My Lonely Duke

Stranger in Trench Coat

Hazel POV

As the heavy rain turns to drizzle, I start dragging my feet. I still got drenched, thanks to the rain. The idea to wear shorts was clearly a mistake, my legs are wet and cold and I am shivering. I cross my hands around my chest to keep myself little warm. I hope my stuff in the bag is okay. I really do hope. There are my documents in there, and I so damm need them right now. 

I see a flower shop opened at the corner, and that leads me to the idea of going to Liam’s with some flower to surprise him. I know for sure that when I look at him, everything that has happened in the past, would just disappear from my mind. I would be the bubbly girl again, not the one with eye bags and thin hair. 

I choose a set of yellow color roses, his favorite, he said it shows his love for me. I ask the florist to tie them up. I am still shivering when I hear someone say something. I have been too excited to see Liam, that I didn’t notice anyone near me. I turn around and there is a tall man standing behind me. He is dressed in a trench coat and his head is mostly covered with hat. I couldn’t make out his face or his build properly, neither I have seen someone like him in the town before. 

I would have loved to chit chat with any newcomer to the town, had I been the old Hazel, the bubbly chirpy one, but the new hazel likes to keep distance from anyone and everyone. 

So I turn back again, facing the florist. 

“I said I am sorry, it did rain pretty heavily today and I didn’t know someone would suffer because of that” he said 

It’s only a few words, but I could say they hypnotize me. His voice is low and husky, the one which can easily draw all eyes even in a crowded place. The voice is sweeter than night angel , the voice that could make you say yes to whatever it asks. The voice so captivating that if there were firecrackers in the sky you would still be able to hear it. 

I realize that I have been in my position for few minutes now, not able to move or to even think what to do with myself. 

Finally I turn around and look back at the stranger 

“Eh Matey, you talking to Mama” wait what?, what did I say , did I forget where I belong from. The sentence even doesn’t belong to one single continent. 

There is a low chuckle from the stranger in front of me. 

Great he is mocking me now, great start Hazel, and you wanted to change things.

“Nothing, I should get going” he says, turns around and in a blink of second, disappears in the dark night. 

I feel like I am in a dream and don’t know how to wake up? Did I really lost the ability to interact with people? How will I get a job this way? 

“It’s ready Mam” The florist says and hand me the bouquet. 

“How much?” I ask, now digging my hand in the purse.

“You don’t have to pay, The man who left just did” he says and went back to do what he was doing 

“Wait what? When did he do it? and why” I am puzzled and it hits me then how would the florist know why the stranger did what he did. 

I am going to pay him as I soon as I find him, I know I didn’t see him but the voice he had, he must be really popular in this town and when I find him, I would hand him the money and give him a piece of his mind. 

With that I start heading towards Liam’s house which is only few houses from where I am right now.