Unwritten Desires

EPISODE 3

[ 13 HRS LATER ]

The apartment was all lit up with cozy candles, making the evening feel warm and special. Emma, grinning mischievously, showed off a fancy spread.

"Ta-da! Look at this birthday feast for a queen!" she said, all excited.

Sarah, catching onto the happy vibe, gave a small smile, liking how Emma made this regular night into something awesome.

"Come on, Sar! Let's forget everything tonight. Just good food, good company, and lots of laughter. Promise?" Emma asked, really wanting Sarah to join in the fun.

Sarah nodded a bit, agreeing to be part of the celebration. The candles made everything feel cozy and nice

The apartment resonated with laughter and chatter, a soothing remedy for Sarah's wounded heart.

Emma sparked a trip down memory lane, saying, "Remember that time we snuck out to the beach? Mom was so mad!"

Sarah smirked, "Yeah, and you got sand in your sandwich. Classic Emma move."

Their reminiscing ran along shared memories, briefly overshadowing the shadows of heartbreak.

Emma, with a twinkle in her eye, added, "And what about the time we tried to bake that cake for Dad's birthday? It ended up looking like a science experiment gone wrong!"

Sarah chuckled, "Oh, that disaster! Dad still jokes about it."

The room resonated with the laughter of the two sisters, sharing moments of joy amidst the emotional struggle. The aroma of dinner lingered in the air, promising a temporary escape from the heartbreak. However, the joyous atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by the insistent ring of Emma's phone.

"Oh, hang on. Sorry, just a sec," Emma exclaimed, reaching for her buzzing phone, its screen displaying an urgent call from a friend. Answering the call, Emma's expression shifted, her friend relaying the urgency of school matters.

"Hey, what's up? Professor Fred’s project? Okay, I'll be there. Just give me 15 to 30 minutes. Yeah, I'm with Sarah. I'll explain. Promise," Emma reassured over the phone. Turning to Sarah, she wore an apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry, Sar. It's urgent school business. I promise I'll be back in an hour. We'll continue the celebration, okay?" Sarah managed a smile, understanding the demands of Emma's academic responsibilities.

"Go, Emma. It's okay. We'll continue later."

With a hurried goodbye, Emma left, leaving the apartment door slightly open in her haste. As the laughter faded with Emma's departure, the room was cast in a hushed anticipation, and Sarah decided to go upstairs.

* * * * * * * *

The narrow corridor stretched before Daniel, its walls adorned with nondescript doors. Carrying a toolkit, he navigated through the dimly lit passageway, his eyes scanning door numbers. The distant hum of electricity and muffled voices created a subtle backdrop to his journey.

The faint glow of a flickering bulb guided Daniel's steps, leading him deeper into the unfamiliar place.

Consulting the crumpled piece of paper in his hand, Daniel muttered to himself, "Apartment 304... should be around here somewhere."

The flickering bulb, now casting irregular shadows on the corridor walls, hinted at the unpredictability of the night. Daniel halted, narrowing his focus on the numbers inscribed on the doors. The anticipation of the unknown weighed on him as he continued his search.

Finally arriving at the door marked 304, Daniel raised his hand, ready to knock and announce his presence. However, just before his knuckles made contact with the wood, he noticed an unexpected detail—the door was slightly open.

Curiosity sparked within him, and for a moment, he hesitated. Abandoning the idea of a conventional knock, Daniel pushed the door open gently and stepped into the apartment.

"Maybe it's a mistake. Should I just go back?" he wondered, looking at the scrappy paper with the apartment number.

"Come on, see what's inside," a curious voice in his head, whispered.

Thinking maybe he got something wrong, Daniel thought about turning back. But his curiosity wouldn't let him. The door was sort of open, inviting him in. It felt kinda exciting and tempting.

Deciding to check, Daniel said, "I'll just see if anyone’s inside."

The light from candles made everything warm and nice. It smelled like dinner and candles, like someone had been there not too long ago, but there was quiet. The apartment felt like a pause between everyday stuff and something special.

Thinking fast, he said to himself, "What's happening here? Did I walk into someone's chill time?" Curiosity mixed with finding new things, and it pushed him forward.

There was a far-off sound of water, like a soft song. Each step made Daniel more excited and curious, like there was more. He wasn’t sure what was happening, the open door and the sound of running water. . . could something be wrong with the residents?

As Daniel went further in, the candlelight showed another open door which looked like a bedroom door. That was where the sound of the running water came from. It felt like he was going to find something off, not knowing that this evening had a surprise just for him.

Sarah, fresh out of the shower, struggled with the towel, its fabric slipping through her fingers as droplets of water glistened on her skin. The door, worn with time, creaked open, revealing the unexpected visitor, Daniel.

The steam from the shower lingered in the air, creating a soft haze around Sarah's body. Her damp hair clung in dark tendrils against her neck, and droplets traced the curves of her shoulders. The towel, though valiantly attempting to conceal, showcased the subtle contours of her form, accentuating the gentle curves that played hide-and-seek beneath the fabric.

In that fleeting moment, Daniel stood in the doorway, his mouth falling widely open as he took in the sight before him.

