Discover with Saee

She walked slowly along the path that disappeared into the horizon, her fingers brushing against the wildflowers swaying gently on either side. The blooms danced in the afternoon breeze, dotting the green hillside with bright reds, yellows, blues, and whites. She followed a narrow trail, carved out by the few who, like her, cherished the wild beauty that lay all around. The heat of the day was beginning to fade as the sun prepared to sink behind the distant cliff—the one she hoped to reach before twilight claimed the sky. Already, the heavens were being painted in breathtaking shades of red and amber.

Her heart beat fast, refusing to obey her will, filling her with a restlessness she couldn’t shake. Could it really have been him she passed just moments ago? But how could she know? How could she recognize a face, a presence, a scent that had only ever existed in her mind—in that secret corner of her soul hidden from the world, the part she kept safe from those who might call her mad or delusional?

She spoke to him in the quiet of the night, shared with him her deepest fears, hopes, and desires. She imagined the warmth of his touch on her hands, her face, tangled in her hair. In her darkest hours, she wept, yearning for the comfort of his embrace, for his whispered reassurances. And then came the sharp ache of realizing he was only a figment—a creation of her own longing—and the bitter anger at herself for letting her mind betray her heart so completely.

She had grown up in a loving home, her childhood a cocoon of warmth, her parents devoted, giving their best to her and her brother. She’d had the gift of a good education, of endless opportunities—yet none of it, she felt, had ever amounted to something that could make them truly proud. In her eyes, she had become a disappointment. And from there, it had been a slow, spiraling descent, her faltering confidence leading her into relationships that served only as fleeting escapes from that deep, gnawing sense of failure.

And as it so often happens, relationships born from the wrong reasons leave behind emptiness, exhaustion, and disillusionment. That’s exactly what they had done to her. That’s when he appeared in her life—not in flesh and blood, but in thought, in spirit. A quiet presence whenever she teetered on the edge of despair, steadying her, pulling her back from the brink.

But today—today had been different. As she rose from the café table, having paid the bill, she nearly collided with someone. His hand reached out to steady her, his touch firm yet gentle. His voice as he murmured “Sorry.” His scent, as he drew her slightly towards him, washing over her like a wave. And all of it hit her like a jackhammer. Heart racing wildly, she stammered a quick thank you, eyes averted, and fled.

And so, she’d come here, to the one place that always soothed her—a path lined with wildflowers, ending at a cliff that gazed out over the vast, endless ocean, where the waves crashed below in a thunderous, eternal symphony.

She was nearly there now, the ocean breaking into view, the salt-laden breeze whipping around her—but this time, it did nothing to calm her restless heart. She longed to reach her rock, to sit and watch the sun’s descent.

At last, the path opened fully, the sea laid out before her, the roar of the waves filling her ears. She drew in a deep breath of the salty air, turned to her right—and froze.

There he was.

Seated on her rock, cross-legged, back straight, eyes closed, that serene smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He wore light grey linen trousers and a white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his hair tousled by the breeze.

She stood, watching, as the calm that radiated from him slowly seeped into her. And then he opened his eyes, turned towards her, and smiled.

“Hello again,” he said, in that voice she had never truly heard, but somehow knew. “Looks like I’m in your spot.” He shifted slightly and patted the space beside him.

Without breaking their gaze, she stepped closer, lowered herself beside him, and let the familiar comfort of him envelop her. She breathed him in, leaned gently on his shoulder, and together they watched the sun dip lower, the sky deepening into dusky blue streaked with crimson. His arm came around her, his lips brushed her forehead, and he whispered, “Everything will be fine.”

And as darkness fell, as the first stars blinked awake in the night sky, she closed her eyes and smiled.

That was how they found her hours later—curled up on her rock, surrounded by wildflowers, bathed in moonlight, and at peace at last.