I fell in love with Asia Donowho

I don't know how I woke up or how I got dressed for the day. Time seemed to pass unnoticed, as if it had flowed into the room, carried away all the details, leaving only a sense of urgency. I suddenly noticed that I wanted to smoke. So simply, as if it were something completely natural. I brought the cigarette to my lips, noticing that I had been smoking for a long time, sitting on the bed, hunched over, as if waiting for something. I didn't understand what exactly.

Oh yes, I remembered, I was expecting breakfast. Breakfast together. So that's it! It was something of a ritual, meeting these people, Donowho. He and she. The newlyweds. I was a little afraid of people, and although I hid it even from myself, this feeling was still there, like a hidden shadow. That's probably why I so hastily agreed to share the villa with strangers. I could have stayed here alone, in complete silence, but... something inside me was drawn to this strange group.

I took another drag, looking out the window. It was strange to realize that I was ready to meet them without knowing who they were. Maybe there was some self-loathing in this anticipation. I tried to hide my fear. It all seemed new, alien, but attractive.

Maybe my haste with which I tried to prepare everything came from this subconscious excitement before the meeting. It was as if I was trying to do everything as quickly as possible, to be ready. To not miss anything. As if the books I read had already suggested to me ways to adapt, how to get used to a new life, immersing myself in its most secret corners.

I put my cigarette down and looked at my watch again. I was due to meet them soon, and the moment seemed inevitable.

I went downstairs and found myself in the dining room. The table was set for three, and I felt a jolt inside me - this was the moment. I took a step, and at that moment the door opposite swung open. They appeared - the very couple with whom I was to spend time at the villa.

I took a step forward and introduced myself. We shook hands, and I noticed how their eyes were a little tense, as if they were not yet accustomed to this space, but they tried to act confident. Everything was done somehow restrainedly, but without unnecessary formality. It seemed like everyone knew that this was a temporary neighborhood, and it was necessary to establish at least some kind of contact.

We sat down at the table. They had already started eating, and I immediately felt how their conversation flowed easily, naturally, as if they had known each other for a long time. I needed a little time to get used to this state, to perceive their presence.

She sat opposite, with long black hair, dressed in a simple but stylish dress. Her appearance did not give away her age, but if you looked closely, you could safely assume that she was about forty, if not older. Her eyes were calm, but there was some hidden tension in them, maybe even a hidden strength that made me inadvertently follow her movements.

He was a sleek, skinny forty-year-old boor whose face resembled a lover from a B-movie - a little thoughtful, with a slight smile on his lips, as if he was ready for some kind of inside joke that didn't make sense now, but would definitely come up in the future. His face was interesting, attractive, but there was nothing superfluous in it - everything seemed to follow the rules of cinema: without unnecessary emotions, but with a precisely calibrated expression that the audience liked so much.

The conversation slowly began, and although we were all a little wary, with each word the tension disappeared.

She introduced herself as Asia, a name that sounded as exotic as her appearance. No wonder she seemed mysterious, with her deep eyes and long black hair. Perhaps she was from the eastern part of the world, which only emphasized her quiet but strong energy. She didn't say much, but her words were always precise and to the point. There was nothing superfluous, just facts and multiple hints that I tried to understand.

He, who introduced himself as Ryan, was much more talkative. His smile was easy, and his voice was warm and confident. He told stories, from their travels around Europe to unusual situations on set, since he used to work at the studio - here I realized that he really did resemble a movie star. The tone of his voice changed depending on what he was telling, and although his speeches seemed a little theatrical, this only added a certain charm. He spoke with such passion that it seemed that he was reliving each moment, as if reviving long-forgotten episodes of his life. His words were not just stories, but a performance, radiating confidence and charisma that left me with the feeling that I was present at some important event.

I was an observer, not yet fully accustomed to these people, but with each passing moment it seemed that my expectations about them were not in vain. Asia and Ryan were like a couple from a movie - perhaps with a touch of mystery and adventure, but still real people. I didn't know where this conversation would lead us, but somehow I felt that this introduction would not be the end of it.

I told them about myself, expecting some kind of response, although I didn't expect much attention. But to my surprise, they barely listened to me. It was as if I was invisible, and in their world there were only them, Asia and Ryan. I tried to wait, watching them as they continued to talk among themselves, not looking up from discussing their plans, places they had been, places they hadn't been yet. Their interaction was so harmonious and natural that I felt like a superfluous spectator, not participating in the scene unfolding before me. They were completely absorbed in each other, and it seemed as if the whole world around them simply disappeared.

Ryan laughed at Asia's jokes, and she smiled back, reservedly, but her face lit up with a certain expression, as if she found something more in his words than just conversation. They lived in a world of their own, where I was just background, an element that didn't seem to exist. It was strange to realize that they didn't even try to include me in the conversation, didn't acknowledge that I was there. I didn't know what to think—it was a strange dynamic, as if I wasn't important to them.