Rheostat

27.Ravioli

Diego's room was a lot cleaner than I expected. I had imagined messy clothes lying around, rockstar posters plastered on the walls and maybe a few mice running around.

But surprisingly enough, Diego's room was the cleanest in the whole mansion. Not a speck out of place. He didn't have any weird posters plastered on the wall neither were there any mice.

He had a frown on his face, his forehead sweating as he slept. Was he having a bad dream? Just as I went to wake him up, a glint of silver attracted my attention.

Upon careful observation, I realized it was a revolver.

Diego sleeps with a gun hidden under his pillow. Talk about a psychopath.

Or maybe it's for protection. I noticed there was a small locket right next to it. I have seen Diego wearing it ever since he arrived. But the thing is it was a girl's locket.

I carefully put my hand under his pillow to take out the locket. But before I could pull it out I was roughly thrown to the ground.

Diego sat over me, his eyes bloodshot as he twisted my left arm, the one still holding the locket.

"Ow!" I yelped in pain. He was really going to break my arm at this rate.

He seemed to realize what was happening for his eyes widened as saucers, he quickly got up from me, freeing my hand in the process.
"Lili, oh my god, I'm so sorry."

"Fuck, its red. Does it hurt a lot?" He asked, massaging my arm. "Why didn't you knock?"

"I'm so sorry, Lili," He looked like he will cry anytime now. "I'm still not accustomed to living out of the warzone. You never know what to expect there and I thought you were sent from the enemy to kill me and I reacted and twisted your arm and I'm so sorry."

He explained not giving me even an opportunity to speak. I wasn't angry at him for twisting my hand. It was a common reaction and I should have knocked. He probably still has PTSD from his time in war.

"It doesn't hurt." I lied, snatching my arm from his hold.

"I'm sorry. I swear I would never hurt you in my right mind." He repeated. Why was he so desperate to explain?

"Yeah, sure. You wouldn't hurt me in your right mind." I scoffed. So he hasn't been in his right mind for the last 26 years?

Diego got the hint but didn't comment on it. Instead, he passed me the locket I was aiming for before he rudely assaulted me, albeit, for self-defence. "You wanted to see it?"

I took it from his hand because I really wanted to inspect it. The locket was oval-shaped with intricate vines designed on it. The colour was coming off a little, meaning it's really old.

There was a name inscribed on the back.

Freya White.

I opened the locket and found two pictures.

The first picture was of a girl. Her raven hair was tied in two braids, a grin adorning her face.

I have seen many beautiful girls in my life. But no one even came close to the girl in the photo I'm holding. Can people really be this pretty?

Was it his crush?

I cancelled it out from my guess when I saw the second photo on the right side of the locket.

It was Diego kissing the girl. The pure happiness displayed on his face made me smile a little.

Was it his girlfriend?

"Who is she?" I asked directly. Diego never mentioned her so maybe they already broke up?

"My wife."

What the actual hell?