𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | 𝓟𝓮𝓭𝓻𝓸 𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓵 |

6

The morning dawned with a heaviness that mirrored the weight on my shoulders. For the first time in my career, I didn't feel like going to work. The conversation with Pedro had left a bitter taste in my mouth, a bitter reminder of the walls I had built around myself.

I made the call to my father with the excuse that I was feeling sick. To my surprise, he didn't question it, simply telling me to rest and take care of myself. I just got the chance to stay at home with my mother.

My mother has always been my pillar of strength, my inspiration in a world filled with superficiality. Her unwavering love and guidance were the constants in my life, especially during turbulent times like these.

She is Nathalie Leroux, a renowned model in France, and she has been working really hard her whole life.

As the morning unfolded, I found solace in simple activities with my mother, like sharing breakfast, talking about mundane things, and relishing the rare moments of togetherness that our busy lives often denied us.

The afternoon crept in with a somberness that matched my thoughts. With my father still at work, I decided to seek refuge in the familiar embrace of nature. Mount Griffin, with its serene beauty and secluded spots, called out to me like an old friend.

The half-hidden esplanade, embraced by a canopy of trees, was my sanctuary. I climbed onto the branch of a century-old tree, letting the soothing breeze and rustling leaves envelop me as I watched the colors of the sunset paint the sky in hues of orange and pink. This is my safe place, the only place I go when I'm feeling like this.

My reverie was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the cobblestone path below. Instinctively, I wiped away any traces of tears, unwilling to show vulnerability even in solitude. But when the footsteps drew closer, my heart raced with a mix of dread and curiosity.

Pedro's presence shattered the tranquility, his figure casting a shadow over my secluded spot. I tried to leave, without saying a word, but he surprised me when he cornered me between his body and the tree, with his arms on either side of my body. "Stay," he urged.

Having his body so close, and the way he has cornered me against the tree, has made me the most nervous, something that surprises me because of the hatred I have for him since the first day, I had never felt this from his presence.

"Get away from me." I said in a whisper, as from crying so much, my voice was cracking.

His serious look, with a slight frown, exchanged between my eyes and my mouth. "Why were you crying? Was it because of me?"

"You don't care, leave me alone. Were you following me?"

He denied. "I do this route many times to clear my mind, I never meet anyone." He clarified. "Why were you crying?".

My breathing started to hitch again, noticing how anxiety was attacking me again. "I'm telling you to leave me." My hands triee to push him away but he's too strong.

"I'm not leaving you until you listen to me." He continued, and I just felt my palpitations getting faster and faster. "I'm sorry for what I told you yesterday, I screwed up, and when I saw that you didn't come to work today that's when I realized how badly I screwed up, but I need to tell you that...".

"Fuck off Pedro! You're fucking cocky and rude!". I yelled as tears run down my cheeks. "You don't know me, you don't know what I've been through". Tears invaded my eyes again. "I warned you to respect the limits, my work, and you didn't care, you took it as a game, and you were only hurting me a lot." I closed my eyes and slowly bent down to sit on the floor, feeling my body weak again.

"Catherine." He crouched down in front of me getting my hair away from my face. "Catherine what's wrong, are you okay?".

I said nothing, no words came out of me. Again an anxiety attack. Yesterday in the car coming home, and today again. I hate him, I hate him so much.

"Hey, hey, look at me." I opened my eyes. "Breathe with me." He took a deep breath. "Like this, slowly, with me." He repeated quietly. "You're doing great." He put his hands on my knees.

With his thumbs, he wiped the tears from my cheeks. At that moment, I came back to my self and pushed his hands away quickly to stand up. "You're such an asshole."

"I am." He said getting up as I do. "I'm an idiot when I try to talk to girls."

"With Lily you're not." I stressed with some disgust in my tone.

He lowered his gaze. "I don't like Lily that way." He confessed, making me, for a moment, speechless thinking about what he just said, but I immediately returned to my self by nudging him.

"Fuck you." I tried to walk away, but again he grabbed my arm. "Get off me!" I punched his chest.

"Do it, hit me, I deserve it." He didn't release his grip, and I continued the blows, which didn't affect him at all, until I run out of strength and simply collapsed again.

I dropped my arms and finally, Pedro released me, but just barely, as he pulled me close to him and wraped his arms around me, in an embrace that felt welcoming. I responded by clinging to him and quieting my sobs on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Cath, I never meant to hurt you this much, and I only hope that someday you will forgive me, I want to know everything about you, I want to know what has you so bad." He said softly as he stroked my back, soothing me with each caress.

Time passed, and little by little my body relaxed. Pedro kept his embrace, his caresses. His presence, for the first time, was not a sign of hatred, of contempt. For the first time, it was a sign of calm, of tranquility.

To be continued...