Nashville, Tennessee October 3rd, 2023 9:53am Pov Miracle
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I pulled Tinka closer, holding her tightly in my arms. Ever since that night, she hadn't been herself. The usual joy in her eyes was gone, replaced by a distant, hollow look. She hadn't left her bed in days, barely speaking, and school? It didn't even cross her mind.
I didn't know exactly what had happened to her. I just assumed she had been out with Mia and Kat, like Ari said she was. Maybe something went down between them. That's all I could think of, but deep down, I knew it had to be more than that. The way she shut down... it wasn't just about friends. Something much worse had happened.
I'd told her professors she was sick and arranged for her classwork to be sent home. I was doing everything I could to make things easier for her, but I still felt helpless. All I wanted was to help her heal, even though I didn't understand what had truly broken her.
I heard her small, muffled cries and reached down to wipe her face once more. "What's wrong, baby? I don't understand what happened," I asked softly, though frustration bubbled up inside me. I just wished I'd been there for her when she really needed it. Seeing her like this, hurting and unable to open up, was tearing me apart. I needed to know what had happened so I could make it right, but I didn't want to push her.
Tinka shifted slightly in my arms; her face still pressed against my chest. I could feel her trembling, but when I asked her what was wrong, she shook her head.
"It's nothing," she whispered, you could barely hear her voice.
I knew she was lying, but the way she said it—so quiet, so final—made me hesitate. She didn't want me to press her. She didn't want to open up. Maybe she thought it would make me feel bad, or that I couldn't handle whatever it was. But how could I just sit here, holding her, knowing something terrible had happened and pretending it wasn't real?
I stroked her hair gently, swallowing the lump in my throat. "You don't have to tell me, but I'm here if you want to talk. Whenever you're ready, I'm not going anywhere."
She didn't respond, just held on a little tighter, like she was trying to keep everything bottled up inside. My heart broke for her.
I sat there, trying to think of something, anything, to bring a little life back into Tinka's eyes. After a moment, I leaned down and whispered, "How about we watch The Princess and the Frog? I know it's your favorite."
For the first time in days, I saw a faint smile creep up on her lips. It wasn't much, but it was something. I grabbed the remote and pulled up the movie, hoping it would distract her from whatever dark place she was in, even if just for a while.
We sat quietly, the sound of Tiana's voice filling the room. I glanced over at Tinka, and though she wasn't as enthusiastic as she used to be about the movie, I could tell it was helping, even if only a little.
