𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

είκοσιέξι ; 26

song of the chapter:
FALL INLOVE WITH YOU ; montell fish

Margarita's legs burned as she ran, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. The cool night air was sharp against her flushed skin, but it did nothing to clear the fog in her head. Her steps faltered, and her pace began to slow as her stomach twisted violently, a deep, nauseating churn spreading through her body.

She stumbled off the path, her hand instinctively gripping her stomach as bile rose in her throat. Panic hit her first, followed by a wave of heat and dizziness. She barely had time to brace herself before she lurched forward, falling to her knees as her body convulsed.

The contents of her stomach came up in a violent heave, hitting the ground in a sickening mixture of vomit and blood. Her entire body shook as she coughed, gasping for air between retches, her vision blurred with tears and sweat.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her trembling hand, feeling a bitter, metallic taste linger on her tongue. The sight of blood sent a fresh surge of panic through her, and her hands gripped the grass beneath her, trying to anchor herself, but it only made the dizziness worse.

"Margarita!" Rafe's voice was closer now, thick with worry, his footsteps quick and uneven as he rushed toward her. He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands hovering over her shoulders, afraid to touch her but desperate to help.

Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her body still shaking uncontrollably. She felt the weight of his gaze on her, filled with fear and confusion, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. Instead, she curled in on herself, trying to make the world stop spinning, the pain in her stomach sharp and relentless.

"Margarita, look at me." Rafe's voice was softer now, pleading as his hand rested gently on her back. "You're bleeding... What did you take?" His words were firm but laced with desperation, as if the answer would somehow fix everything.

She shook her head, unable to speak, the taste of bile still fresh in her mouth. Her fingers clawed at the earth, trying to ground herself, but the panic wouldn't stop. The blood. The pain. It was too much.

"I'm getting you help," Rafe said suddenly, reaching for his phone.

"No." Her voice was weak, barely a whisper, but she grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Don't..." She didn't want anyone else to see her like this. She didn't want to be saved. Not now.

But Rafe's eyes were filled with determination, his jaw set. "I'm not losing you, Margarita. Not like this."

Her chest tightened, and for a moment, all she could hear was the sound of her heartbeat, erratic and loud in her ears. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be this person, broken and lost, running from the only person who still cared.

Tears streamed down her face as she finally looked up at him, her green eyes filled with a raw, unspoken plea. "I don't know what to do," she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her fear and regret.

Rafe's expression softened, and without another word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as her body shook against his. "I've got you," he murmured, his voice steady, his hand smoothing over her hair. "I'm not going anywhere."

And for the first time in a long time, she let herself believe it.

Margarita's stomach clenched again, harder this time, and without warning, she retched violently, her body shaking with the force of it. She barely had time to register what was happening before another wave of vomit spilled from her lips, staining the grass at her knees.

Rafe was by her side in an instant, his hand quickly gathering her hair, bunching it behind her head to keep it from falling in her face. His other hand pressed gently against her back, rubbing slow, calming circles as her body convulsed. She could hear his voice, low and soothing, though the words were lost in the haze of her own pain and misery.