Drowning

Chapter One

On my buildings gym, running on the treadmill, listening to my feet colliding against the rubber belt, my steady breaths, sweat falling down my back and accumulating in my forehead, tiredness heavy on my shoulders, all I can think about is how good would it feel to finally get a full goodnight sleep. To actually make use of my California King size bed, with silk sheets and all those pillows. But my memories, and those god-damn nightmares still dont let me sleep.

Like usual I tried sleeping but as you can guess it didn't work. I barely got two hours in, my mind constantly bugging me with nightmares. So when I finally decided on giving up, I started working. I sent a couple of emails, reviewed a few contracts and started brainstorming some ideas, until my brain couldn't work anymore. So, I'm at the only other place when I'm in when I'm not working or reading, the gym.

It's been a really long time since I've gotten a full night's sleep. Since I'm sixteen I've been having trouble sleeping but lately it's gotten worse. Back then I used to get five or six hours. Now I'm lucky if I get two or three.

I'm trying to move on, I am. I've got great friends and work to make me happy, but these memories don't seem to leave me. I've tried coming to terms with that time in my life for a long time, but my brain doesn't seem to let it happen. Spending most of my nights not being able to sleep made me think that if I actually find out what happened to her I'll come to peace with it and be able to move on. So last week I told Fernando, the company's private investigator, to look into what happened that night and see what he can find. Maybe if I have the facts that I've silently craved for so long that will be enough for me to get my nights and seemingly normal sleep schedule back.

Finishing my last mile I step down the treadmill and chug my water. After 8 miles I'm officially exhausted. So I grab my things and walk back to the elevator, pressing the button that'll get me to my apartment.

I step inside, and walk into the kitchen. I see Lidia facing the stove making breakfast.

"Buen Dia, Lidia." I tell her in Spanish. I walk past her and to the fridge to find something to eat. (Good morning, Lidia)

"Vale, Buen Dia. Como dormiste?" Turning to look at me from the stove. (How did you sleep?)

"You know like always." I respond, closing the fridge and going behind her to get a piece of the bacon she's cooking.

I haven't told Lidia about my sleeping problem, and I probably won't. I don't want her to stress because of it. It's nothing she needs to worry about, I'm already handling it. The only people that do know about this are Mariana and Mark, and that's only because they caught me going to the gym at 2 in the morning when they were coming back from Mark's friend's wedding. I guess that's the downside of your bestfriend and her boyfriend being your next door neighbors. Still they don't need to worry, I'm literally in the best shape I've ever been.

"Ey, no te comas la comida ahora. Is for breakfast." she says, while pointing a cooking spatula at me threateningly. (Don't eat the food now)

Lidia is from Colombia, meaning she doesn't speak a lot of english. She understands it though. Still I like to talk to her in Spanish, it helps me keep my roots with the language. I have been reading since I have a memory and because of that I kinda fell into learning languages, Spanish being one of them. Comes in handy when making international deals and when talking to Lidia and Mariana.

"Ok, Ok. I'm leaving," I say, putting my hands up in surrender and walking towards the living room that is connected to the kitchen. People say I'm bossy but this woman is just on another level.

"I'm going to take a shower, and change, so that we can have breakfast together." I say walking through the living room and into the hallway where the bedrooms are.