(ARIELLE’S POV)
I had arrived in Italy and settled in, although the first week was a maze of orientation and waiting for students who had delays in arrival, to arrive. The academy provided accommodations, but I chose to stay outside campus due to my pregnant state. I got a decent apartment and spent the week touring the city, registering for antenatal in a hospital, and keeping in touch with Mom and Ashley.
But none of it filled the emptiness gnawing inside me. Late at night, when the city was quiet and my thoughts drifted back to Jared and the child I had lost, I felt the weight of it all. I tried hard to stay distracted, burying myself in activities so I wouldn’t have to remember those painful memories.
Classes finally began, and during a break, I stepped out for some fresh air. As I made my way through the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat.
A familiar figure caught my eye-broad shoulders, tall frame, dark hair… My breath hitched. Jared?
But when he turned around, I immediately knew I was wrong when seeing that drowning emerald green eyes.
It was Dwayne.
I stumbled backward by the impact of the collision, shocked.
“D… Dwayne?” I called, eyes widened.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes locked with mine. “Hi, Arielle.” The light breeze tousled his hair, and there was something about his easy charm that made it hard to look away.
My surprise quickly morphed into suspicion. “What are you doing here?” I asked, taking a step backward.
“I know you’re surprised-” he said, taking a step closer.
“Are you stalking me?” I asked, trying to process the unexpected encounter.
He sighed. “No, Arielle, I’m not stalking you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Then how are you here? At the same academy, in the same city?”
“I’m a student here, too.”
My eyes dimmed. “What? How is that possible?”
“Let me explain,” and then he turned around and I did the same, realizing people were looking our way. “But not here, over lunch. I owe you that much.”
I hesitated, unsure if I should trust him. But my curiosity got the better part of me. What was he in Italy, at the same place, and at the same time as me? I nodded. “Fine. But just lunch.”
We walked to a small café just outside the campus, and once seated, I wasted no time. “So, what’s going on? Why are you really here?”
Dwayne leaned back, his eyes glinting with amusement again, as if he enjoyed the tension between us. “You’re not going to let me off the hook, are you?”
I crossed my arms. “No. I just want to know what’s going on, and why you’re at every place I go.”
He sat up on the chair. “Okay, let’s get this out of the way. I wasn’t stalking you, Arielle. Our meetings were purely coincidental.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Coincidental? Maybe the previous encounters, but not this one. Try something else.”
“Believe me. The first time we met at the hospital garden, I was there because I stepped out to get some fresh air. I was admitted a few days ago for food poisoning after trying out a new dish,” he gave out a small laugh, but I maintained my straight face. “And the mall?” He shrugged. “I was shopping for ingredients for my cooking class. Karaoke night? Just an evening to unwind, and I spotted you, so I walked over to say hi.”
I remained mute, studying his face for any sign of deception or lies.
“Convinced?” He asked the smile back on his lips.
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
And then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wallet, flipping it open to reveal a chef’s badge. “I’m a chef too, Arielle. I’m here on a scholarship as it has always been my dream.”
Furthermore, he took out his phone and tapped on it, before handing it to me. It was his F******k page, filled with culinary creations and cooking videos.
As I scrolled through, my skepticism began to dwindle.
I handed the phone back, feeling a bit silly for being so suspicious.
“Maybe we were fated to meet,” he said with a grin.
I couldn’t help but mutter, “Hey, this is more like a serial killer chasing after his victim to me okay? Don’t underestimate a woman’s vigilance in today’s world.” I crossed my arms, tilting my head as I added, “After all, you’re way too suspicious. Let’s be real, I’m not narcissistic enough to believe that a handsome fox would follow me for no reason.”
Dwayne stared at me for a moment before bursting into small laugh. “Then I guess I owe you an apology… for both things.”
His laughter was unexpectedly contagious, and I found myself smiling too, feeling a genuine sense of ease for the first time in what seemed like forever.
He beckoned the waiter, and we placed our orders. As we waited for our meal to arrive, I decided to ask a question I had been wanting to ask.
