“Why?”
“Trust me,” he replied softly.I complied, resting my head on the pillow as he turned onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow while his other hand began to move in gentle circles on my abdomen.His touch was soothing; he was my cure.“Is that any better?”he asked quietly.I took a moment to reply, sensing his gaze on me.“What is it?”he pressed.
“Nothing… it's just that you're so different now.I remember how things were at the beginning of the year…” I trailed off, hesitating.
“About that… I never actually said I was sorry.I was foolish.I lied about Jake and Emily’s video recording because I wanted your attention, and I went about it all wrong.I pretended to be someone I wasn't, or maybe I just didn't know who I was until I met you,” Zane confessed, still rubbing my abdomen.
“Do you finally understand who you are?”I murmured softly.
“I know who I want to be,” Zane replied, his eyes momentarily drifting into a void.I couldn't help but wonder what secrets he was keeping locked away.There was a nagging feeling that he bore a weight that remained hidden from everyone else—a silent wound that only I could sense.
I wanted to delve into it, but it wasn't the day for heavy conversations.It was a moment for just the two of us.Gradually, my own pain began to fade while we cuddled, sharing kisses and laughter as if the world beyond these walls didn't exist.Eventually, we surrendered to sleep.
“Hey,” a voice broke through the haze, “wake up.”It was Zane.I felt clammy and breathless, struggling to grasp reality.
“What happened?”I mumbled, realizing morning had almost arrived.Zane remained silent; he moved and sat on the edge of the bed, knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them, staring down at the floor.
“I'm sorry.”There was a deep sorrow in his tone.
“Sorry for what?”I pressed, bewildered.
“I'm sorry I hurt you.I…”
“What are you talking about?”My confusion only deepened.
“You said something while you were asleep…” he confessed.
“What did I say?”The silence lingered long enough for my mind to race with possibilities.
“Please, stop, please…”
Chapter 37
We didn't manage to drift back to sleep, even though we had a few hours left.I assured him that my nightmare had nothing to do with him; it was just another nightmare, part of a long series.
He bombarded me with questions, and I shared everything I could recall—my hazy memories, the fragments of my life I couldn't piece together, the recurring nightmares, and those dreams or memories that felt all too real.
He listened closely, his jaw tightening now and then.His expression was interesting, as if he understood more than I did, yet he remained silent.Before I knew it, it was time to leave.
We packed up our belongings and dropped the key into the box that the woman had shown us the day before.On our way to the car, we picked up some coffee; the city was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the previous evening.
Our estimated arrival time was 8:47 AM.I texted Jessica, and she replied that everything was going smoothly and that her parents were still asleep.Damiano was supposed to meet us at the same spot where he had dropped me off.Our plan was simply reversed.
The journey back was challenging; something I had said seemed to weigh on Zane, even though he tried to mask it with kisses and cuddles.
“When are we going to see each other again?”Zane asked.
“You mean like this?”I teased, grinning.
“Of course, I'd love to know that, but I was thinking of a more civilized way,” he replied, and we both laughed.
“I suppose tomorrow at school,” I answered.
“What about in public?”he pressed.I hesitated; we had already discussed this, and it was probably best if fewer people knew.But he read my hesitation.
“Forget it,” Zane said, tightening his grip on my hand.
After saying our goodbyes, I found myself back in Jessica’s room just 15 minutes later, now in my pajamas.She had made us coffee along with some mini chocolate croissants, eager for a gossip session.
