted milk chocolate. This time, instead of a shirt, he was wearing a black T-shirt, white sweatpants, and a wooden necklace around his neck had been joined by a pendant in the shape of a human palm, suspended from thin black leather. She took off her headphones and tried to speak in a calm tone.
"Oops, and... hello, and sorry, I wasn't looking at the road. Where are you coming from?"
"Probably for the same purpose as you. I love these fragrant early mornings and I sometimes go for a run or just a walk here. But I should ask you! I never thought I'd meet you here," he smiled at her. The smile was wonderful, but a little sad, she also noticed that they were actually starting to get along. She couldn't take her eyes off him and began to realize bitterly that her vocabulary would probably remain at Tarzan's level again. Sid suddenly solved everything for her. Apparently it seemed to him that they had been in one place for too long and decided to run on. He jerked the leash sharply and Tabby staggered. Stupid dog!... She had no time to think, but she was already falling towards her new companion. The leash fell out of her hand and Sid disappeared with him somewhere unknown. The young man grabbed her tightly and became serious. She felt his hands slowly move along her sides, then connect on her back, and she rested her full weight in his firm embrace. She inhaled a pleasant spicy scent, slightly complemented by cigarette tobacco, and a chill ran through her, making the hairs on her arms stand on end. And not only there.
This feeling unnerved her and she realized with horror what she must have looked like. She had just run out of the house, not even looking at herself in the mirror. And now she was sweaty from running to top it all off. She looked up at him and smiled apologetically, then noticed that he was staring at her.
"It seems that my butterflies are less dangerous..." he said in a muffled voice, so close to her face that she could feel his warm breath on it. She found that he was holding her a little tighter than before, until she could almost feel his heart beating faster on her chest. He lightly brushed his lips against her temple, perhaps unintentionally. It was only a brief touch, but it had the power of an electric shock. She closed her eyes and her knees buckled. He tried to get her back on her feet and asked worriedly: "Are you okay?"
"S… sure, nothing… I'm not at all… really," she stammered, agitated. Mushrooms with vinegar. She hoped he hadn't noticed what his closeness was doing to her so shamelessly. She was almost angry with herself for not being able to control herself. Suddenly he interrupted the moment of mutual intoxication, released her and stepped back a little from her. She stood frozen in surprise for a moment, but then she recovered. He put on his smile again and added.
"You need to train him better, otherwise he'll drag you to your death soon!"
"I know, I've never really liked dogs, but this one belongs to my dad. Hopefully I'll get over him in time. Now I just have to find him..." she sighed and looked around helplessly. Fortunately, the dog appeared a few steps away.
"Sid, you scoundrel, come here!" She shouted at him angrily. He sat down at her feet guiltily.
"Well, you have him back. And... if you want to know who saved you from the inexorable force of gravity, my name is David..."
She blinked awkwardly and quickly added.
"And I…I'm Tabitha, but they call me Tabby." Even though she suspected that it probably didn't fit, she offered him her hand. Hesitantly, he took her in his hands and lightly ran his thumb over her wrist, causing her to take a shaky breath and say thoughtfully, looking into her eyes:
"Hmm, you have a nice, special name…Well…I'll go now, I won't disturb you on your morning walk. It was nice to see you again." He added somewhat absently and let go of her hand.
She looked at him in disbelief. And that's all? Nice to see you? She watched him as he leaned over to Sid and briefly scratched him behind the ears. Then he straightened up and gave her one more of his wonderful smile, nodded slightly and left! She couldn't even say a word.
She had hoped so much that he would at least ask her for her phone number! When he disappeared around the bend, she looked at the dog, who was watching her intently, as if he suspected what she was thinking. He growled softly and wagged his tail.
"Well, you see, you've just seen with your own eyes how things really work with me. Come on, let's go home..." she sighed, turned around and after a while she slowly walked back out of the park. But she was also thanking Sid in her mind, because thanks to his rascally disobedience he had caused something that she would not easily forget, despite her bad luck...
David first quickened his pace, but then slowed down and stopped for a moment. He hesitated a little and with willpower overcame the urge to return to her. He clenched his hands tightly into fists and angrily kicked away a nearby stone. This incredible coincidence had thrown him off balance a bit, for the second time fate had brought the girl into his path, but he had to realize that his future was burdened with a huge burden that he himself could hardly cope with. Why drag someone else into all this, and someone so wonderful? Her interest was undeniable, there was something tenderly sparkling about her that excited him in a strange way. When he remembered again the fragility of her body when he hugged her, and the scent when his lips briefly touched her temple, a shiver ran through him and he felt a pleasant prick in his lower abdomen. He gritted his teeth and stepped forward resolutely. But he was no longer so sure that he could leave so coldly if they ever met again.
He tried to shift his thoughts to his future trip to the Himalayas. Despite the inner uneasiness that Tabby had awakened in him, he thought about the warning of his mother's uncle Rahit, who was quite alarmed by his intention to explore that mysterious place. He did not understand what could be so dangerous there, and knowing what his illness had in store for him, he waved it off. Could anything be worse? Hardly...
He put his hands in his pockets and after a while his slender figure disappeared with a languid step into the morning bustle of the Dublin streets