Road to Serendipity

“Jocelyn, ENOUGH!" I yelled, my frustration boiling over as I slammed the door shut behind me. Freshly broken up with my boyfriend, my stepmom just couldn't give me a moment to breathe. Memories of my late biological mother lingered in my mind, but they were blurred by the severe brain damage I suffered in the car crash that took her life when I was ten.

After her passing, my dad changed, becoming work-obsessed, remarrying, and barely acknowledging my existence. I couldn't forgive him for neglecting me during my darkest times. It wasn't just him; now I had to deal with my stepsister, Marine, too. While I didn't hate her, I resented her mother for taking my dad's attention away from me.

That night, I made a life-changing decision. I had no clear destination or means of transportation; all I knew was that I had to leave, and I had to leave immediately. I couldn't leave Marine alone with them, so I planned to return for her when the time was right. The uncertainty of my future as a 19-year-old weighed heavily on me.

As I stood on the beach at midnight, the sand felt unusually cool against my feet, a rarity in California. The solitude was comforting, granting me a sense of liberation I hadn't felt in ages. I gazed at the waves softly crashing onto the shore, finding solace in their rhythmic movement.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep, the tranquility was shattered by the sound of approaching cars. Several people, my age or slightly older, stepped out of the vehicles. I tried to mind my own business, but one persistent stranger kept bothering me, offering me a drink repeatedly despite my refusal.

Exasperated, I snapped back at him, but his persistence didn't wane. As the situation escalated, a stranger, tall and broad-shouldered, approached, saving me from the harasser's grip. He stepped in, pretending to be my boyfriend, which seemed to deter the stranger.

The harasser's anger grew, and a confrontation seemed inevitable, but my unexpected rescuer skillfully knocked him out with a single punch. We knew we had to escape from his friends, who were now closing in on us. Without hesitation, he took my hand, and we ran for his black Porsche parked nearby.

We managed to get into the car and sped away, leaving the group of men behind. Both of us were out of breath, and I couldn't help but feel grateful to this stranger who had come to my aid when I needed it the most.

As we continued our conversation, I realized I didn't even know his name yet. His hazel eyes held a depth that intrigued me, and the adrenaline rush from the beach incident seemed to have forged an unspoken bond between us. It wasn't until we were safe inside the car that we finally introduced ourselves. His name was Aaron.

Beneath his tough exterior, I discovered a kind heart and a tender vulnerability. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep next to this enigmatic stranger, my heart yearning for the adventures that awaited us on the road to Florida. Those hazel eyes were the last thing I saw before I gave in and fell asleep.

*After ten hours:*

I slowly opened my eyes to the bright light peeking from the car windows. It took me a moment to remember why and where I was. Everything was the same way before I fell asleep, except I was sleeping in the bed Aaron had made for himself, and he was driving. "Morning sunshine," Aaron said sarcastically. "What time is it? Are we in Florida yet?" I said, yawning in between. "Yes, just 10 minutes away. Of course not? What makes you think I have inhuman capabilities where I can drive for 10 hours straight with no sleep?" answered Aaron. "You could have just said no, you know," I replied, rolling my eyes. "I slept not long after you. We have 2200 miles left. Let's just try to enjoy it, how about that," he said. I nodded. Then the realization hit me. Did we sleep together? I looked at him with questioning eyes. Our eyes met through the rearview mirror. His lips curved upwards, "You wish," he replied to my gaze. The fact that he might have lied didn’t even cross my mind.

I decided to enjoy the bed I had all to myself. I guess he was too much of a gentleman to obey his own rules. Why was he even traveling to Florida? I played "Last Kiss" by Taylor Swift as many questions rose in my mind about Aaron.

As we approached a small town, I saw many people gathering around on the deck of a lakeside restaurant. It seemed like a festival. "Aaron, look there is a music festival, can we please take a break for God’s sake? You said we should enjoy the trip, come on!" I said with excitement. Aaron’s gaze met mine, and he offered a warm smile. "I take that as a yes!" I said as he pulled over to the parking lot. "You go ahead, I’m coming," he said, as I took off. I saw him searching for something in the trunk. I joined the people slow dancing to the soft live music being played by a musician. Then I felt an arm curl around my waist and pull me into a dance. "God, Aaron. You scared me! I thought I wasn’t your type, what happened to that?" I asked, smirking. "I told you that I might have lied didn’t I, love," he said leaning in, as I was trying to suppress my astonishment. Then I a black guitar case over his shoulder. "You play?" I asked with the new surprise. "No, it's just for decor," replied Aaron. He went towards the musician and told him something. He took the microphone. "Can I have your attention for a moment, please? I want to play something special for someone just as special to me. I met her unexpectedly, and developed a unique bond. Meeting her was serendipity. This song reminded me of her," he said and started playing "Wonderland" by Taylor Swift. Everyone started to sing along with him. I never knew he had this in him.

