𝗟𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗲

40- 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆

⚠️MENTIONS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT⚠️
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"Amara, where have you been?" Azaiah asked, walking up to her as she continued to stroll away, rolling her eyes.

"Trying to avoid you, but obviously that failed" Amara spoke, grabbing a drink from the tray the bartender was carrying and immediately drinking from it. Maybe that would help to numb what was at the back of her mind.

"We need to talk" Azaiah told her, but this sounded almost desperate. Azaiah Martinez was never one to act desperate.

Amara quickly finished her drink, setting it down on the side as she shut her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath.

"Did you ever think I don't want to speak to you?" Amara told him, but this time her voice seemed tired, little to no force behind her message.

"Yes, in fact that was what I thought every day while you were in London ignoring my phone calls-" Azaiah started but Amara cut him off.

"I was busy-" Amara told him but Azaiah had been tipped over the edge. He hated being lied to, and he could easily see past Amara's visage of dishonesty.

"Like fuck you were" Azaiah told her, his voice raised slightly as a few guests pointed suspicious glances at the both of them.

Azaiah took a deep breath, shutting his eyes and swallowing a lump in his throat. He didn't want to hurt Amara in any way, in fact all he wanted to do was keep her safe- but he couldn't do that if she was steering clear of him every minute of every day.

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" Azaiah asked, his voice much softer now as he looked at Amara, feeling that same weird feeling he had before she left for London.

Without any word whatsoever, Amara walked away, turning around and heading to the door. Azaiah looked to the floor, cursing himself before he followed after her.

He knew that even if she was walking into a burning house- he would still follow her.

"Amara, please-" Azaiah started but was cut off as Amara turned around, her eyes glossy and her cheeks slightly blotchy.

"Do you think I don't know what you're going to say? Because I do- and I just can't hear it right now, for fucks sake!" Amara yelled, her voice now thick with emotion as Azaiah looked at her, speechless.

"I can't do this, Azaiah, I just can't-" Amara started but was cut off with her own small sob, the sound the worst torture for Azaiah's ears.

Azaiah slowly walked up to her, cautious as not to make Amara uncomfortable. However, he stopped right in front of her, hands gently cupping her cheeks as he titled her head to meet his gaze.

"Then I won't say anything, Amara- just let me be here for you."

The smallest smile appeared on Amara's face for a moment before she buried her head in the crook of his neck, gripping onto his body for dear life.

It was like he was her anchor, the only thing keeping her from falling apart. She needed him, whether she liked it or not- but she didn't know what she needed from him.

A friend? Amara hadn't questioned that for years until 31st December last year- the day he suddenly became more than that.

But she never revisits that night, so she didn't have a clear memory of what more they could be.

That night only existed in her nightmares.

But, maybe he would be the one to wake her up from them.

Amara leant out of the hug, wiping away her tears before Azaiah gently grabbed her hands, only then realising they were shaking.