𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ➪ 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀 𝐃𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐒

XXIX. DROWNING THOUGHTS

After a couple days, Victoria got better and was back on her feet. She had spent the first full day at my house but then decided she was going to go home because she didn't want her father worrying.

Days passed and we didn't see her but we could contact her just not in-person. I went to see her on Tuesday but she was asleep so I left her in peace, I helped her father with making dinner since making dinner for three people and working was hard and he was so grateful he asked if I could stay for dinner. Of course, I said no. I didn't want to disturd a family dinner and I had one to get to myself.

"I'm starting to feel better. It's weird, I've never been sick for so long after eating lime. It's almost been a week. It's better though, I'm barely coughing, I don't have a fever anymore and my stomach hurts a little less. I still throw up but not that often, but the throwing up always stays the longest." she told me over the phone as I was walking to school the next Thursday.

"If it's alright, I'll come over today after school." I said.

"That would be great!" she exclaimed happily over the phone. "I've missed you so much."

"Alright, it's decided. I'm coming over tonight." I said.

I hadn't seen Victoria's sister, Nica, for many years. She was only a baby the last time I saw her.

"Wait, since you're coming over can we tell Nica we're dating? I hate lying to her, she's too pure to be lied too." she said.

"Of course." I smiled. "I'll see you later, I'm almost at school and I can already see Miss Trumer looking at me deadly because of my phone." I joked and she laughed.

"Alright, bye. Take care." I said.

"Bye, bye. I'll be waiting and trying not to fall asleep." she joked and I laughed. "I l - can't wait."

Was she about to say 'I love you?'

"Bye, bye." I said, trying to act normal.

No, it couldn't have been. But what if? Do I love her? Maybe, I do feel things I've felt for others when I see her.

My heart speeds up when I see her, she smiles or laughes and when someone mentions her name. I love the saw she doesn't call me 'Al' like everyone else does, I love the waybher name rolls of her tounge. I love when she braids her hair for the next day and then it's extremely curly. Her smile lightens up my day and I can't help myself from smiling when I see her.

Oh, boy. Have I fallen in love? That thought had kept me in my own world for all my lessons that day.

"Miss Lastra!" shouted my English teacher. "Stop daydreaming!"

I sat up and looked at the teacher. "Sorry." I said quietly.

"What is up with you this past week and a half?" she asked. "We've had so manh lessons and in all you're here physically but mentally you're somewhere far away!"

"I said sorry." I said in my normal tone.

"I'll be talking to your parents. This is not alright, it's been a week but it keeps getting worse." she said.

"Fine." I let out a breath. They couldn't punish me for it, could they? I mean, they're the ones destroying my childhood.

"Now. Tell me how do you say 'you look beautiful today' in English." she said.

"You look beautiful today." I said to her in English.

"Good. At least you know something." she said and went back to teaching the lesson.

It's funny how one minute your mind could be full of loving thoughts about a person and the next second it's full of drowning thoughts.

My parents had decided to file the divorce petition a week later and that's tomorrow. Everything feels like it will just fall on me one day and I won't be able to handle it.

It's too much for me sometimes.

"Hey, you alright?" whispered Laura, the girl who sat next to me. I had this class with Enzo but he wasn't here yet because of his family holiday.

"I'm alright, thanks." I answered, sending her a tight smile. I leaned back against the wall and drowned myself in my thoughts again.

Was I in love with Victoria? I think so. Was she in love with me? I don't know.

It's interesting how one moment you can be so sure of everything and the next it feels like you don't know anything.

What if she was going to say something else like 'I love your eyes' or 'I love your hair'?

Now, now. Don't be stupid, Althea. She wouldn't have said that over the phone.

She was actually going to say I love you? Oh, my. All of a sudden all this scares me.

This girl is the best thing that has happened to me in my life, how come I survived with her as my enemy for the longest time?

I think I love Victoria . . .