and we forgave

Chapter 26

NESSIE

I'm staring at the ceiling. I've been doing that since I got here. Darrel, Soph and Nini came pick me up from Mark's. As they saw me crying, they thought of the worst. Darrel managed to open the door to his apartment with a pin from Soph's hair. The three strolled inside and made Mark tell them everything he'd done. I couldn't move. Before they went in there, I had told them about the box with the photo of my baby. As they came out, Nini held the box in her hands, giving it to me.

I opened it to find the photo. I took it out of there and held it all the way to the dorm, staring at it the whole time.

Now I am staring at the ceiling. Nini, April and Dia are next to me, waiting for me to give any sign of life. Soph joined us too after an important phone call. I think it was her family. She started sobbing as soon as the person said the first thing. She then ran to another room. Only returned seconds ago.

"It's over", I whisper, not taking my eyes away from the white paint I'm staring at. "Between me and Mark. It's over."

"Did he hurt you?", April asks and I can see Dia flinch. She is one step away from putting the headphones on again, but stops herself. The butterfly behind her ear is in sight, if she tilts her head.

"No, he didn't", I answer. "I hurt him more", I add, my voice breaking. "I broke his heart."

April shakes her head telling me it is not true. So does everybody else. But I know they're not true. I did break him.

Someone bangs at the door. Nini and Soph stand up as one and go open. They freeze as they open the door. Soph lets out a gasp and I can hear Alec's voice from the hallway. I panic. He might find out. I am wearing a sweater covering the baby bump, but he might figure out. My friends return, Alec hand in hand with Soph. He gives me a look that tells me enough. He knows. I look at him surprised. And then at Soph.

She told him.

"She didn't", Alec cuts me short before I can take it out on my bestie. "Mark paid us a visit at Adam's office. He told us everything."

"Is he hurt?", I ask, not even knowing who I mean by he. Mark. Or Adam.

"Mark might suffer a concussion soon. My fault. Adam is fine. Only a bit of nosebleed."

I need to get out of here. I start crying and run to the hallway.

Only to freeze.

In front of me, standing in the doorstep, already staring at me, is someone else.

Adam.

I take him in. He looks perfect. Like in my dreams. His ginger hair, the one I ruffled thousand times that night. His brown eyes. His tux, now a bit messy. His nose is indeed a bit bruised, I notice. My heart sinks.

He looks at me too. His eyes don't wonder lower than my neck. As if he were afraid to look at my belly. Where his baby now grows. Our baby.

I start shivering again. He comes closer and wraps his hands around me. I sink my head in his chest. I shouldn't do it, but in this moment, I think I might collapse. Were I not so close to him. He slowly kisses the top of my head and whispers: "It's alright. You're safe now. You're safe. I'm not letting anyone hurt you again."

I look up at him surprised. My eyes are filled with tears. He wipes them away with his thumbs, cupping my face in his palms. It's then he whispers something. Something that has my knees wobbling and my heart jumping.

"Let's go home, love."