in which, selena amorim has never had an easy life, yet when she finds herself crossing paths with an old acquaintance, the first glimpses of hope shine through. as the seasons change, their lives take tumultuous turns and their feelings burn. will...
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Anxiously, I knocked at Marsh's door. The time read 4:50 A.M. It was far too early to be awake, far too early to be this worried. In my bag were some of her clothes, my notebooks, and her fragrance oil. In my hand, I held a half-empty cup of decaf which I apprehensively sipped on.
The door creaked open, a slight half slither only, allowing me to see those sea-foam colored eyes. I heard her sigh of relief as she fully opened the door and tumbled into my arms.
"God, Stan, I'm sorry for calling you up. You're the only one who knows her best." I pressed her palm against mine, topping her hand with my own, "It's no problem, may I come in?".
She slipped her palm onto her forehead as she closed the door behind us, leading me to her bedroom where Selena laid fast asleep on the bed.
"She called me last night in this frantic state, said she was out with some guy , and he..." her breath came to a stop as she looked away as if in shame, "He made advances that weren't welcomed."
She huffed a disappointing sigh, I wrapped my arm around her as she rested her head against her palms. I understood the situation and even though we'd been having problems, this made my blood boil.
How dare someone wound her in this way? Undoubtedly, she would never be the same again. The damage that'd already plagued her would only become worse, eventually, she'd be too far apart to breach the distance.
It made me want to break into tears, the ones that were forming along my eyes. Yet, I bit them back, remembering what my father's mantra, boys don't cry.
"I suppose I'll take her home, get her dressed, and then to school." I gulped, unwrapping my arm from around Bev. She nodded and helped Selena up and into my arms.
***
When I awoke, I heard shoes tapping against a wood floor in a continuous pattern, almost as if to make a melody. Slowly but surely, I was slipping back into my body as I rubbed my eyes, moaning out of my sleep.
"Woah champ, alright!" I recognized the sheets before I recognized the voice. His hand slid up my back as I sat up, causing my to jump slightly at the touch of his cold skin.
"Stan?" The light from the windowsill flooded my eyes as a silhouette kneeled beside me, shielding me. My heart melted, completely and utterly, as he took me into his arms.
I giggled as his grip tightened, knowing how much I'd missed him. His sniffles made me realize just how much i'd missed him as he held onto me for dear life.
"I'm sorry, beyond words, for everything that's happened." I wrapped my arms around my knees as he sat beside the bed. He silently wiped away hidden tears, as fragile as ever.
Everything had suddenly aligned once more, the birds chirped again, and the nights had turned into day. Or at least I thought, until the somber realization hit, things would never be the same again.
I knew by this time, the changes had already been put in place, he was already seeing someone new who kept him joyous, and I was deemed a burden. Yet, I hadn't felt the extent of those effects because of my distance. Then, I realized just how far I'd been from my civilization.
"I understand If the chain is on your door," he turned his head away from my view as he stood. "You might want to change, we ought to get going soon." He handed me a shirt of his alongside a pair of brown denim, a yellow flannel shirt, and the Mary Jane's I'd left at his place the last time I'd come around.
We fled down the stairs, his mother at the breakfast table and his father across from her. The same father who'd promised to slain his own son if he brought home a brown girl, chuckling at his son's audacity. Initially, I was nervous. It was nearly 7:00 in the morning, it was no time for discussion.
"Mother," he muttered as he bowed his head, disgracing his father at once, who chortled at his action. I stayed frozen on the staircase, not knowing what to do as he stepped away from me. "Selena!" his mother raised from her seat to greet me.
"Hi," I weakly muttered as she embraced me, almost somberly, "We haven't seen you around these parts in such a long time!" her hands slipped into mine as I chuckled and cracked a smile.
"Oh, Ive been rather busy these days. Home and schoolwork, you know?" I sighed drearily, god that felt like a screenplay from 1954. Like a twisted Audrey Hepburn scene, except, this didn't feel much like a Roman Holiday.
She stroked her hand through my hair, pushing back my untamed curls, a look of hope in her eyes. Once again, she pulled me into her arms and welcomed me back. I only wished it was permanent this time.
Her hand led me towards Stan, who's arm defensively wrapped around my back, as if to steady himself. His father slowly making his way towards us as his hand gripped onto the front door knob. "Selena," I extended my hand as Stan attempted to turn me in his direction.
"It's fine," I muttered, communicating what I could through my gaze, "Selena Amorim, pleased to meet you." The older man's scrutiny placed upon me, he was incredibly skeptical of whatever it was I had to offer. His eyebrows furrowed, his eyes hardened, yet his hand still came up to meet mine with a sturdy shake.
I could feel a smile creeping up on Stan's face just behind me. "Very well, Miss Selena." Before I could begin another sentence he was completely gone, off at the breakfast table once more. Mrs.Uris kissed my cheek, leaving a light imprint, "You two be good."
Stan sighed deeply, leading us out of the house into the gloomy morning. "Just so you know, no, the chain isn't on my door." My chest rose as I took a deep breath and turned my head to release it, concealing maroon cheeks.
