Burning Heart ▹ CIAMPA [COMPLETED]

24 ▹ mending

He shook his head and almost hesitated to answer back. "I-I know, Nicole. He's an asshole."

"You tried telling me that, too," I continued and, for once, Tommaso looked like he didn't want to be right. "You tried telling me that Pete was a cheater and I... I didn't listen to you. You were right. I am so sorry, Tommaso."

He brought his hands and placed them on my shoulders, looking deep into my eyes. "Nicole, why are you apologizing for?" he asked and was serious, too. "I did try telling you, but... I didn't want to be right in the bitter end. I didn't want it to end like this."

His hard and icy cold blue eyes looked straight down at me and I felt myself melting in his arms. So, then, I shook my head and whined: "Don't leave me, Tommaso. Please?"

"I'm not," he quickly said and, soon, he was helping me to the couch. We sat next to each other with his arm wrapped around my shoulders and his other hand on my knee. "I know that you don't want to hear this right now, especially since the confession was just released last night, but... There is so much more to life than what you're feeling right now, I promise."

I just kept staring back at him, hearing the sympathy in his deep and scratchy tone. He was absolutely right and, even through the pain, I knew it, too. However, I didn't feel it like I should've, and it was because the pain was so new and fresh. The wounds were still deep and burning from the salt that was poured out on them.

"You...," he began to say and I held my breath, hoping that he'll continue. He was looking away and hesitant. "You really lose yourself when trying to hold on to someone, who doesn't care about losing you. He could blow your phone until you smash it in your hands, but no matter what he says to you, Nicole, don't take him back."

I shook my head, gulped, and reassured: "I'm not. I promise."

"This is the nail in the coffin that will bury whatever you had with Pete," he added and I nodded, obviously agreeing. So, then, I fell into his chest and laid my head against it, hearing and memorizing the beat to his heart. I heard and felt him gulp, slowly laying back on the couch. "You won't feel this pain for long. I promise, Nicole."

And, for the very first time since it happened... I actually believed someone.

TOMMASO'S P.O.V.

AFTER only five minutes and fighting her sleep, she finally fell to the darkness of sleep. I sat there with her, holding her in my arms, while she slept on my chest.

Eventually, Johnny and Candice returned, shocked at the sight they saw when they came in. Johnny prepared the food while Candice gushed at us, and I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

I told them to eat without me, mostly because I didn't want to disturb Nicole because Candice mentioned that she didn't sleep the previous night before from crying so much. So, I laid there and heard her mumbling in her sleep, like she was fighting someone in a dream — or, nightmare, in her case.

When it became real late, I considered just sleeping there with her still lying on my chest, but I knew that it was too early and I needed to go. So, I gently slipped away and laid her out on the couch, where she found comfort in.

I wanted so badly to stay and lay with her, sleep the night just like that, even if I would wake up the next morning with a crook in my neck. Yet, she was still badly heartbroken and I was still recovering, myself. Maybe I rushed into too quickly, didn't look around enough when my eyes landed right on her.

I remember the very first day that I saw her in person, when she walked into me by accident. Her eyes were wide, like a doe's solid and innocent eyes, and she even looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Maybe she couldn't see it, but my breathing became slow and also very rapid, too. I couldn't control what my eyes saw and what my heart liked.

She was absolutely beautiful from her head to her toes. I didn't know anything about her, than the fact that she was a sight for sore eyes. I never thought that she would actually want to get to know me and I never expected to ask so many questions to Johnny about what she was all about. Every little thing about her is so interesting and tells a story by itself.

So, I left her to rest on the couch, as I promised myself that I would return the next day to continue to comfort her. Somehow, though, she didn't need me. Who she needed was herself to mourn, pick herself up, and start again. She will eventually, though, even if she can't see it right now.

Even before leaving, I leaned down and kissed her temple, running my hands through her hair, and whispered in her ear: "One day, you won't even remember all of this."

Because I was going to help her forget all about him and the pain that he caused her all these years.

• Welp... My heart is broken 💔 In a good way? Maybe, perhaps... Only time will tell, tho 😭💕 All the love .xx •