𝓡𝓾𝓷𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 ✔︎

Chapter 11

THEODORE

My mum had said really embarrassing things in front of Irene and I was afraid she would say more if I didn't take the girl upstairs immediately.

Upstairs, I got to find out that she knew absolutely nothing about handling a camera and I volunteered to teach her.

I moved closer to her and held out my camera showing her the parts. I then taught her to take a a photo.
She happened to be a fast learner and she got it minutes later. All through our little photography session, I noticed she had her eyes on the camera on top of my wardrobe. I did my best in distracting her as I wasn't ready to answer to any questions.

"I need a break!" Irene hollered as soon as she took a few photos and she sank into my bed. A smile tugged at my lips as I watched her bring out her phone from her pocket. I decided to check out the photos she had taken. I accessed it gently.

I looked up at the Award winning model plopped on my bed but what I saw sent a cold chill down my spine. She was hyperventilating.

I knew she was having a panic attack when I saw it, I was no newbie to things like that as I had suffered from it every single day of my life from two years earlier.

I rushed to her and tried calming her down with words. "Calm down Irene, breathe in!" I ordered. I was aware she was trying but I wasn't satisfied. I pulled her into an embrace wrapping my hands around her. "Don't worry, you're safe. Now breathe in." I said and she did so. After repeating the action a few more times, her breathing went back to normal and I held her in place for a while so she could calm down fully.

When I pulled away from her, I noticed she was fast asleep so I carried her up gently and placed her carefully on the bed covering her legs with my comforter.

I stood still watching the girl in my bed. I was aware she was flawed, vulnerable and broken just like me and somehow that thought gave me hope. It made me believe that everything could go back to normal, for me, for us. Standing there, I said a silent prayer for myself and for Irene. After my short conversation with God, I went downstairs to inform my mum about Irene.

Making my way down the stairs, I bumped into someone. I rested my gaze on the person before me. It was the servant from days before, the one I thought was about my age. "I'm sorry sir." she quickly mouthed head bowed. I nodded curtly and rushed down the stairs to the vast living room.

I saw my mum seated on one of the couches working on her laptop with her glasses on the bridge of her nose. I took a seat beside her and waited for her to look up.

"Ah, Theodore." She said when she looked up at me. "Where's she?" She asked looking around. I was thinking of how I'd break the news to my mum. "Say something kiddo." she uttered folding her hand across her chest.

"Irene is asleep." I said calmly. An arched brow was sent my way "Why?" She asked me giving me an uncertain look. "Actually, she had a panic attack and now she's asleep."

Mum's eyes held a considerate look, scratch that, her eyes held pity and it angered me. I knew what it felt like to be shown pity. I don't need pity and neither does Irene. "Mum she'll be fine. I don't want you pitying her or asking her about the incident." I said looking away from my mum. I didn't want to feel angry at my mum but I couldn't help it. The look of pity she had on reminded me of several times when I was seen as an object of pity in my family.

"Okay." she said after a while and returned her attention to her laptop before her. She knew what my sour mood was all about and she decided to let me be. I stood up and made my way to my room. On getting there, I saw Irene still laying in my bed and I moved closer to her, dragged a stool and sat staring at her.