Destroy

Paris

And if there is one more thing I must say to you, it is this: Don't think that the person who is trying to comfort you now lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes gives you pleasure. His life has much trouble and sadness, and remains far behind yours. If it were otherwise, he would never have been able to find those words.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Marina

When Zac told me about what his mother did to him, I forgot all about my guilt about my families death, I felt ashamed for asking him to tell me, I didn't know what to do, so I did the first thing on my mind, I hugged him and almost cried, "I'm so sorry, i shouldn't have asked, you should have just said no to me," and what he said next released some of my guilt.

"Why would i say no, i feel better than i have ever been before, now that its all off my chest," and he hugged me back, hard, "Why would i say no, i feel better than i have ever been before, now that its all off my chest," we just stayed like that, in each others arms and I felt something I have never felt before, love or otherwise it was the spicy wings I had at the party, "we have to go, and fast," he said alarmed, at first I thought it was rejection and he didn't want me hugging him then I followed where he was looking and sighed, if it weren't for me being selfish enough to want more time with him, I would have rathered this me my last moment on Earth, blissfully happy and in his arms but the selfish part of me won over and I nodded, we ran to my motorbike and I asked if we could go to his house because mine was to far away, technically that wasn't fully a lie, it was just a truth that was stretched-very far-, he said yes, not detecting the lie, I mean the stretched truth, and we rode to his house.

It took him a bit to open the door but it was to long, I burnt my lower back and neck, it hurt like crazy, but I didn't care, I sat on the couch and he offered me his wrist but I just shook my head, I couldn't take it from him, "c'mon Marina, you need to heal," I took it, only because my back was hurting a bit more, when I bit his wrist I saw pain on his face but it quickly faded from his features as the venom kicked in.

When I finished I, tiredly, say thanks and drift off to sleep.

***

It had been almost a week since the first time I met Zac, since then I had stayed over with him every night and only left when I had work, I work as a bartender from 8pm to 4am, Zac and I had been talking about going to Paris for a mini vacation, at first I didn't want to go but then I thought about going, and the horrible memory I had there would be changed to something magical if shared with Zac so later I agreed. Today I am going to work to tell my boss that I wont be able to work for two weeks, and if he says no I will quit.

I nervously open the bar doors and walk in, I ask my friend Jim where he is, and he said in the back. I enter the room and I start talking before my nerves stop me, "I can't work for two weeks, starting tomorrow and I need you to make arrangements for that," I blurt out nervously.

"Okay Marina, you can go, did you really think I would be a monster about all of this, I let everyone have vacations no matter how much of a notice I get, and considering that in all the years you worked for me you never went for a vacation, of course I would say yes," he smiled and I felt so much better.

"Thanks, I'll see you later then," I start to get up, but I'm stopped by my boss' hand.

"You don't need to come tonight, get packed and ready for your holiday, enjoy it," I smiled at him thank him then leave.

***

Zac was making a portal and I was checking our bags to make sure we didn't forget anything, once i was pleased that we have what we needed i aked Zac, "i've never been in a portal before, what do i do?"