Dark Paradise

Chapter 23

~ When you finally let go of the past something better will come along

The hot beams of the sun hit my eyes causing them to squint as I stood outside of my parents grand estate. Here I am. In a matter of seconds I will be seeing mom and dad again and my sister. Rosie insisted that she should come but I told her no. This was between me and my family.

Hesitantly I walked up and pushed the buzzer so they'd let me in.

"Hello this is the Gomez estate how may I help you?" Asked an all to familiar voice, right there and then I almost broke down and cried. I cleared my throat before answering.

"It's Belinda, Chester." I said, the line was silent for a few moments before he answered.

"Bel! I'll let you in right away." He said excitedly. The gates slowly began to open up. I'm expecting the worst today, but I'm hoping for the best. Once they were fully open I made my way inside the front gardens. I could see my mother still had her red and white roses every where. She was always fond of them. Everything seemed the same on the outside.

Taking a really deep breath I kept walking up to the big white doors. I stood there just staring at the doors. What would be awaiting me on the inside? A big hug? A big happy family? Craziness? Anger?

This was it, I rose my hand up to the door but I couldn't find the courage to actually knock. I was frozen in place.

With one last breath my hand met the white door.

It was seconds until the door opened wide. I was met with familiar brown eyes. All these emotions were coursing through my head. We stood in place, neither of us knowing what to do.

"P-Papi." I managed to choke out. He cracked a small smile before he pulled me in to his arms. I was quick to wrap my hands around him as well.

I could feel my tears leave my eyes and roll down my cheek.

"I've missed you so much Bel." He said . I hugged him even tighter, scared that this might all be a sick twisted joke my mind made up as a dream. But it wasn't. This was real. This was really happening.

"Belinda!" A feminine voice shrieked, I let go of my father to see who it was. My mother stood at the bottom of the steps, dressed in a one piece Versace suit, like always. I guess not much had changed here.

"I'm back." I quietly said, a smile broke out on her lips, she ran towards me and swallowed me in a hug. And never had I seen my mom run so fast on heels, besides when there's a sale or something.

I let it all sink in slowly. After my mom my sister Isadora hugged me. And for the first time we were all just a big happy family. As if we were always perfect, but in all reality we never were.

"So Bel tell us. How has everything been for you?" My mother asked, though I know that's not the question she truly wanted to ask. I went along and answered every question they had to ask. Question after question, and them avoiding the main one. I knew inside they were dying to know, or maybe they did know. They just didn't want to come to terms that it was true.

We talked for hours and hours, and not once did they ask why. Why I left, what were my motives to get up one day and just leave.

"Okay, enough with all the catching up. I know that you are dying to know why I left. Don't you?" I asked, everyone in the room went quiet. This was a topic that we had to go over. We couldn't act like I didn't leave. Like I was just gone for collage or vacation.

"Belinda, you don't have to...-" Mother began but I cut her off.

"No it's not that I have to, it's that I want to. I have to get it off my chest to finally move on mom." I said, almost yelling a bit." Look, I wasn't happy here, I wasn't sad, but I was empty. I had nothing here. Everything was chosen for me by you. My boyfriend really wasn't my boyfriend. My friends weren't really my friends, for Gods sake, I wasn't really me. You guys controlled every part of my life, until the point where I snapped. I got up and left. I have no clue if you guys even missed my presence or anything but, as much as I hate to admit it. I missed you guys. Even after all. And that's why I'm here today. " I said, it felt damn good to just let it all out. Again silence fell upon us. I didn't have a clue what the next word would be.

"We're sorry." My father mumbled.

"We just wanted what we thought was best. And in all truth it wasn't. We thought we knew what was, but we had no clue. We don't blame you for leaving, hell I would've left too. I just hope one day you'll forgive us. And that you'll visit us more often." He said, and that's all I ever wanted to hear.

"I forgive you both." I said, and in that moment I knew that slowly me me and my family would be a whole.

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"She buried her ears into the calm of his heartbeat,and in matter of seconds: fell terribly in love with the way her loneliness fell softly and suddenly, asleep in his chest." I said.

"That's beautiful Bel, I'm gonna miss your little stories." Rosie said, as we sat at the airport about to take different planes back home.

"Yea me too, but hey in a month it's me and you in Mexico, okay." I said, we hugged tightly before parting ways. I guess it was back to loneliness in Paris, Rosie and Harry in England, Zayn in Greece, hell I'd even like Ethan's company.

Strangely enough I haven't spoken to Harry in days, not since New York, and I was scared that he maybe forgot about me. Maybe met a nice girl, but he couldn't have. He just couldn't, I sure hope not.

I'd have to check up on him once my flight landed. Just a few more hours.

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I have major jet leg right now, I'm so close to home right now. It's only one in the afternoon but as soon as I get home I'm going to drop dead on my bed and sleep for as long as I possibly can, or until I have to eat.

I grabbed my two light suitcases and paid the taxi driver. Nothing is sweeter then home. I can almost feel my bed sheets wrapped around me, even if it hot as hell right now. Sleep always sounds good to me.

I opened my door and walked in to the all too familiar and comfy living room. I set down my bags and dropped my keys on my counter.

Someone clearing their throat made me stop in my tracks. I turned around and gasped once I saw who it was...