Au Pair ✔

capítulo número veintiocho ; las fotos

Au Pair

All Rights Reserved

© 2017 Luna Black

~*~

After Maria left, all the happiness Luca had managed to create in me seemed to want to disappear. It was like I couldn't be too happy because something always would ruin it.

I had to come back down from my happiness. My feet had to touch the ground again and snap into reality.

"Daniela?" Luca asked softly, eyeing me worriedly.

My eyes snapped up to his. "I'm sorry," I cleared my throat, "what happened?"

"Are you feeling a little better?"

I shrugged, unsure of how to answer his question. I wasn't feeling better. I was terrified.

But I didn't want to tell him that. I didn't want to keep reliving what had just occurred.

He nodded, seeming to understand the turmoil going on in my head and looked up at the wall. I followed his gaze, feeling my cheeks heating up in embarrassment at the reveal.

I really had no intention of telling him that the photograph on the wall was mine. Before today, I had no intention of going back to photography. He just reminded me how much I loved it.

"So," he cleared his throat, turning his head to look at me, "you're D. Rod?"

I nodded, looking down at my fingers. "Yep; Daniela Rodriguez."

Silence.

More silence.

Antagonising silence.

The kind that made me want to rip my skin from my bones because I didn't like the shivers I felt.

"Why did you never tell me?" His voice didn't sound accusatory or angry, it was more curious than anything.

"You never asked?" I offered, weakly, sassily.

"Daniela..."

"Fine," I sighed, "I didn't want a repeat of Marco. I didn't want someone to like me for photography."

Luca laughed, placing his arm around my shoulders. "Ay, cariño, you are something else. Your work is beautiful, you know?"

"I know," I mumbled, still not wanting to look at him.

He continued laughing, quietly, his body making mine shake with his. "I'm glad you're confident in your capabilities."

"Thanks."

He didn't seem to get the hint that I didn't want to talk about D. Rod. I never said my full name for a reason. It was like resuscitating past-Daniela and now that my mother was in the picture, I wasn't sure that I'd be able to win the battle if past-Daniela resurfaced.

"You know," he murmured, almost like if he were speaking to himself, "I really liked your work. I thought you were an awesome photographer and I have more of your works in my office. You seem to catch a different beauty that the regular eye misses."

If his voice didn't drip with sincerity, I would have rolled my eyes and sent him pa'l carajo. But he was being genuine, just like only Luca was.

"I finally bought a ticket to one of your showcases, but I received my money back because the event was cancelled. May 2015 - that was the last I ever heard of D. Rod. She seemed to disappear off the face of the Earth. I often wondered what happened to her, yet here she is, in my arms as beautiful as ever. I fell in love with your work, then you."