Just One

Chapter 45

Chapter – 45 NICK: "The problem isn't her, it's him who won't let her be."

As soon as I dropped Anna off at her house, I returned to mine, confused and lost. Honestly, I am no longer in the mood to go to the movies. As soon as I entered the house, I asked my sister, who was in the TV room playing video games, if she would mind going to the movies another day because I was not in the mood anymore. Pri complained, saying, "But did you two fight again?"

I answer: "No, Pri. We didn't fight, I just lost my mood."

My parents are chatting in the kitchen while testing out a new salty pie recipe and obviously hear my not harsh but disheartened response to my sister. My mother then asks: "What happened, Nick? Can we help with something? First, Anna was depressed yesterday and now it seems to be you. What's going on, son?"

Since this whole story is stuck in my throat, I decided to get it off my chest. I need to get this anguish out, release this weight from my shoulders, and ask someone to guide me through my doubts. "Do you really want to know what's going on? Why did Anna spend the night crying, and now I'm the one who wants to cry?" I ask.

My father calmly responds: "Of course, Nick. We're here to listen to anything you want to say."

I pulled one of the chairs from under the kitchen table, turned it toward my parents, and sat down.

My sister quickly turns off the game on TV and pays attention to me, sitting on the backrest of the sofa.

"So just listen to this," I start speaking at a fast pace, trying to get rid of what needs to be said as quickly as possible. "Pri has already watched it and I'm sure you must have watched the video of Anna with a guy, dancing, making out, it doesn't matter. That fucking video went viral."

Priscilla mentions that the video already has almost 15 million views. I ask permission to continue and remind her not to interrupt me.

"As I was saying, the fucking video is on the internet. A modeling agency in Miami saw the video and contacted Anna. They want to hire her as the agency's exclusive model, and they've already informed her that they want to take her to Paris to take part in an international model selection campaign for a famous brand like Pride, D'Or, Channel, one of those prestigious brands. They've even financed a photobook for her, which has already been done. So far..., so good.

As an international model, they informed her that she would need to travel abroad constantly. From then on, the situation starts to become difficult for me.

Now in March, next month. Do you understand that it's just a few days away? There's going to be this final selection in Paris, where they will choose the couple who will do this campaign, which is a perfume launch. And to make things even worse for me, the same agency has hired Leeo, the guy from the video, to take part in the same model selection. As their video is still in the spotlight, they are betting on the two of them to represent this campaign.

In conclusion, imagine Anna and Leeo in Paris, by themselves, doing a campaign for a brand like Channel, for example, posing together all over the world as the perfect couple. And worst of all, he says he likes her. He always finds a way to get close to her. But she's my girlfriend, do you understand? Anna is MY girlfriend." Unable to control my emotions any longer, I start to cry, feeling like my soul is slowly falling apart.

My chest feels tight with so much anguish. I try to control my sobs, but they escape my lips in a rapid succession. I feel like a storm is roaring inside me, a mixture of fear and anticipated longing. My trembling hands clench, filled with anger and frustration at having nothing to do.