Finding their way- Stefanielle

chapter seven

Danielle POV-

We had just gotten back to Stefania's after a wonderful evening on the beach. Jeff and I were running up and down the shore for hours, with the sea breeze flowing through our hair. While Stefania looked on with those amazing hazel eyes of hers, smiling happily towards us.

The Italian welcomed me back into her home.

"Bella you can go have a shower if you'd like, you're probably covered in sand as is Jeff" Stefania said happily.

"Yes that would be amazing thank you, you may have to show me how the shower works though it seems a tad confusing" I said back with a smile chuckle.

"Of course follow me!"

Stefania grabbed a towel from one of her many cupboards and led me to the her en-suite. It was vast with tall ceilings, and the shower was absolutely ginormous.

Stefania POV-

I could tell Danielle was a bit taken aback by my bathroom as she just stood there like a lost puppy with her mouth half agape. It was absolutely adorable.

I cleared my throat, "Dani, you ready?"

She snapped back into reality and took the fluffy towel from my hands, gently brushing her fingertips against mine. A small shiver left my body, leaving me with goosebumps. I hope she didn't notice.

I then wondered over to the shower cubicle and dragged Danielle with me by her wrist. To show her how the shower worked of course.

I placed her hand on the handle and then gently placed mine on top of hers. I then grabbed the handle slowly and started to turn it. However, yet again, the water went all over Dani. Did I do it on purpose? Maybe. But that's beside the point.

As I still had her hand pinned against the handle she couldn't move in time letting her get absolutely drenched from the shower, head to toe. Her head slowly panned up to mine and a smile started to form on her perfect, plumped lips.

"Sorry about that Bella, guess my hand must have slipped" I said with a sarcastic tone and a little wink.

"Hmm of course Stef, you do realise I'm wearing a white t-shirt which is now very wet?"

I mean of course I noticed that Danielle why do you think I put the shower on? And secondly I don't think your t-shirt is the only thing that is wet in this shower.

However I came out with...

"Oh gosh I didn't I'm sorry Dani!!"

Danielle POV-

Now the thing about Stefania is that she has a very telling face. Even though I haven't known her for long, I can easily tell when she is lying. Today is one of those occasions. But I couldn't care less.

"Are you going to let me shower in peace then Miss Spampinato or keep staring at my boobs for eternity?"

I said this while shooing her out of the shower with a massive grin plastered upon my face.

Just before she closed the door I lifted up my wet top to expose what was underneath. I heard a little gasp and then the closing of a door.

Once I had finished my shower it was getting pretty late, around 11pm, so I wondered back into Stefania's living room and found her snuggled into her fluffy blankets even though I found it pretty warm. I gave her a side glance as if to say "how are you cold??"

"American winters are nothing like Italy, I miss it sometimes, especially the warmth. But the thing I miss the most is the food"

I gently nod my head to acknowledge I am intently listening and wonder over to the sofa so I can sit down next to her underneath the blankets. She gives me an invitation under them and I happily agree, before she carries on speaking.

"In Italy, food is an expression of love. It is how you show those around you that you care for them. Having a love for food means you also have a love for those you are preparing it for. It is absolutely magical"

This made me think back to the other day, where Stefania invited me to cook her infamous recipe with her. Making me wonder whether that was her way of expressing her love for me. Through her food.

The conversation then took a deeper turn later into the night. We started talking about our families and the turbulent relationships we have both experienced with them. Then also about our own mental health, which we have both evidently struggled with in the past.

I wanted to finish the conversation with a little snippet of truth

"Stefania don't believe me when I say I'm fine, alright, or even good, because the truth is that I'm not and I never have been. I just want to feel safe with someone. To not always be wondering how they feel about me, to not be waiting for them to walk away, to not always be wishing they would love me back. I need to be able to trust again. So please, please protect me."

I have never opened up like this to anyone before, maybe it was the late night conversation or the indescribable feeling I have towards Stefania. Yet when those words left my lips a singular tear fell down my red cheek.

Stefania reached up with her thumb and gently wiped it away. She then cupped her hands against both my cheeks and calmly said.

"It's you, it's me, it's us. I will always protect you"

Some people might recognise the last line from the Haunting of Bly Manor, it still haunts me lol
Any thoughts on this chapter?

Also thank you so much for all the reads it's kinda crazyyy