Chapter 2: Ghost of love.

The incident of her parent's death had a traumatic effect on Anna, she couldn't speak to anyone and often cried while staring at blank spaces in her aunt's home. Her aunt was really worried but Anna's therapist assured her that it was only a phrase and given she was already an introverted kid it will take time for her to open up and communicate freely with people. Aunt Clara was really patient with Anna and took Anna as her own child despite her inability to communicate with her.

The world, once a source of wonder, now felt dangerous, unpredictable. Every car that swerved, every sudden noise, sent a jolt of fear through her. The memory of the accident, the screech of tires, the sickening crunch of metal, was a constant, unwelcome guest in her mind. Sometimes when she close her eyes, she see myself back there in the car right before her dad's car collided with the truck, she clearly remembers her mom smiling as she looked at her from the front passenger seat, a face filled with worry, wondering who her little girl was talking to since she was seating alone in the back seat. But she didn't know Anna wasn't alone, she couldn't see them.

Anna grew up a solitary child. Aunt Clara, though loving and devoted, could not fill the void left by her parents. The vibrant, carefree girl she once was had been replaced by a withdrawn, cautious child. Laughter felt alien, joy a distant memory.

Love, with its inherent vulnerability, became a terrifying concept. To love was to risk losing, and Anna had already lost too much. She vowed to herself, with a fierce determination that belied her age, that she would never allow herself to love anyone.

Years passed. Anna blossomed into a beautiful woman, Anyone meeting her for the first time was always captivated by her cheerful personality and exceptional beauty, it was almost like she was gifted with a slim hour shape physique from above, her light caramel skin tone that always seems to have a radiant glow on them, her dazzling light brown eyes that sparkle when one looks deep into them but still reflecting the same haunting gray as the storm clouds that often gathered over the horizon. she was truly a beauty and was loved by everyone around her. Though her appearance was striking – with her long, raven hair that tumbled down her back in a cascade of silken waves, and eyes that held the depth of a stormy sea – her beauty was often overshadowed by an air of melancholy,

Anna found solace in the world of books and academia. She became a teacher at a well known school called Hillfield school. Her passion for literature was a beacon of light in the lives of her students. In the classroom, she was a different person – animated, passionate, her voice a mesmerizing blend of honey and steel. But outside the classroom, she retreated into her shell, her emotions carefully guarded.

Aunt Clara, ever the optimist, saw a different story. She saw a lonely heart yearning for connection, a life that was too quiet, too solitary. Determined to break through Anna's icy shell, she embarked on a mission to find her niece a suitable match.

"Anna, darling," she would say, her voice brimming with a cheerful enthusiasm that Anna often found irritating, "you're too young to be living this way. You need to get out, meet some people, have some fun!"

Anna would roll her eyes, her lips curving into a thin, humorless line. "Aunt Clara, I'm perfectly content with my life."

"Content?" Aunt Clara would exclaim, her hands fluttering in exasperation. "Content! You're practically a hermit! You spend all day locked up in that library, surrounded by dusty old books. You need to experience life, darling! Love, romance..."

Anna bristled. "Love?" she scoffed, the word tasting like ashes in her mouth. "Love is a dangerous illusion, Aunt Clara. It leads only to pain and heartbreak."

Aunt Clara, undeterred, continued her matchmaking efforts. She bombarded Anna with invitations to social gatherings, blind dates, and even a disastrous encounter with a particularly enthusiastic dog breeder who insisted on introducing her to every one of his prize-winning canines.

Anna endured these social experiments with a mixture of dread and amusement. She would attend the events, a silent observer, her wit and charm carefully concealed beneath a mask of indifference. She was a skilled actress, playing the part of the aloof and unattainable beauty, a role that both amused and saddened her.

One afternoon, Aunt Clara arrived at Anna's small apartment, bearing a large, beautifully wrapped box.

"Surprise!" she exclaimed, her eyes twinkling.

Inside the box lay a stunning dress, a shimmering emerald green that seemed to catch the light. It was a masterpiece, with intricate beadwork and a flowing skirt that whispered of elegance.

"For the graduation party," Aunt Clara explained. "You're teacher, remember? You have to make an entrance."

Anna stared at the dress, speechless. It was unlike anything she would ever choose for herself. Too bold, too… alive.

"But Aunt Clara," she protested, "I don't need to make an entrance. I just need to get through the evening."

Aunt Clara waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense! You're a beautiful woman, Anna You should embrace it. Besides," she added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "who knows who you might meet?"

Anna sighed, knowing that arguing with her aunt was a futile endeavor. She accepted the dress, a knot of apprehension tightening in her stomach.

After putting on the dress, Anna stood at the front of a large mirror, which was hung at the right corner side of the bedroom wall, she couldn't help but to look earnestly at her own reflection

"You look so beautiful dear", Anna turned to see her middle aged aunt smiling while leaning on the open frame of her bedroom door, she turned her graze to her own reflection on the mirror the dress was looking fabulous on her but she couldn't shake the apprehension tightening in her stomach.

She knew her aunt Clara was concern about her love life and her actions always come from her heart but she didn't know how to explain to everyone and most especially her that she just doesn't feel the tingly, heart beating, breath taking emotions everyone does, in fact if the heart only function was to love, she strongly believe she would have been long dead.

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