Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“It’s just, she tried to…" he caught the look on my face and trailed off. "Never mind. I have faith in you completely. I know what you’re capable of. Forgive me, Patrão, if I’ve offended you.” Sergio bowed his head as a sign of respect.
I waved him off. Had anyone other than him decided to voice that line of thinking to me we'd have a problem.
Gio only had my best interest in my mind. I understood his concerns. Elena had a dark spot in her past that couldn’t be overlooked, but this detail didn't deter me in the least. On the contrary, it piqued my curiosity. Her complexities played right into my hands. Her mind was an intricate enigma, and I had always had a knack for untangling the most confounding of riddles. It would all be worth it in the end. Not only was she my last play, but the one card I needed to solidify something I’d been working towards for years. I’d made a sordid promise to a friend, and I intended to keep it.
“Enough of this. Let’s go see my father.”
As I began to stand, a terrified scream tore through the air followed by a single gunshot. I was almost impressed. The blonde had made it farther than they normally did when I let them run.
CHAPTER SIX
ELENA
The shrill, persistent blaring of my cell phone alarm abruptly yanked me out of my self-pitying thoughts. Groaning, I swiped my finger across the screen to silence it. Reluctantly, I peeled myself out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, heading for the hutch caddy-cornered from the sink.
I reached up and moved the resin lighthouse aside. Resting beneath it was the orange bottle I couldn’t bring myself to look at for too long--a symbol of my perceived weakness and dependency. The oblong capsules, a muted shade of green and pale yellow, held the key to balancing my moods and keeping me from spiraling into complete insanity.
Feeling anxious, I counted the remaining pills. Without a doctor here to prescribe me anymore, I had to ration what was left. My usual supplier, who took the risk of losing her license to help me, was now on the other side of the city and I had no means of reaching her. I took the dosage I needed with water from the tap and then placed the lighthouse back in to hide the ugly orange bottle again.
After returning to the bedroom, I discarded the towel that had been wrapped around me for hours and changed into my cozy sweats and an oversized shirt featuring a design from one of Lovecraft's stories. I didn't know what to do next. Despite my determination to push through, I had spent a good portion of the night stifling sobs until I had no energy left and could only hide my ragged breaths. The tears had finally stopped, but the pain still felt as raw as ever, and my swollen face felt like it was filled with helium. I checked the time and saw that it was just past midnight. It would be at least three more hours before I could fall asleep. I had attempted to distract myself by watching TV, but I couldn't focus on any movies or shows.
The darkness wrapped itself around me like a heavy blanket, suffocating and all-encompassing. It was another one of those nights where I clung to my father's advice, desperate for any shred of comfort to ease the turmoil in my mind.
“Never stop fighting the demons in your head,” his words echoed in my ears, a constant reminder of the struggle that consumed me every day. Sometimes, on these lonely nights, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I just let those demons take over. Would it bring me peace or push me deeper into this endless cycle?
I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. “Where are you, Eva?” I whispered into the emptiness. I debated whether to call Peyton or Melody, who both understood the moods I could go into. I didn’t want to bother them though, especially at this hour. I returned to the bathroom and quickly ran a brush through my hair, trying to smooth out any tangles.
I splashed some water on my face in hopes of reducing the puffiness around my eyes. It wasn't my best look, but it would have to do. Slipping on my flip-flops, I grabbed my cell phone and air-pods off the nightstand before heading towards the door. I remembered to grab my hoodie from the hook before stepping into the eerily silent hallway. It was as if this place was a tomb instead of a home; even the AC unit seemed too quiet.
Once I made it outside without any run-ins, I took a deep breath and let the soothing sound of crickets chirping surround me. Scrolling through my music playlist, I settled on an Aquilo song that seemed fitting for my current mood. I didn't have a destination in mind; I just needed to escape from my room and clear my head. Walking felt like a better alternative than lying in bed and battling with the negative thoughts plaguing me. At such an hour, there was no activity in the neighborhood—I was grateful for that.