Silent love

Chapter 30

On the previous chapter...

Cecilia gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me?"
"Did I stutter?" Silvio shot back, grinning.

Immanuel chuckled, nudging her shoulder. "He's not wrong, Ceci".
She swatted his arm. "Oh, shut up".

Yaqueline tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable as she processed everything. "So you two were actually a thing?"

Cecilia scoffed. "Depends on who you ask".
I smirked. "If you ask her, she'll pretend it was nothing. If you ask Immanuel, he'll act like she was obsessed with him.".

Silvio barked out a laugh. "The truth is somewhere in the middle, but that's the fun part, isn't it?"

Yaqueline turned to me, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And you? What do you think?"
I met her gaze. "I think Immanuel got himself in deep, and Cecilia doesn't like being reminded of it".

Cecilia rolled her eyes. "I swear, the way you all talk, you'd think I was writing love letters in my own blood". "Wouldn't put it past you". Silvio muttered.

I chuckled, shaking my head.

This conversation was ridiculous, but at least it was entertaining.

ʚ YAQUELINE'S POV ɞ

"I don't remember how old I was exactly".

My voice was quiet, steady, but my fingers gripped the sheets beneath me as I spoke.

Seraphina didn't move, didn't look at me, but I knew she was listening. I could feel it in the way her breath hitched, the way her body tensed ever so slightly.

"It was summer in Paris. Jacques and I were playing tag in the courtyard. I remember the way the sun felt on my skin, the way our laughter echoed against the stone walls. We ran until our legs gave out, collapsing onto the pavement, breathless and happy. We wanted ice cream". I swallowed hard, my nails digging into the fabric. 

"He ran ahead to buy some, and I stayed behind".

I could still see it so clearly. The way the world had changed in an instant. 

"There was a man. I didn't know him, but he smiled at me like he did. Like he had every right to be there. I didn't even have time to scream before he grabbed me". I exhaled slowly, my eyes fixed on the wall. 

"It didn't take long. A few minutes, maybe. I don't know. Time moves differently when you're in pain. When you realize that nothing will ever be the same again".

Seraphina's breathing was uneven now, but she still didn't speak.

"When he was done, he left me there. Just... threw me onto the street like I was nothing". My voice faltered for a second, but I forced myself to continue. "It was dark, Seraphina. The streets were empty, the city lights too far to reach me. I lay there all night, bleeding, shaking. No one came. No one noticed".

My throat tightened, but I forced the words out. "They found me the next morning. My mother cried. My father was furious. Jacques-". My voice wavered. "Jacques blamed himself".

"He still does".

I still remember it. There was no one on the streets. There were no sounds.

It was calm unlike my mind.

I still can feel him on me, in me. I felt the pain, everywhere. My arms, chest, stomach and legs.

I sat down and looked down at my pants, my underwear was visible. The buttons of my pants were still open, it had red liquid over it. There was blood everywhere.