Redemption

Chapter V

In the morning Safiye and Renato woke up simultaneously, still embracing each other just like they went to sleep. She couldn't look at him in the eyes, feeling embarrassed and like a new person, but he responded by caressing her hair and when she looked at him in the eyes; she could tell there was something different in them. The difference she spotted brought some peace to herself, and not only could she look at him in the eyes but corresponded to his touch by caressing his cheek. They raised from bed together and Renato stopped to help her out of bed, it was then when he looked at her body and noticed the scars his nails had left, but what bothered him most was when she smiled at him and the cut on her lip opened one more time and retrieved its vivid red color. His heart made a small twist and some remorse came back like the one from the prior night.

He couldn't say he was sorry, since his still alive ego wouldn't allow it. The only thing he was capable of doing was to grab her small hand in his and gently walk her to the bathroom and shower with her, where they stood under the shower in a rain of their own creation, embracing each other in silence, with both finally enjoying the present moment and each other company without worrying for what was to come, or about what to speak.

Back in her room she got dressed in her regular home cloth, with a light top and yoga pants, "Aren't you going to school?" He asked her as she sat in her bed to place her socks on, "I'm not feeling really well today, I'm skipping classes but I understand if you have to go" She said, looking down afraid he would tell by her eyes how much she wanted him by her side, but he still could tell by her body gesture, he gently smiled at her and said "I won't be going either" He said, not having anything to do in her college if she wasn't there. "My dad never got to wear a pair of cloth, is slight elegant since he was meaning to wear it on his anniversary with my mom, but if you want to change I could give it to you," Safiye offered and after he nodded she went for the white shirt and dark pants her father had left behind. After handing it to him he held her arms and kissed her light on her forehead drawing a smile on her lips.

They had breakfast in the living room sitting next to each other and began to watch the movie Coy had given to Safiye, but her morals told her she was doing wrong, and she kept looking away from the television with Renato noticing everything, "Something is bothering you, what is it?" He said, out of curiosity rather than his usuals demands when he spoke, "I haven't talked to you about what happened on Saturday" She turned to face him placing her arm over the couch, "Coy and I fought. You were right when you said he loved me. He didn't even hide it, he declared his feelings to me. He then tried to poison me against you, saying terrible things about you and what things you could do to me..." She paused looking away, "What things?" He said, dragging his fingers over her arm, "That you could be... and I'll say it exactly as he did, 'a fucking psychopath' that could murder me, and that the best thing that could come of our relationship is you 'fucking' me and leaving," She said and he twisted uncomfortable on his seat "Wow" It was more to him than to answer her.

"Then he said something ugly about me too, how I was a whore and all that" Tears sprung from her eyes and she looked down to hide her face from his view, ashamed of crying in front of Renato, "Is that why you feel bad?" He asked, for the first time, trying to understand another human being and their feelings, though it was almost impossible for him to understand anything since empathy was a new emotion he had barely acquired. "Sort of, I don't regret you, I have been told by other women that it was natural to feel dirty after it, you know we are trained to think that is something nasty and whatever, but I think maybe Coy's words worsened the effect" She said calmer. Seeing her pain, he regretted hurting her relationship with Coy, but even the newest form of him couldn't take away the happiness that sprung in him, more than ever he wanted Coy away from their lives. He moved next to her and embraced her like it was the first time he has ever done.