Fighting the impossible by Selina Bodur

Chapter one
     
    Five years earlier
    Peter
was walking towards her in the fresh July morning. There was some uneasiness in
his gait, but confidence as well. The rays of light made his light brown hair
looked golden. His crystal blue eyes were fixing her. Peter’s body showed tension,
but also determination. Tara took a deep breath, stilling herself, ready for
yet another fight between them. His scent filled her nostrils – grapefruit,
melon - were soaking in each cell of hers.
    “Tara…”
his voice…
    Flash!
     
    ***
     
    Present days
    “Tara?
Tara, dear, are you okay?” Claire was gently shaking Tara’s shoulders.
    “W…
What?!” Tara blinked in bewilderment.
    “Come,
let’s have breakfast! You are so cold. How long have you been here alone?”
asked Claire.
    “I…”
confused, she looked at her and then at the place, where Peter stood a moment
ago. The love of her life. The vision had vanished into thin air just after the
first sun light; the magic, which brought him back – slipping through her
fingers. In front of her was only Claire.
    Claire.
She was always there for Tara, pulling her from the edge each time, bringing
back the harsh reality of life. Sometimes quite bluntly, almost like a slap,
but today – gentle, with eyes filled with worry.
    “I’m
fine! Sorry, but I didn’t want to wake you up so I haven’t called. What is it
for breakfast?” Tara quickly changed the subject. The problem was that her fake
smile couldn’t deceive Claire. Both had been through so much together and had
built an understanding that didn’t need words. Claire knew Tara’s ache, the
more so here, where she and Peter met for the first time.
    “I
don’t think that’s good idea!” the fine lines on Claire’s face deepened “One
word and we’ll be gone.”
    “No!”
Tara almost cried. You could sense the need in her voice, as well as a bit of
masochism, knowing that she was letting the pain in her heart once again. “I’m
sorry! I didn’t mean to sound that harsh, but we’ve been talking about it every
year and you still haven’t changed my mind. I need to be here! I need to
remember!” her eyes pierced Claire’s and for a moment the old fire in them was
burning stronger than the sun.
    “Fine,”
Claire sighed “come on, breakfast is waiting for us!”
    The
two women headed back to the hotel, blind and deaf to the beauty surrounding
them, the scent of the roses or the murmur of the stream, both preoccupied with
thoughts about lost love and friendship, beyond limits.
    Tara
made for her room to put on something warmer. The hotel was one of the most
beautiful places she knew; possessed a lovely charm and the wood-paneled
corridors and halls with marble floors carried you into times long bygone. The
entire architecture created the feeling of fairytale, of timelessness. Tara
froze. Something was wrong. She’d avoided this part of the hotel, but her feet
brought her here on their own. She stood in front of room No. 103, gripped by
memories and then… the door opened.
    Flash!
    ***
    Five years earlier
    Two days before Claire and Tom’s
wedding
     
    “Hmm,
a… Hi! I may have the wrong room. I’m looking for Tom Michaels?” Tara seemed
embarrassed.
    The
eyes of the man opposite were piercing her, sending shivers down her spine. They
were as blue as two oceans, filled with suspense, intriguing and mysterious. He
was taller than Tara, creating a sense of superiority, well built, but not too
muscular. His hair was longer than it was the custom, wavy, dark caramel and
gave him boyish and wild appearance. He continued to study her with his eyes
without any embarrassment as if undressing her and barring her innermost
secrets. His eyes were intense as if they were searching for something and then
as suddenly, they began to twinkle out of curiosity.
    “Tom
Michaels?! Hmm… let me think! But of course, you are a part of the show!” his
voice was deep and confident, the tone playful and