𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Chapter 73 | Inconspicuous

I love you.

Simple words, but powerful ones all the same.

What I didn't anticipate was the small tracings she made afterwards.
Her fingers tracing the small letters, my mind racing for whatever message she was trying to give me.

My mind scrambled around, drawing out the letters she wrote.

That was when it clicked.

The little heart shape her finger tips drew.

She repeated the words in an unspoken way, the same ones she spoke to me in Spanish that brought me to my knees. You are the barrier of the key to my heart.

Despite being in a restaurant with plenty of eyes on us including my family, I couldn't stop the tears from building up.

Excusing myself, I went to the restroom, clawing at my chest that sat heavy with an aching sensation.

She still loved me.
Even with how she had been pushing me away.

I didn't realise how much I had needed the reassurance until she handed it over to me.

The next few days went past in a blur.

We couldn't be close as her tasks piled up ahead of her and my family were constantly around us. Not to mention, I actually had put my head down to revise for the examinations this weekend,  because even though it felt hopeless, I still had to give it my all.

As much as I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't doing this for anyone but me, it was a lie.

I was doing this to see her swim in an emotion that wasn't of constant agony, even if it hadn't worked. Even just to see her smile, to tell her I gave it my best shot, to tell her I did well even if I didn't get in.

It was worth every intricate sentence I endured.

"Can you ask Miriam to come down here for a second Lie?"

The one thing I didn't miss about being apart from family was that ridiculous nickname. I went up the spiral staircase, nodding as she walked down.

Coming up to the second floor, my footsteps creaked against the hardboard. Before my knuckles grazed Miriam's door of my old room, I heard that she had company. Sandrine was also in Miri's room.

I seemed to have come at an inconvenient time, and their voices stopped the moment they saw me peaking through the door.

"Well come on you freaking stalker."

Miri smiled through wiping away her tears, and Sandrine's face was red with her own. The sight made my heart squeeze as I brought myself to the edge of Miriam's bed.

"What's wrong?" Sandrine shook her head. I knew better than to ask, but my imminent worry over not one, but two of the most important women in my life crying stirred curiosity and panic all over.

"Can I hug you guys?" Miri's smile seemed more genuine as Sandrine rolled her eyes against her sputtering, "course."

My arms embraced the both of them, Miri to my left, my sister to my right. It didn't last long, but it was warm and their heads rested on my shoulders almost in unison.

"We love you, you big buffoon." That was the first time my sister had said that in a while.

"I love you guys too.. so much."

Sandrine pulled away at the embrace's natural end, while Miri didn't let go. My arms instinctively joined her ribs, until she broke contact.