Love me tender

Chapter 16

Stefania POV

After the whole situation with Jaina and Danielle, there's this guilt in my brain that I just can't shake. I try to shove down my feelings, convince myself that this is not about me, however, as the uber takes Danielle and I to my place and I caress her hair as she peacefully sleeps on my lap, I feel her sadness as if it was my own. I invite her melancholy as it fills my body, I will gladly take her pain if it will leave her alone, I'll take the darkness if it means that she'll see the light.

I can tell that her sorrow isn't just because of the fight, there's another story, something that she won't tell me or anyone, a baggage that she silently carries, but it's so heavy, that one fight with a person she loves can crumble her completely... as much as she tries to conceal it.

After her panic attack, as much as I told her that we should just head home, she refused, she told me that it wasn't a big deal. Even as she tried to shrug it off drink after drink... shot after shot... I could tell that she was not drinking to have fun, she was drinking to forget her pain. I tried to stop her... obviously... but she is the most stubborn person you'll ever meet; she wouldn't listen to me.

As we arrive home, I take her to my bed, and she quickly falls asleep again. I change into my usual cream silk pajamas, grab a glass of water and a pill for her future hangover and put it on the bedside table. I lie down next to her for a brief moment, her dress smells like whiskey and beer, both of which she clearly spilt all over it.

I take one of my t-shirts from the closet and gently caress her face to wake her up "Bella...Hey bella... you spilt some liquor on your dress, I'm going to change you into one of my t-shirts" She groans a little as she sits down and helps me take off her dress then put the shirt on her, give her a gentle kiss on the forehead and say "All good Bellissima, go back to sleep." She lies down again and just as I'm about to leave, I feel her familiar hand take mine. I turn around to see her beautiful blue eyes sleepily looking at me.

"Stay" she says with a raspy voice, she closes her eyes once more and drifts back to her slumber. Fuck, this is killing me, seeing her so vulnerable, so fragile, it makes my heart ache.

I lie down next to her and she turns around, putting her head on my chest. I hold her gently and start stroking her hair, watching her sleep till I feel myself drifting off as well.

Danielle POV

Fuck, my head is killing me. I reach for my phone on the bedside table without opening my eyes, that is until I realize, I am not touching my bedside table. I open my eyes and quickly sit down to realize two things. First off, I am not in my house, second off, I am not alone. I see Stefania's angelic body lying besides me, she lets out an adorable groan after my abrupt movement. God, she is so beautiful... but wait. I'm in her room, in her bed, my dress is lying on the floor and I am wearing one of Stefania's sweatshirts.

Fuck fuck fuck... NO... this is not how I wanted it to happen... I wanted our first time to be romantic and sexy... I wanted it to be special. God damn it, Danielle, how did you let this happen? I quickly get up and head to the bathroom as I can feel myself getting sick from everything I drank yesterday.

"Danielle?" I hear Stefania say sleepily, she clearly heard me throwing up.

I open the tap to put some cold water on my face and take a little bit of mouthwash to wash away the horrible taste in my mouth. I see my reflection in the mirror for a brief moment... Great, I look like absolute shit.

I suddenly hear Stefania's gentle taps on the door. "Bella, are you okay?"

I slowly opened the door to see her beautiful figure standing on the other side of it, she is holding a glass of water in one hand and a blue pill on the other.