Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 8-1

I accelerated my walk in the big U-shaped corridor, for fear of being late for that morning's meeting. I had already been doing my internship at the "So Home News" press house for two months. I had no choice but to make my mark quickly. Service men were busy removing Christmas decorations in the aisles, but also at the reception desk.

I thought back to that celebration with the Mattew family and the beginning of the new year. My father was unable to join me because of the very strict controls limiting entry into the country. The September attack was the ideal excuse to pass these new measures. I was very saddened at the time, especially since that time of year was very important to me. Fortunately, the Mattews were the ideal substitute family. Christmas Eve was a memorable one. I had met the family on Lily's side, who had come to visit us for the occasion. Faïz's parents had given me beautiful earrings, inlaid with a solitaire diamond from Tiffany. The expensive gift had made me uncomfortable, to say the least. Moreover, Lily had wanted me to wear them immediately. I had received a Dior handbag from Victoria, my first from a luxury brand. As for Faïz, he had placed a pair of pink and gold Louboutin sneakers on my bed in the evening, which I had discovered when I went to bed. For my part, I had offered everyone original gifts full of attention, and their reactions when they discovered them was a pleasure to see.

**

William had taken me on Christmas Eve to a large park not far from the city. The place, worthy of a fairy tale garden, had left me speechless for a moment, so beautiful was the place. The smell of flowers perfumed the enchanted garden. Inside it, there was a small square, decorated with cobblestones where small light shafts sprang up on either side of the ground. The lights were reflected on the flowers and trees that adorned the park. Around it, raised terraces indicated that the square also served as a stage for performances.

— "What shows are playing here?" I'd asked William.

— "Orchestras come to perform here, classical in general."

— "It's breathtaking. The Garden of Eden could not be more beautiful."

— "I knew you'd like it. You have the soul of a romantic."

William was patient. We were spending more and more time together, and it was starting to show up around us. However, I was still waiting to feel that spark that wasn't coming. I really liked him, but the truth was that a part of me still wanted Faïz. All possible efforts to stop listening to my feelings seemed futile to me, although I hardly paid any attention to him anymore. He was just as distant with me, and impulsive when we spoke to each other. I could barely pronounce William's first name in front of him.

— "Are you ready to hear the song I wanted you to hear?"

— "What do you mean? Here? Now?" I answered curiously, still standing in the middle of the square.

— "Zoe, did you think I brought the Bluetooth speaker with me for nothing?"

I remained doubtful, which made him laugh and then he added,

— "Look at what a Sylph likes to play with."

I still didn't see what he was getting at. He connected his iPhone to the Bluetooth speaker and Adele's voice took possession of the place, echoing in the park, which was emptied of its population. William walked a few meters away from me, leaving me alone in the square, and then placed the palms of his hands on the ground. At that moment, a show of water jets propelling more than ten meters high came out of the ground, thus taking the rhythm of the song. The jets varied in intensity, creating a magical aquatic show, enhanced by the luminous zones on the ground. I was soaked, but the spectacle unfolding before my eyes was emotionally impossible to contain. Tears ran down my cheeks. Yes, William was certainly right, I had the soul of a romantic, and that night, when he joined me at the end of the song, my hands caressed his face and my lips kissed his.