After he was done playing, he thanked the audience, and everyone started clapping and praising him as he walked towards me. "How'd you like the show?" he asked. "It was fine, glad you didn’t screw it up," I said, petting his shoulder. "I would believe you had I not seen the sparkles in your eyes as I played," he replied. "So, who is this special girl?" I asked. He seemed lost for words for a second. "Maybe I will tell you one day," he replied as he smiled. "Oh come on. I bet she is a blondie," I said as I looked at him with doe eyes filled with curiosity. "That gaze of yours might have worked on your ex, but it won’t on me, love," he replied as we headed towards the car.

*It has been two days, I think, since we have been traveling together. The ride has been going smoothly so far, not considering the fact that one of the tires blew up, and we had no more gas left. Thankfully, Aaron had solved those problems hours ago.

We were very close to Miami, our destination. We had unexpectedly grown close to each other considering the situation. "Why Miami, Aaron?" I asked. "I needed to escape from my old life, start fresh somewhere new. Florida seemed like a good place to find myself again, you," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of vulnerability. "Well, I kind of ran away from home. I have a terrifying stepmom situation that I didn’t feel like dealing with," I replied. Aaron seemed surprised, but it didn’t take long before he fixed his gaze on the road. "I don’t have the words to reply to that, but I will when I have a good enough answer to say," he smiled.

It was almost night, and we were approaching a beach. As we drove towards the sunset, I knew that this road trip had changed my life forever. Little did I know that it was only the beginning of a new chapter filled with love, friendship, and the thrill of the unknown. "I really like sunsets," I said as Aaron pulled over to the beach. "Wait, what are you doing?" I asked. "Didn’t you just say that you like sunsets? We can watch the sunset and spend the night here, how does it sound?" he asked. "Can’t say no to that," I smiled.

"There is no better place than a beach facing the west to watch a sunset," Aaron said. "I agree," I replied. We enjoyed the sunset for a while. "How did the whole terrifying stepmother situation begin?" he asked. "Are you indirectly asking what happened to my biological mother?" I answered. "Well, you got me, if you don’t mind sharing," he said. "I lost my mother when I was ten. In a car crash. I survived, she didn’t. I lost her with all of the memories I had with her. My father said that I resemble her a lot. Nothing ever went back to the way it was after that. He remarried, and forgot about me." Aaron was listening attentively. "You know it's actually not that bad. It's just the woman he remarried is impossible to tolerate, and that part you know of," I shrugged my shoulders.

"You know for some reason I want to learn more about you. After hearing you play and sing, I remembered the fact that we are still strangers to each other," I said, changing the subject. "Obviously we met two days ago," he said. I started studying him. He had lit a campfire and brought sodas from the car just before the sun set. He took a sip from his soda. "To be honest I had forgotten about that had you not reminded me, Lina," he said. "Oh really, I thought I was the only one who felt the connection," I said sarcastically, leaning towards him with doe eyes. "You have no idea what you do to me, but if you keep looking at me with those eyes, you will know, and I won’t apologize," he said. "Tell me then, what do I do to you, Aaron? I didn't think you cared about me," I said, but my words were caught off with the soft lips I felt brush against mine.

As the waves crashed against the shore, Aaron pulled away from the kiss, his hazel eyes locked onto mine. There was a mix of emotions in his gaze – desire, vulnerability, and something I couldn't quite place. I felt my heart racing, my mind trying to process what had just happened.

"I... I didn't mean to do that," Aaron stammered.

"It's okay," I replied, my own face warming up. "I didn't mind it."

He let out a nervous chuckle, and we both sat there in silence for a moment, the crackling campfire filling the space between us. It was the first time I saw him unsure of himself, and it somehow made him even more endearing.

"I didn't expect any of this," he said finally, breaking the silence. "This road trip, meeting you, the music festival, and definitely not that kiss."

He looked torn, his emotions playing across his features. "You barely know me, Lina. You don't know the kind of person I am or the things I've done."

