Until my Last Breath

64

Barcelona, Spain

I'm not sure how long I've been sitting here, staring at myself in the mirror, trying to process what's about to happen. This is real. This is really happening.

I glance at the clock on my phone again, my heart skipping a beat when I see the time. My first actual date. Not just some casual hangout or dinner where you pretend it's just two people, no strings attached. This is the real deal. It feels surreal, like I've stepped into some foreign world where my normal, guarded self doesn't exist.

The soft hum of the makeup brushes moving over my skin is the only sound in the room. Alex's hands are light but precise as she finishes up the final touches, a delicate shimmer sweeping over my eyelids and a soft swipe of blush adding a natural flush to my cheeks. I look... different. Radiant. Not the way I usually look.

And yet, I feel right. I feel like I'm stepping into a new chapter, finally ready to embrace whatever this connection is with Gavi.

Alex finishes with a flourish, her hands dropping away from my face. She takes a step back, her gaze appraising. I catch a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, and the smile she gives me is full of warmth, almost proud.

"God, Rita," she whispers, her eyes wide in disbelief. "I can't believe this is real. Like, this whole... you and Gavi thing? I'm still not over it."

I shake my head with a soft chuckle, nervously tugging at the edge of the dress. It feels too tight, too formal, even though I've always loved how it fits. The navy fabric hugs my curves, the open back adding a level of allure that I don't usually let myself indulge in.

"It's all a bit overwhelming, to be honest," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. I can't help but touch the smooth fabric of the dress, running my fingers over the elegant neckline. "If you told me a few months ago I'd be here, dressing up for a real date, I would've laughed. I still can't believe I'm doing this."

Alex laughs along, but Kika, who's been sitting by the window, chimes in with a grin, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Who would've thought, huh? I always knew you were a softie underneath all that drive and intensity. But if this whole... seat debacle didn't happen, I don't think you would've ever started something with him."

I freeze. The words hit harder than I expect, the reality of what Kika said sinking into my chest.

It's true. There's no denying it. I wouldn't have opened myself up like this. I wouldn't have dared to let someone in, not this fully. The chaos of everything-the uncertainty with my career, the shifting tides in my personal life-has led me here, to this moment, standing on the edge of something I never thought I would be ready for.

"It's weird, isn't it?" I finally say, a nervous laugh slipping past my lips. "I used to think I wasn't the kind of person who could do this. Relationships? But now... I'm not so sure anymore."

Kika raises an eyebrow, her playful smirk never leaving her face. "Who are you, and what have you done with Rita Bianchi?"

I roll my eyes at her teasing but feel a lightness inside, a kind of freedom I've never felt before.

Alex steps back, holding her hands out in front of her, inspecting her work like she's just finished a masterpiece. "There you go. Absolutely stunning, Rita. Gavi won't know what hit him."

Kika leans against the wall, crossing her arms as she studies me, her expression softening. "You've got this. He's crazy about you, you know that, right?"

I nod slowly, feeling a warmth spread across my chest. "Yeah. I think I do."

But the thought of Gavi's face, his smile, the way he makes me feel like I've found something solid in the midst of all the chaos-it all hits me again. I feel a flutter in my stomach, excitement mixed with a touch of nervousness. I'm still not sure how all of this will turn out, but in this moment, for the first time in a long while, I'm ready to find out.