The night we met

Chapter 14

We returned to Sophie's house around five in the afternoon and it was already dark. What happened earlier was the best thing I've ever done, as his lips touched mine and kissed me. I bit my lips as I began remembering. I felt something for Matteo before but now it was much stronger.

I felt bad as we walked because we missed lunch and I knew that Sophie was waiting for us since then.

I heard our footsteps as we continued walking forward but I suddenly stopped and stood still. I couldn't breathe and my body felt heavy as I began shaking. This couldn't be happening.

The door was open. Sophie.

Please, don't! Please.

Matteo stood still as well but he said, "Stay behind me."

I was in shock, I couldn't let anything happen to Sophie. I couldn't lose her right now.

We began walking slowly towards the house. I felt fear but the only thing in my mind was Sophie. My face was pale and it was so hard to move. I felt so scared because the tall man was the person I feared the most and I knew that was the reason the door was open. He found me.

Matteo took his gun out. I wasn't surprised at all, I just felt protected by him.

We entered to the house and the wood table was broken and its pieces were all over the floor. I looked around with impatience. Where was Sophie?.

As I took another step I heard something breaking. I looked downwards and I stepped on glass which had blood on it. Please, don't. I began worrying more until I heard something, like someone was suffocating, wanting to breathe. Sophie!

I ran to the kitchen desperate and Sophie was lying on the floor trying to breathe as she covered her stomach with one hand. She was shot. She looked at the ceiling and blood came out of her mouth as she was asphyxiating. NO!
NO!

I began crying as I watched her fighting to breathe. She didn't move and there was a lot of blood on the floor. I started crying and felt how the tears fell on my cheeks. I sobbed as I got down in my knees.

"Sophie!...I'm here. I'm here," I said sobbing. "Please, please.... you can't leave me too."

She slowly turned her head around and I saw how tears fell from her eyes.

"You....yo..you came back," she said breathless.

"Sophie, please don't. Don't. We will take you to a hospital," I said crying.

"n...n..no no. Avaneda I will see Emma again...Em..ma," she said smiling.

Tears blurred my vision. I got nearer her and grabbed her head as I pulled her into my lap.

"St...ay...with Matteo," she said as she stared again at the ceiling.  "God.... hear...me. Pl..ease forgive me. Forgive my sins and I love you for everything you ga...ve me. I'm sorry.....I'm Sorry.....Plea..se," she said.

"Sophie. I'm sorry....I'm sorry," I sobbed.

"Sing...please...," she said as she stared at me.

I sobbed as I watched her. I began singing 'Angel by the wings.'

"Oh so, your...wounds they show
I ..... I.....know you have never felt so alone......but hold..on."

She took her last breathe and her eyes became soulless. I sobbed loudly as I saw her dead. Seconds later I was being pulled away.

"Ava, we need to leave now! They will come again soon," Matteo said.

"No! No! No! We can't leave her," I said as I begged him.

Matteo grabbed me in his arms as I continued to cry. "No. No. No!"

I begged him to come back but I looked at my left and three cars were coming far away. It wasn't the police. I began shaking even more.

They were coming.

We got in the car and I just sobbed and covered my eyes. I wanted this to end!
Matteo drove fast to not get seen by the other cars.

Minutes had passed by and I finally stopped crying and I only hiccuped. I'm so sorry Sophie, it was my fault. I closed my eyes feeling guilty. But my eyes felt heavy and I slept.

I'm sorry.

••••••••••••

I felt warm.

I felt his arm on my back and legs. I slowly opened my eyes and Matteo was holding me on his arms. He hold me tighter against him. My body and my head hurt too much. Where was I?

I looked at my right and a huge mansion was in my view. It was beautiful.

As we entered to his house, I just closed my eyes again. I got distracted with his smell as my head fell in his chest. I heard his steps as we went upstairs slowly. I felt pain. That's all I felt. I couldn't erase Sophie's image on my head.

Sophie deserved better, she was too good and kind for this world.

I was laid down seconds later on a soft and comfortable bed. I felt the cold bed sheets on my whole body and the silk material on my feet and hands. I opened my eyes and saw Matteo bend down.

"Do you want some water?," he said in a soft voice. He was really worried about me.

"No," I said turning away and giving him my back. I just needed to be alone, but my body wanted his touch. I needed him.

"I'll be on this couch," he said but I didn't looked at him, I just stared at the bed sheets. Why did this happened to me?.

I felt pain in my soul. But that's what we all share: pain.

Pain where we get hurt either physical or emotional. Even though both were different, they were so much alike. Pain always comes in everything. I closed my eyes trying to sleep and forget all of this.

I wanted to forget.

••••••••

That night I dreamed of the tall man.
He was pursuing me as I ran in the forest but I couldn't hide from him. I breathed too fast and heavy, I couldn't anymore. But he caught me. He caught me. I began shaking and screamed but he covered my mouth and began saying, "Here you are." No. No. No. Help me. Please. No!

"No! Please!," I began screaming. I suddenly opened my eyes when I felt a warm touch on my arms.

"Ava!," Matteo said. "Nothing its going to happen to you. I'm here."

Matteo was here. He was here with me.
I climbed and sat on Matteo's lap and hugged him. "Please don't let them do anything to me. Please. Please," I said crying.

"I promise, I will always keep you safe. I will always find you wherever you are," he said into my neck as he hugged me tighter.

I began relaxing and we didn't move for a long time. I stayed like that until he could only hear my hiccups. I finally removed my face from his neck.

"Please don't leave me alone."

"I won't," he said harshly.

We both laid down and I cuddled him. My cheek touched his chest and I could hear his heart beat loud and fast as it did mine. I didn't move and I began closing my eyes.

"Buona notte, mio fiore" he finally said.

Mio fiore, My flower.