My Quiet Place

Chapter 15: Surrender

I despise him for making me feel this way, for taking the rest of my innocent heart. I despise him because... Who am I kidding? I can't possibly despise him. I'm simply a little too naive.

I don't want to listen to the silence any longer, so I remove my hearing aids and place them on the nightstand before lying back on the bed and staring at the plain ceiling until darkness falls as tears continue to run down the side of my face.

I awoke with pain all throughout my body, which means I've caught a cold. Slowly, I make my way to the bathroom, where I take a shower and change into some cosy pyjamas. I could live in my jammies and not give a damn what other people think. I make my way downstairs.

All I'm going to do today is avoid Matteo. I'm not interested in interacting with him. The pain in my head feels like it's ready to burst. My entire body feels like it's on fire. I'm groaning in aggravation since it's because of him that I have a cold.

I stroll into the kitchen, holding my head, and mimic some lines from the movie Shrek, which made me laugh. "It's time to grab your toothbrush and your jammies. You're the new king of Far Far Away... or more accurately, the new jerk of Far Far Away."

I turned around to face Diego after feeling a tap on my shoulder. I watch his mouth moving as I try to figure out what he's saying. As a result, I just point to my ears, and he chuckles. I roll my eyes as I walk away and into the kitchen, where Mitchell is waiting.

I didn't feel like eating, so I went and sat on the stool while Mitchell ran about the kitchen instructing the maids. When she sees me, she rushes up to me and places her hand on my head. "Honey, you've got a fever."

I remove her hand from my forehead, placing a kiss on it. "I'm ok," I murmur quietly.

I attempt to decipher what she's saying by watching her mouth. I frown and as she says, "Go relax, I'll cook you some soup."

"I'm ok, Mitchell. I'd like to pitch in a little" She chuckles and nods as I give her my best puppy eyes. "Just a little while," she says.

"Are you going to use your hearing aids?" I shake my head. I respond, "No, they're rather painful," and she frowns.

"You need to get that surgery," she takes some of my hair and places it behind my ear.

"Later, now I want to help out"

Mitchell assigned me to clean the tables, but one of the maids needed assistance around the pool, so I volunteered to assist without Mitchell's knowledge. This place is enormous. Cleaning is something I like doing since it reduces tension and anxiety. It makes me think about other things instead of the problems that are psychologically exhausting me in my life.

I mop the pool tiles, feeling worse than before since my head is spinning in circles, but I keep going. I glance up to find the same girl from the night before me, wearing a pair of red shoes. When I turn on my hearing aids, I hear her high-pitched voice, which makes me want to turn them off again.

"You missed a spot" she points where her dirty heels have left.

"Do you mind taking your heels off?" I say as I rub my head from the headache.

"No, who do you think you are?" That's it, I'm done with her. I tip the nasty water-filled bucket on her, causing her to scream. Her white gown and chestnut hair were totally soaked.

I smile. "Well, your shoes are now as filthy as you are"

"YOU BITCH," she says as she pushes me into the pool before I can stop her. I fought to pull myself up and the air was being sucked out from my body as the cold water consumed me. It filled my lungs in an instant. My legs thrashed and I struggled hard. I had never learned to swim and the pool was really deep.

I wanted to cry out for help, but I couldn't bring enough air into my lungs. My arms and legs were numb from the ceaseless movement as my body grew tired of battling my way to the top, I just let myself sink to the bottom. I wanted to continue to fight for my life but my body wouldn't let me. It felt like there was a heavy blanket over me. My mind went blank... my heart began to give up its fight and I stopped altogether.

For a little period, my muscles relaxed and I felt strangely peaceful, so I closed my eyes. That is until I felt someone yanking me out of the water and up to the surface. My lungs began to burn, and I began coughing immediately. When I looked up, he was totally drenched in front of me. I sobbed as he pressed my head into his chest. His white dress shirt was see-through, emphasising his abs as it clung to him like a second skin.

In between sobs, I repeat, "M-Matteo."

He presses my cold body deeper into his warm one "You have a fucking cold. Shit." He kisses my head before picking me up bridal style. I wanted to shove him away, but I couldn't because my heart wouldn't allow me.

My hearing aids appear to be entirely broken because I could see Matteo's mouth move but I couldn't understand what he was saying. Slowly, black specks engulf my vision, and I surrender to the darkness.