Shadows of enmity

PART 10

I woke up feeling groggy, the lingering effects of the previous night dulling my senses. My head throbbed with a dull, bearable ache, a constant reminder of last night's chaos. As I blinked my eyes open, I noticed a glass of orange juice and a bottle of painkillers on the nightstand beside me. Mohammed had thought of everything.

I slowly sat up, the faint morning light filtering through the curtains. The sweet smell of something delicious wafted up from downstairs, mingling with the morning air. I reached for the bottle of painkillers popping one in my mouth then took a sip of the orange juice the flavour was tangy and fresh all at once.

I groaned and rubbed my neck, feeling the tension knotted there. Just as I reached for the painkillers again my phone buzzed on the nightstand, Diego's name flashing on the screen.

My heart banged against my ribs

Do I pick up?

Despite my hesitation, I swiped to answer the call. "Hello?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Hey," Diego's voice came through, light and casual. "Just wanted to check in. You left pretty quickly last night. Everything okay?"

I hesitated, glancing at the painkillers and orange juice beside me. "Yeah, just... had a rough night," I admitted, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"Rough night?" Diego's voice took on a concerned edge. "What happened?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of the previous night pressing down on me. "It's a long story. Just... some things went wrong."

Diego paused, sensing the reluctance in my voice. "You sound... off. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, though my voice wavered slightly. "Just need some rest."

There was a brief silence on the other end before Diego spoke again. "Alright, but if you need anything, let me know, okay?"

"Thanks," I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips despite everything. "I'll be fine."

"Listen," Diego continued, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You've been acting a little... off lately. Last night, you seemed distracted, and now you sound like you're hiding something. Is there something you're not telling me?"

My heart skipped a beat, the guilt gnawing at me. "No, it's just... you know, life stuff," I said, trying to brush it off. "Everyone has rough patches."

Diego wasn't convinced. "Everyone does, but this feels different. You can talk to me, you know. Whatever it is, I'm here."

I bite my lip hard. but this was different I couldn't talk to him about it because if I did it would make my life harder and trust would become as thin as a line or maybe even close to nothing because I decided to fuck somebody else whilst openly admitting I was attracted to Diego "ugh It's complicated, Diego. I appreciate you being here, but it's something I need to figure out on my own."

He sighed, clearly frustrated but trying to be understanding. "Okay, but just know that you don't have to go through this alone. You left so suddenly last night, and now you sound... I don't know, like you're carrying the weight of the world."

 "I'll be okay. I just need some time." I said softly, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

"Time, huh?" Diego's voice was filled with a mix of concern and resignation. "Alright. But don't shut me out completely, okay? I worry about you"

The sincerity in his voice was almost too much to bear. "I won't," I promised, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Diego. Really."

"Anytime," he replied gently. "Take care of yourself. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call."