Prologue
Had you ever asked yourself who are you? Had you ever felt helpless ? Had you ever wanted to run away and became a new person? Had you ever thought you can create a new person ? I had. I tried. I failed. I learned. People don't change.
Chapter 1
It had been the 65th day since she thought she made a big change by moving at the other end of the world. She wasn't Anastasia anymore she was Anna. She wasn't living in Moscow anymore, she was now the resident of New York City. She was alive. She was still breathing. Nobody could get her. It was too far. It was too far. She would think that every single day since she left.
All that Anna would wish of was a happy life. A simple life, too bad that Anna couldn't have it, she knew Anastasia had too much past to just start it over.
She was breathing the cold air as she was walking with a cup of Sturbucks decaf coffee towards her rented apartment. November in New York City was't as tough as it was home. Moscow, she corrected herself, Moscow. Her home for the next 3 months would be New York City. She knew she couldn't live here, even if that was her dream. It would be too dangerous. She could be found. At the mere idea she felt dread washing through her body. Anna looked around, she still felt as she's being watched. She saw random people walking in the darkness of the night. Strangers. They were just simple people who had their simple life. Some of them would go to their family, some of them to their girlfriends, or some would have a party with friends. She envied them , why couldn't she be like them?, oblivious to the bad things that happen in the world.
She felt as her hands started slightly to shake. She took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. She knew she needed just two little pills, but she was afraid that one day she will be addicted to them, maybe she already was.
She opened her purse and started to look for the pills, without noticing she bumped into a hard wall of muscles. Fear started to capture her body. It was over. All her effort was ruined because she was stupid and couldn't look where she walks. She would run away but she already knew she would make it worse. She closed her eyes, as she was ready for the bad to come.
"Shit!" her eyes instantly looked at the man in front of her. He was fidgeting with his hands and trying to get rid of the coffee from his probably very expensive coat.
"I…I am…" she tried to apologize but the words seamed to be trapped in her throat.
"You, you what?" he looked at her challenging, then his eyes traveled from her face to her Starbucks mug, a disgusted expression appeared on his face,
" You spilled your coffee on me!"
Without shame she observed that the man in front of her was breathtakingly handsome. He was tall, about 6'2'' feet, dark hair and had the bluest eyes she had ever seen.
"It's decaf" she tried to defend herself in a small voice.
"Who the hell cares?! you ruined my fucking coat!" he yelled and just went on.
"May I buy you a new one?" she said as she looked at his back.
He turned around, he looked at her. His stare made her uneasy.
"No, Anna." he said and walked away, his figure just becoming smaller and smaller…
Anna?! Panic overtook her, how in the world he knew her name ? Is it a sign ? Did he already found her? Does she have to move now, without waiting another three months?
Anna exhaled as she tried to calm down her butterflies in her belly. She looked down at her mug, in big black letters was written Anna. Damn Starbucks!
She took a deep breath and went on.
That very night Anna couldn't stop thinking of the intriguing male she met. She wondered where would he go? at his girlfriend or maybe have a night with friends? he didn't look like the type of man that could go Friday night in a bar with friends to relax. She knew she had no chance to meet him again, but she could not stop thinking of his big frame against hers. She closed her eyes and fell asleep with that last thought.