THE UNBREAKABLE PIECE (FIRST BOOK OF THE HIDDEN WORLD) English version

CHAPTER FOUR: STRONG

A battle was being waged inside me as I debated whether to accept Evan's invitation to the party or ignore him completely to avoid another heartbreak that started with me fantasizing about someone completely unattainable. And to my misfortune, Evan's defense was quite good as it was based on how perfect his smile was and how his hair matched the golden and orange hues of the sunset. I timidly rested my cheek on his back, afraid to face the speed at which we were going with my face forward. I had spent the last few minutes terrified of swallowing a bug. The ride home was short but riding right behind Evan on his motorcycle had become an unexpectedly enjoyable experience.

"You look beautiful when you smile," he said, adjusting his hair to the rhythm of the wind, and the scent of green apples reached me with the urge to caress it.

I could see Gemma peeking behind the pink, grainy glass of my front door. I wondered to myself how she knew I had arrived; her ancestors were probably witches.

"I'm not smiling," I cleaned my teeth with the tips of my fingers. "I'm pretty sure I swallowed a fly on the way here."

Evan huffed and then let out a laugh that electrified the air more than any storm.

"Will you meet me tonight?" he began to walk slowly towards his house, every movement and gesture of his body showed that he didn't really want to leave.

"Will you finally leave me alone if I say yes?"

"Don't answer my questions with more questions."

Evan rested his arm on the small column that supported the roof of his porch, which was worn out from time. I remembered that this was Savannah's favorite spot to practice her karate moves during those summer afternoons, while I spied on her through the window, just like Gemma was doing with me now.

The familiar tension in his muscles made me believe that my neighbor had been practicing that move with girls for a long time, that he already knew it perfectly. His semi-flexed body against the wood, his deep green eyes inspecting every corner of my face, and his lips slightly parted in a way that gave the impression that he would say something that could make me both angry and laugh at any moment.

"Okay, we'll see each other tonight," I finally agreed, dragging out my words.

"Perfect" he replied and disappeared behind his door. "See you later, prince... Campbell."

In less than the blink of an eye, the frigid air choked the smile that had formed on my face. The world was once again dyed in the color of death. And I was sinking into it, being called to the core of the earth, melting into the asphalt. I thought I could hear Gemma's voice calling me, like a soft echo caressing the wind. But I couldn't reach her, because at that moment, my senses abandoned me. I could no longer smell the scent of cinnamon and coconut that emanated from my friend's hair, I could not see her hazelnut eyes with that little spark that distinguished her, nor hear her laughter through the breeze.

I did not exist, I was nothingness itself, and the void terrified me.

Perhaps this was what dying felt like, although I doubted that my neighbor's smile had killed me. I felt so terrified every time that I was separated from reality and woke up at another moment in my life. Almost as if I were jumping involuntarily through my timeline.

In the darkness of my mind, I searched for some memory, something I could cling to. Christian was running through the lavender field. And his voice was the storm in a time of drought. He encouraged me to run, to chase him forever. I could get out of here. My legs were strong, my mind too. I was much stronger than what was trying to drag me down. What wanted to push me to my limit, lose myself, and forget myself on a blank page. I was strong, and I could get out of here.