"Well, maybe I want to find out," I said firmly. "I'm not asking for a commitment or a promise. Let's just see where this road takes us."

Aaron searched my eyes for a moment, as if trying to read my soul. Then he gave a small nod, his lips curling into a soft smile. "Alright, Llina. Let's see where this road takes us."

The next few days were filled with laughter, deep conversations, and new experiences. We explored Florida together, from its vibrant cities to its serene beaches. With each passing day, I felt my connection with Aaron grow stronger, and I could sense he felt it too.

But life has its own way of testing us. As we spent more time together, it became evident that Aaron was carrying a heavy burden. There were moments when he would withdraw into himself, and no matter how much I tried to comfort him, he would push me away.

One evening, as we watched the sunset on a secluded beach, Aaron turned to me with a pained expression. "Lina, I need to tell you something."

My heart sank, fearing the worst. "What is it, Aaron?"

He took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving mine. "I'm not who you think I am. I've done things in my past that I'm not proud of. I've hurt people, made mistakes... I'm not the person you deserve."

I reached out and gently placed my hand on his cheek. "We all have a past, Aaron. What matters is who you are now and who you want to be in the future."

Aaron looked torn, his emotions warring within him. "I don't know if I can be the person you need."

"Then be the person you want to be," I said, my voice steady. "You can't change your past, but you can shape your future. And if you want me to be a part of it, I'll be there."

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. "You're too good for me, Lina."

At that moment, I knew I had to let Aaron go. He needed time to find himself, to confront his demons, and I couldn't do that for him. It was painful, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

The next morning, I woke up early and left a note for Aaron, explaining my decision. I knew he might be hurt, but it was for the best. I needed to find my own path, too, and maybe in the future, our roads would cross again.

Five years passed, and life took me on a journey I could have never predicted. I pursued my dreams, found my passion in photography, and even reconnected with my sister, Marine. But there was always a part of me that wondered about Aaron and what had become of him.

One day, while visiting a photography exhibition in a bustling city, I noticed a familiar face in the crowd. It was him – Aaron. His blond hair was a bit longer, and there were new lines on his face, but those hazel eyes were still as captivating as ever.

We locked eyes for a moment, and without thinking, I made my way towards him. He looked shocked to see me, but a small smile played on his lips.

"Alina, I can't believe it's you," he said, his voice filled with emotion.

I smiled back, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "It's been a long time, Aaron."

"Yeah, it has," he replied, his eyes searching mine. "I've thought about you so many times, wondering where life took you."

"I've thought about you too," I admitted. "How have you been?"

He took a deep breath. "It's been a rollercoaster, to be honest. I took your advice and tried to become the person I wanted to be. It wasn't easy, but I've made progress. I still have my struggles, but I'm learning to face them."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said genuinely. "I knew you had it in you."

He smiled, and a warmth filled the space between us. "Thank you, Alina. You always saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself."

"That's what people who care about each other do," I replied softly.

As the sun began to set, we found ourselves back on a beach, just like the night we first kissed. The memories of our road trip flooded back, and it felt like coming full circle.

"Aaron, I want you to know that I never regretted our time together," I said, looking into his eyes. "You may have had your struggles, but you also showed me kindness, strength, and a side of myself I didn't know existed. I'll always cherish our memories."

He reached out and gently took my hand. "Alina, you were the light in my darkness. You believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself. I'll never forget that. You changed my life."

As the waves crashed against the shore, we stood there in silence, lost in our thoughts and emotions. It was as if time had stood still, allowing us to savor this moment.

"I never stopped caring about you," he said softly. "I know I hurt you when I pushed you away, but I hope you can forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," I replied, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "We all have our own journey, and sometimes we need to take time for ourselves. I understand that now."

He smiled gratefully, and for a moment, it felt like nothing had changed between us. But reality was different now, and I knew I had to be honest with myself.

"Aaron, I'm happy to see you again, and I'll always cherish our memories, but we've both grown and changed," I said, trying to find the right words. "I don't want to hold onto the past, but I want to remember it fondly. You'll always have a special place in my heart."

He nodded, his eyes tinged with sadness but understanding. "I know what you mean, Alina. We can't go back, but I'm grateful for what we had."

As I walked away, I knew that whatever the future held for both of us, we had grown and learned from our time together. And as I looked ahead, I smiled, excited for the new adventures that awaited me.