Love, Evangeline

19.

I had the dream again, this time it was darker and the intensity of the pain was nearly unbearable. I woke up gasping for air, tears streaming down my face. I didn't know who this man was in my dream, his voice sounded familiar, but I could never see his face. I've had this dream three times know. You'd think I'd know what restaurant I was at since I've dreamt about it many times, but the moment I woke  up... everything I saw simply vanished from my mind.

The sun poked through the curtains, glimmering in my face. As I inhaled deeply, I was finally able to understand and be more aware of the troubles and dangers I'd encounter in Rome after the incident last night. Suddenly, my phone rang. Leaning across my bed, I grabbed my phone before holding it up to my ear. " Evangeline, where the hell have you been!" Sofia's loud voice yelled into the phone. I winced softly, completely forgetting to tell Sofia, Gaia, and Andrea that I had left to go to Rome. " Hey," I sighed, leaning back against the backboard of my bed. " Fuck hey," Sofia said sternly. " You've missed weeks of school, you haven't answered any of my calls or replied to my texts," Sofia spat out. " We all thought you were fucking dead!" I smiled, " rest assured you, I'm not dead." Sofia scoffed, " what the hell, where are you?" I inhaled deeply as I stared out the window, " I'm in Rome."

The line went silent for a few seconds before Sofia spoke up. " You're in Rome?" Sofia said. I sighed, " yeah, I've been here for almost half a month." " And you were going to tell your best friends, when exactly?" Sofia said in a slight defended tone. " It was a sudden thing, I was shocked as well," I said defensively. Sofia scoffed, " you've been gone for half a month, and you simply just forgot to tell your best friends?" I smiled, " I'm in Rome Sofia, is that better?" I could see Sofia rolling her eyes without having to actually be there to see her. " Why are you even in Rome?" Sofia asked, the sound of her jumping down on her bed echoed through the phone.

" I uh, I don't know how to tell you," I began to say. " Tell me what?" Sofia asked anxiously. I inhaled deeply before breathing out and saying, " I'm getting married." The line went silent as I stared at my bedroom door for what seemed like an eternity. " Sofia?" I asked softly. " I'm sorry, what?" Sofia sternly. I smiled, " surprise." " Evangeline, this isn't some fucking joke," Sofia reminded me. Closing my eyes, a heavy feeling crept up onto my chest. " You're telling me you left Rome to get married, and you didn't even tell me or the others?" " It was arranged," I informed Sofia. " So yeah, I had no idea about it either." Sofia sighed, " wow." " Yeah, I know," I said as I got out of bed before over over to the bathroom.

" We'll, is your fiancé hot?" Sofia asked. I scoffed, " I've seen him three times, both times have been for about thirty seconds." Sofia chuckled, " welcome to an arranged marriage." I smiled, " but is he hot?" Sofia asked again. I stood at the sink counter, looking into the mirror. I had never actually thought about Domenico being attractive. Whenever I was around him, my body always seemed to shut down,  my brain disassociated itself from the rest of my system. " We'll?" Sofia asked, waiting for response. " I don't know," I sighed. " You don't know?" Sofia asked. " You've seen him, is he attractive or not?" " Yes?" I responded, in more a questionable tone than a sure one. " Are you sure you've seen the man you're going to marry?" Sofia asked.

I rubbed my face, " yes, I just." I paused, how was I going to explain this. " Is he the type of guy who makes you so nervous, uncomfortably anxious to where the looks don't even matter?" Sofia asked. I smiled, " yes." Sofia chuckled, " I understand then." I turned, leaning back against the sink as Sofia said, " we'll, we've missed you here. Schools not the same as it was before." I smiled, " well, schools out of my life now, so make the most of it for me." A soft sigh left Sofia's mouth, the smile on my face faded away. " I miss you," Sofia said. As I closed my eyes, Sofia asked, her tone full of hope, " are you coming back anytime soon?" " I uh, I don't know," I simply said. " I hope so."