The sound of a heartbeat

The encounter

Rome is a city that never sleeps.
There's always something happening or someone around. No matter if you're at 2:00 am in Prati or 6:30 am in the Coppedè neighborhood. In this damn city, where time seemed to always be in a hurry, sometimes something good comes out of it.

As the train chugged along, the monotony of the journey was disrupted by an unexpected announcement: track works ahead, a delay in their journey. People sighed in frustration, their plans momentarily derailed.
Two trains stuck next to each others on the railway, that didn't sound like a news to any of the passengers. Anyhow, that bothered them.
In situations like this people won't be quiet and annoyed for long, usually someone starts shouting at the ticket inspector, as it's their fault. This particular situation was no exception.

Amongst the disgruntled crowd, Emilia was picking up her things looking for a different compartment to hopefully seat in peace.
As she's sitting down, looking outside the dirty window her gaze inadvertently met the eyes of a distinguished looking man.

In that fleeting moment, time stood still. Their eyes locked, and an unspoken connection formed. It was as if the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in that shared space. Minutes felt like hours as the trains remained motionless, yet their thoughts raced ahead. They couldn't help but wonder about the person on the other side of the glass, their mind filled with questions and possibilities. Where are they going? What were their dreams, their fears, their passions? What were the chances that their paths would cross again?

They were captivated by each other's presence, their hearts fluttering with a newfound curiosity. I'm sure something like this happened at least once to anyone.
I call it "the captivating effect of the unknown".
You keep wondering if that was fate, if you will see them again, you ask yourself every possible question about them; making up all answers, just hoping one day you'll find them out there.

Minutes felt like hours as the trains remained motionless, yet their thoughts raced ahead. They couldn't help but wonder about the person on the other side of the glass, their mind filled with questions and possibilities. Where are they going? What were their dreams, their fears, their passions? What were the chances that their paths would cross again?

Finally, the announcer spoke and the train jolted back to life. As the wheels began to turn, the man and the woman reluctantly tore their eyes away from each other, but their minds remained intertwined. The train carried them in opposite directions, but they couldn't shake the feeling that their encounter was more than just a fleeting moment.

Days turned into nights, and still, their thoughts were consumed by the stranger they had glimpsed on the train. They yearned to see each other again, to unravel the mystery that had ignited within their souls. Little did they know, their lives were about to collide once more, and this time, they wouldn't let fate slip through their fingers.

The city streets were alive with vibrant energy and colorful lights as Emilia, lost in her own thoughts, walked briskly along the crowded sidewalk. As she turned a corner, her heart skipped a beat. There, she thought that she saw him. Standing on the opposite side of the street, the same man she had seen weeks ago. Her breath caught in her throat, and she couldn't believe her eyes to the point where she took her glasses and fixed them on her face.
It was as if fate had conspired to bring them together once more, in the most unexpected of places.

Emilia's mind raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Should she approach him? What if he didn't remember her? But the pull was too strong to resist. With a surge of determination, she crossed the street, her eyes never leaving his figure.
As she approached, she was feeling all her nerves on the verge of jumping off her skin, a bold decision. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, mirroring the joy that danced in her own heart. They stood there, in the midst of the bustling city, two souls connected by a chance encounter that had now become something more.

Words spilled from their lips, and they marveled at the serendipity that had brought them together once again. The desperation to meet again had transformed into a beautiful reunion, a testament to the power of destiny.
She was so thrilled when they were introducing each other, Emilia had to double check and make sure she understood he was actually named Pietro.

Time seemed to stand still as they immersed themselves in each other's stories, their connection growing stronger with every passing moment. The world around them faded into the background, as if they were the only two people in existence. In that instant, they knew that this encounter was something extraordinary.