“What made you take on the scholarship? I mean, it’s thousands of miles away from your country of residence,” I asked, genuinely interested.
His eyes lit up. “The food, the culture, the passion – Italy has it all. And I wanted to learn from the best.”
I smiled; we had a lot in common. “Same here,” and that statement was true. Despite using the scholarship as an avenue to get over Jared and the past, I have always wanted to visit Italy. I had even thought of convincing Jared that we visit during one of our anniversaries. A bitter smile crossed my features now, I guess that’s never going to happen again…
“So, how’s your husband handling your being away for three whole years?” Dwayne suddenly asked, as if he knew what I was thinking.
I paused, unsure of my response.
“I’m sorry if I struck a chord,” he quickly added. “I don’t mean to pry, it’s just that your Mom mentioned you were married that day at the mall.”
I took a deep breath, finally deciding how much to reveal. “I’m divorced,” I responded, and quickly added, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
It’s hard to admit anything in front of a stranger, but it was just as difficult to hide something from those piercing emerald eyes. Somehow, I felt like Dwayne saw right through me, like he could sense what had gone wrong. However, Dwayne didn’t push further. He simply nodded, his gaze softening, and smoothly shifted the conversation to something lighter.
After lunch, he surprised me with a suggestion. “We’ve still got some time before the break is over. How about we visit the museum nearby?”
I considered it. I didn’t have any friends here yet, and going back to the academy alone didn’t sound appealing. “Okay, sure,” I agreed. “I guess we’re not doing just lunch now.”
“You’re Smart. Come on,” he said and led the way.
We arrived at the museum, and Dwayne guided me to a section labeled “Butterfly Diorama.” Butterflies of various species, in different stages of their lives, were arranged in delicate displays. The vibrant colors and details of their wings caught my attention immediately. I turned to Dwayne curiously. “I thought you meant paintings and sculptures when you said art museum?” I said, feeling a little puzzled, yet intrigued.
Dwayne stepped closer, his hand
resting lightly on my shoulder as he
pointed toward the display. “Look at this,” he said softly, his breath was warm. I thought I’d feel nervous being this close to him, but instead, there was an odd sense of calm. His eyes, focused and sincere, carried no hint of flirtation, only a quiet, thoughtful intensity that made me follow his gaze.
The butterflies were in various stages of life. Some were emerging from their cocoons, struggling to break free, while others had already spread their wings in vibrant colors. The introduction board on the side emerges
reads: When a butte
from its cocoon, it’s also
wn
strengthening its wings to get ready for flight. As it breaks free, fluid from its body flows into its wings, helping
them grow stronger.
“You see, if someone cuts the cocoon to help, the butterfly won’t survive long after emerging. Because its wings won’t have the necessary strength.” he said quietly, gesturing to the butterflies struggling to break free of their cocoons. “See how some are fighting to escape? It’s their battle, one they have to win on their own.”
I watched closely, mesmerized by the beauty of it-the struggle, the emergence. And yet, some failed. They never made it out. Tears welled up in my eyes, unbidden, as I thought about my own life. The battles I’d lost. The ones I was still…fighting.
I quicky turned to face Dwayne. “Just like those butterflies that failed to break out of their cocoon; do you think I’m weak and a failure?”
Dwayne didn’t answer right away. Instead, he handed me a handkerchief, and said softly. “Here. You don’t want people thinking I made you cry, do you?”
I shook my head, trying not to sniff as I wiped my face, murmuring, “thank you.”
“Now that’s a good girl,” he finally said, his voice gentle. “I think everyone has their own cocoon to break free from. I don’t know what happened to you but, look, human life is long, and we all make mistakes yet grow from them. The last time I saw you, you seemed so fragile; your smiles barely touched your eyes. But look at you now, living and studying alone in a foreign country, a rising star in the culinary world…”
I
I blinked back warm tears. “Oh come on, stop it.”
He looked at me deeply, continued after a short pause, “You have the courage to face those struggles head-on. I never thought you were weak Arielle. Trust me, you don’t need to abandon the past. Let it become a part of you, and you will grow stronger. I do believe in
that.”