He unintentionally dropped his toolkit. In the midst of the quiet, the clatter of Daniel's toolkit hitting the floor echoed. Sarah turned to see him standing there, his mouth still agape, caught in a moment where time hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

Startled, Sarah's panicked voice broke the silence, "Who are you? How long have you been standing there? Did you see anything?" She held the towel tighter against her wet body, an attempt to shield herself from the unexpected intrusion.

"I, uh, just arrived. I didn't see anything. I swear," Daniel stammered, the sincerity in his eyes going contrary to his stumbling words. His gaze, however, lingered on Sarah's figure, an unintentional appreciation for the enticing pull that surrounded her.

A moment of awkward silence hung in the air, with tension. Sarah, in a rush of movements, wrapped the towel even tighter around herself, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. The vulnerability of the situation was strong, yet there was a curious energy between them as Daniel could not stop his eyes from wandering like a lost traveller around Sarah’s attractive curves.

"Who are you? What brings you here, anyway?" Sarah questioned, her voice a mix of caution and curiosity.

"I'm here for an installation service. Just doing my job," Daniel replied, clearing his throat as if trying to dispel the lingering unease. His eyes, however, betrayed a certain captivation, an inadvertent acknowledgment of the magnetic pull that surrounded Sarah.

Tension lingered in the room. The air seemed charged with an invisible current, leaving them suspended in a moment where time hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

Sarah's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "What kind of manners are those? Walking right past the front door and into someone's bedroom without even knocking or seeking permission?"

Daniel, flustered and apologetic, stammered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to invade your privacy. The door was open, and I thought... I thought it was okay if I checked to see if the resident was okay."

Sarah's frustration deepened. "Open or not, you should have waited. This is someone's home, not a public space."

Daniel nodded, acknowledging his mistake. "You're right, and I sincerely apologize. I should have been more considerate."

"How did you even get in?" Sarah questioned, still trying to process the unexpected intrusion.

"The door was slightly ajar when I arrived. I thought it was a mistake and that maybe someone needed help," Daniel explained, hoping to offer some clarity.

Sarah's expression shifted as realization dawned. "Emma. She must have left the door open. She does that sometimes," she thought.

Daniel, wanting to reassure her, added, "I swear, I didn't see anything. I just came in to do the installation. That's all."

Sarah, however, remained skeptical. "How can I trust that? You walked in on a private moment. How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Daniel, empathizing with her unease, tried to make her feel better, "I understand why you might be skeptical, but I genuinely didn't see anything. I respect your privacy, and I'm truly sorry for any discomfort I've caused."

Sarah, though still frustrated, saw a sincerity in Daniel's eyes. "Just... be more careful next time. Knock, wait, ask. It's not that hard."

"I will. I promise. And once again, I'm sorry," Daniel said, hoping to mend the unintentional breach of boundaries. The air was thick with the remnants of tension, but there was also an unspoken understanding that mistakes happen.

The installation started, there was still an awkward silence between them as Daniel worked on the lights.

"I think that is it, I’m done."

Sarah remained quiet without giving him a reply. Daniel swallowed and started packing his tools. . .

The apartment door swung open, and Emma reentered the room, oblivious to the drama that had unfolded in her absence. She beamed at Sarah, a curious excitement in her eyes.

"What did I miss?"

Daniel, his demeanor composed, offered a polite nod to Emma. His eyes, however, lingered on Sarah for a moment longer, leaving Sarah wondering. With a quiet exit, he stepped into the hallway, leaving the two sisters to navigate the echoes of his brief presence. . . .

Emma, ever the cheerful soul, turned her attention to Daniel, eager to catch up on whatever she might have missed during her short absence. "Did you fix the lights?" she inquired, her eyes dancing with curiosity.

Daniel, a young man of few words, nodded in response. His silence seemed to draw Emma's attention even more. As Sarah observed the exchange, she couldn't help but notice Emma's lingering gaze on Daniel. Her sister's eyes seemed to follow him with an intensity that hadn't been there before.

The atmosphere in the room shifted subtly. Sarah, keenly observant, watched Emma's reactions. It was evident that Daniel had brought out a different side of her sister—one Sarah hadn't witnessed before. Emma's gaze traced the contours of Daniel's biceps and his manly figure seemed to captivate her.

As Daniel made a hasty exit, the door closing gently behind him, Sarah exchanged a knowing glance with Emma. The room now held an unspoken tension, a residue of emotions that lingered like a gentle whisper.

Alone at last, Emma couldn't contain herself. She turned to Sarah with a confessing smile.

"He's quite attractive, isn't he?" Emma admitted, a playful twinkle in her eyes.

Sarah, still processing the unanticipated turn of events, nodded with a bemused smile. . .

As Emma's thoughts danced with the possibility of encountering Daniel again, Sarah found herself lost in contemplation.

Sarah couldn't shake the image of Daniel's gaze, the way his eyes seemed to linger in the quiet hallway.

Back in the apartment, as Daniel attempted to focus on the task at hand—fixing the lightbulb—Sarah noticed his struggle. His attention kept shifting, his eyes turning toward her with a frequency that couldn't be ignored.

Sarah, having quickly thrown on her clothes, couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts that might have traversed Daniel's mind during that fleeting moment. Was it mere distraction, or did his lingering looks betray a deeper contemplation?

As Emma continued to share her thoughts on the repair guy, Sarah remained lost in her own thoughts. . . . . . . . .