CROSS MY SIN (forgive me please)

ch1. Echoes of the Night

NAT

Nat's heart raced as he bolted upright, trapped in the suffocating grip of a recurring nightmare. "No, please, let me go!" he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation. Tears mingled with sweat as they streamed down his cheeks, the remnants of a past he couldn't escape.

"Nat, Nat, wake up!" A voice cut through the darkness, pulling Nat back to reality. Blinking away the haze of his nightmare, he found himself face to face with his sister, Bruna, her concern etched into every line of her face. Nat's breaths came in shallow gasps as he struggled to compose himself, the memories of that fateful night threatening to overwhelm him once more.

"What's wrong, Nat?" Bruna's voice was soft, laced with worry as she reached out to comfort him. But how could Nat explain the depths of his torment, the scars that marred his soul in ways no one could see? How could he reveal the truth of what had happened, the darkness that still haunted his every waking moment?

"It's nothing, just a bad dream," Nat managed to choke out, forcing a weak smile to his lips. He couldn't burden his sister with the weight of his own pain, couldn't shatter the illusion of strength that he had carefully crafted since their father's death. But with each passing day, the facade grew harder to maintain, the cracks threatening to swallow him whole.

"Don't worry about me, Bruna," Nat said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be okay."

But as he watched his sister's concerned gaze linger, Nat couldn't help but wonder if he would ever truly be free from the ghosts of his past.

---

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the city streets as Nat made his way to work, the familiar hustle and bustle of the city providing a welcome distraction from the turmoil within. Ping, his loyal friend and confidante, greeted him with a smile as he approached their ice cream shop, the promise of another day's work looming on the horizon.

But even as Nat lost himself in the routine of their day, the echoes of his past lingered just beneath the surface, waiting to be acknowledged.

The clanging of spoons against ceramic cups echoed through the bustling shop, the sugary air thick with the scent of birthday cake and vanilla. Laughter floated from a table tucked in the corner, where a gaggle of children celebrated a friend's special day. Nat, behind the counter, scooped ice cream with practiced ease, a smile plastered on his face despite the tremor in his hands. He loved working at the shop – the cheerful music, the happy faces, the sweet distraction from the darkness that lurked at the edges of his mind.

Suddenly, a small voice piped up from the birthday table. "Mister, do you have a girlfriend?" A bright-eyed girl, no older than eight, tilted her head at him, her innocent curiosity jarring a chord within him.

Nat's throat constricted. His practiced smile faltered, the words catching in his throat. The question, so harmless on the surface, felt like a punch to the gut. Images of the past flashed before him – the cold, suffocating darkness, the fear, the shame. He took a shallow breath, forcing the memories down.

"No, I don't," he finally managed, his voice tight.

"Why not?" the girl persisted, her brow furrowed in concern. "You're so handsome and kind! Anyone would be lucky to have you as a boyfriend."

The compliment should have warmed him, but it felt like salt on a wound. His gaze flickered to the reflection in the ice cream display case,

He couldn't answer the girl's question. The truth was too heavy, too raw, to share with a child. With a mumbled excuse, he retreated to the back of the shop, seeking refuge in the cool silence of the restroom. He leaned against the cold metal door, tears stinging his eyes.

In the dim light of the toilet mirror, Nat caught a glimpse of the dragon tattoo that adorned his attacker's skin, a chilling reminder of the trauma that still haunted him. With trembling hands, he  traced the outline of the tattoo, his anger and despair rising like a tide within him.

"Why me?" he whispered, his voice choked with pain. "What did I ever do? To deserve that?

I hope you have enjoyed the chapter 😭It took me three hours to be comfortable to publish it. The next chapter will be Sahil's POV.

Thanks.