**PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE BABY CONTRACT**
"Don't touch me!" I screamed, crossing my hands in front of me as a shield.
He chuckled darkly.
Not bothering to listen to anything I just said and ignoring my actions, he brought his hands to my face.
"And...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
••• :: ୨•୧ :: •••
We finally made our way back to the campsite, where the sun hung low in the sky, painting everything in shades of orange and gold. Long shadows stretched across the ground, dancing among the trees like playful spirits. A cool breeze wrapped around us, and the leaves rustled softly, sharing their quiet secrets as the day's final light began to wane.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The group walked a short distance ahead of us, their laughter and stories trailing back in the air, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. They were blissfully unaware of the tension that lingered just behind them—a tension that felt almost palpable, a thin veil hanging between us.
Mr. Mariano had been carrying me on his back for a while now, his demeanor still cold. yet in that moment, a warmth of tenderness surged through his usual stoicism, breaking through some of the barriers he had built around himself. It was a sensation that was entirely new to me—an unexpected balm that sent a shiver of comfort through my veins.
I had never encountered such a profound shift in someone who had always felt so distant, leaving me feeling perplexed and unsure, my emotions tangled in confusion. I found myself questioning the meaning behind this sudden warmth, grappling with the unfamiliar feelings it stirred within me, and struggling to comprehend a closeness that had once seemed impossible.
As he gently set me down on a sturdy log, I could feel a shift in the air—an unspoken connection forming in the silence that enveloped us. He took a few steps away to the staff center to retrieve the first aid supplies, leaving me on the log with my heart racing and my thoughts tangled in a chaotic whirl of emotions I hadn't anticipated. There was something about the way he looked at me, a glimmer of softness hidden beneath the surface of his reserved exterior.
I adjusted myself on the log, the rough bark digging gently into my skin as I settled in. The day was softening, its edges blurring as the light dimmed, and shadows began to stretch and deepen, wrapping the woods in a hushed silence. But as I let my gaze drift lazily across the clearing, my attention caught on a figure emerging from the trees, its outline gradually taking shape against the fading backdrop.
