Silent love

Chapter 34

On the previous chapter...

She met my gaze, unwavering. "Talk to Fiorenzo".
I huffed out a humorless laugh. "He doesn't want to talk to me".

"Maybe". She admitted. "But I think he doesn't understand a lot of things. And maybe that's part of the problem".

I didn't say anything.

"Just talk to him". She pressed. "No yelling. No accusations. Just talk".

I looked away, jaw tight, but eventually, I gave a small nod.

She smiled slightly. "Bien".

Yaqueline held out her hand, her pinky extended.
"Promise me". She said. "That you'll talk to him".

I stared at her hand.

Something inside me hesitated. The weight of touch. The voice in my head whispering that it was too much.

But then I pushed it aside.

Maybe I should start ignoring those voices?

Slowly, I lifted my hand, wrapping my pinky around hers and she smiled.

It was small. Stupid, even. But it meant something.

ʚ YAQUELINE'S POV ɞ

I could still feel his pinky against mine, the hesitant way he'd linked it, like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to.

He was. He just didn't know it yet.

I watched him now, his posture tense even as he sat, his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. The dim light of the lamp against his face, sharp angles and tired eyes betraying the exhaustion he'd never admit to.

He was thinking. I could see it in the way his jaw clenched, in the way his fingers curled slightly like he was gripping onto something invisible.

I sighed, shifting my position on the bed. "You overthink too much".

His gaze flickered up to me, unreadable. "No, I think just enough".

I arched a brow. "Really? Because you look like you're trying to solve every problem in the world all at once".

He didn't respond, but the corner of his mouth twitched, almost a smirk, but not quite.

Progress.

We are taking baby steps with him.

I leaned back against the headboard, pulling my knees up. "You know, keeping everything inside isn't going to make it disappear".

Federico exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly. "I don't need a therapy session".

"Good". I shot back. "Because I'm not a therapist".

This time, I swore I saw the hint of amusement in his eyes. It faded quickly, though.

I didn't push. Not yet.

Instead, I tilted my head slightly, watching him. "So... what's your plan?"

He frowned. "For what?"

"For everything". I said, gesturing vaguely. "For your siblings. For yourself. For whatever the hell you're doing".

His expression darkened slightly, and I knew he didn't have an answer. Not a real one, at least.

"I'll figure it out".

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, because that's been working so well for you".

Silence.