Runaway - A DEVIL'S NIGHT FANFICTION (PTBR + ENG)

Chapter 22 - Ivar

Nowadays...

I drive carefully and without haste, because I keep looking around to see how Nini is. I don't want to take her home, because Aunt Emmy and Uncle Will will be worried about her arriving all wet and shivering like she is, and I can't take her to mine, since Nini and my father don't have the best relationship in the world. Besides, I'm sure she'd rather go back to the party than talk to him.

However, as I remember him, an idea comes to me and I decide to put it into practice because I have no other option.

As soon as I park at the Coldfire, I turn off the car and the heater and turn to her, bringing my hand up to her face and brushing a lock of wet hair from her cheek.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, caressing it with the back of my hand.

She shrugs her shoulders in defeat and I see her lower lip tremble, so I pull her onto my lap. I know she wants to cry, but she's holding back to keep on giving the image that she's resilient. As if I didn't know that.

I put her head on my chest again and put my arms around her.

"Do you trust me?" I ask, observing the movement in and out of the resort, slowed down by the time of day.

"Ivarsen..." she calls me softly in warning, clearly not feeling comfortable discussing anything right now.

"No, I'm not talking about that," I deny, kissing the top of her head. – "Just... come on, let's do something."

We get out of the car and I keep hold of her hand, entering the resort under my own name and doing all sorts of persuasive maneuvers to get the keys to the children's pool that the resort has.

When I unlock the door and Nini walks in, realizing where we are, she tries to turn around, but I come in right behind her and stop her.

"I think I want to go home," she asks, looking nervous. – "I don't have any other clothes and I've been wearing this wet T-shirt for a long time and—"

I take her in my arms and tilt her head so that she faces me.

"Calm down," I ask, taking a deep breath and urging her to do the same. – "This pool isn't even as tall as Tavi, it's practically a huge bathtub and you're not getting in until you feel ready for it. I promise."

I watch her body relax after our breathing comes into sync, and only then do I start to move, keeping my arm around her shoulders.

"Remember when I told you how I got my scar on my ear?" I ask, walking over to one of the benches that are available for parents to watch their children.

"You were bitten by a dog at your aunt's house," she says, nodding.

"After that happened, I became afraid of dogs for a long time, but I didn't tell anyone and kept myself away from any contact with them. However, this was quite difficult, considering that my aunt loves dogs, Uncle Will had Diablo and my mother also wanted to adopt one, after her dog died" I tell her, sitting there and taking off my clothes, leaving only the boxer shorts I was wearing. – "So, it wasn't long before my father noticed and decided to help me with it."

Nini listened to the story in silence and I put my clothes on the bench next to her, continuing.

"He didn't want me to keep feeling afraid and, at the same time, he wanted to do my mother's bidding, so he took me with him to adopt a new dog. I don't remember everything he said, but I do remember that he showed me a puppy of the dog that had bitten me and convinced me to touch and play with it, making me understand that the incident that had happened would not be repeated and that animals sense when you are afraid of them, which makes them react and exploit your weakness. Today, I know that this advice doesn't only apply to animals and that's why I brought you here."