The one who opened my eyes.

Who are you?

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[Pictures from pintrest]

I had a few busy working days but still wanted to bring you a chapter. I personally don't think it's my best, but I hope you can still enjoy it.

In this chapter you get to know Carina's history a bit better and she will tell Maya some things.
How will this day end? 😊

"Can you tell me more about Italy?
If you want to of course."

"What do you want to know?"

"Uh... everything?"

"Everything is a lot bella" she smiled.

"Maybe start by telling me what the meaning of bella is?
Because if that's a name then I have to correct you and say my name is Maya" she giggled.

"Italy was my birth country but never felt like my 'home' country" Carina began to avoid Maya's question.

"In Italy I grew up in a mentality where they expect you to adopt it.
There are certain thoughts and standards that you have to live up to, but I never felt comfortable with that. I am my own person and I want to stay true to that. Being able to have and express my own thoughts, letting others be who they are, not having to force compliance to please someone else.
By finding myself in certain situations, the urge in me became even bigger to stick to my views.
But growing up in a home with very strict parents this was, to put it mildly, terrible" she sighed.

Maya ran her hand over her shoulder to somehow make her feel safe hearing those things.
To let her know; I am there for you, I listen to you, you can say things like that to me.

Maya allowed the minute of silence that Carina needed to take place.

"My brother is gay" she then blurted out.
"All our family and those around them have expressed so much hatred towards him.
That he has a disease, that the devil is inside him, that he imagined things that were not there..."

She let out a deep emotional breath.
She kept her head down enough to avoid Maya seeing her tears.

"My brother is the most beautiful person I know and the most important in my life.
He fought so hard and endured so much to be where he is today.
He has so much courage and strength that sometimes I don't know and wonder where he keeps getting it from.
We had dinner last night, my brother, his boyfriend and I.
And now I don't have to say boyfriend anymore, but it's fiance now" it made Carina smile.

"They told me that my brother asked to marry him and I think this is a high point of happiness in his life, their life, and I couldn't be happier for them than I am now.
He so deserves all the love and happiness" a tear rolled down Carina's cheek.

"It's so nice to hear how much you care about him.
I can't imagine how hard it all must have been for him, and somewhere for both of you, to grow up in such a situation.
In this society it's already a fight not to necessarily be placed in a box of one thing or another, let alone in your own home environment.
I'm sorry you had to grow up in such an environment, you wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"You shouldn't say sorry Maya."

Carina straightened her up and Maya saw the wet stripe on Carina's cheek through the yellow glow and she automatically ran her thumb over it to wipe away the remnants of the tear.