Days had passed since our visit to the orphanage, and the transformation in Antonio's demeanour was both palpable and fascinating. A wellspring of curiosity seemed to have been tapped within him, prompting him to ask profound questions about the formation of the world and the divine creation of the Lord.
He openly grappled with the apparent contradictions between science and faith, questioning everything from the geological formation of Earth to the biological evolution of humans. His curiosity was infectious, and it inspired thought-provoking conversations that stirred deep within our intellect and spirituality.
"Yes, indeed! Can you believe it? He even embraced her warmly!" I recounted to my closest and most cherished friend, unable to suppress the excitement in my voice.
Her response was a gasp of surprise, "Really? Antonio? The Antonio?" Her incredulity was justified; Antonio's typically stoic demeanour likened him more to a bear than a man. Yet, the softness he had recently displayed had revealed another side of him - a side that was as gentle and comforting as a teddy bear.
I sighed, a sense of contentment washing over me as I confessed, "Yes, it's true. He may appear tough on the outside, but deep down, he's just a tender soul longing for affection and care." As the days passed and our connection deepened, I found myself increasingly drawn to him. I was falling for Antonio, and I didn't resist the wonderful sensation one bit.
Upon hearing my words, Thato, my confidante with her ever-perceptive gaze, wriggled her eyebrows playfully. She had a knowing smile on her face as she spelt out in a teasing singsong voice, "Someone here is in L-O-V-E."
Her words made me blush, a wave of warmth rising up to my cheeks. I tried to hide my face behind a couch cushion, but she saw right through me. "You're blushing!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delighted surprise.
Her reaction was so infectious, I couldn't help but laugh. As the room filled with her joyous laughter, I did what any blushing, teasingly accused love-struck friend would do: I playfully hurled the cushion at her. Her laughter grew even louder, echoing through the room and filling it with a sense of pure, unadulterated joy.
As the last echoes of our mirthful laughter gradually faded into the air, our jovial expressions gave way to a more solemn countenance. The carefree hilarity that had previously marked our faces was replaced by an air of earnestness.
"Des, my heart swells with joy for you," my friend began, her words resounding with such heartfelt sincerity that they stirred a profound emotion within me, causing my eyes to brim with unshed tears. "You, who has been such a beacon of love and care, deserve nothing less than all the love the Lord has given you."
"In the same sense, you too are deserving of love," I replied, raising a knowing eyebrow at her. "Now, do tell me about that waiter from Mario's Pizzeria who is also in your food chemistry class."
A light blush, as delicate as a cherry blossom in spring, blossomed on Thato's cheeks—a silent testament to the unspoken emotions simmering between them. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she deflected, her focus abruptly shifting to the unadorned wall in my room.
"If that's the case, how would you explain the sudden flush on your cheeks?" I challenged, refusing to let her evade the topic.
"Well, it's... it's just too hot in here. That's why my skin is turning red," she stammered, scrambling for a plausible explanation. However, the cool draft wafting in from the open window and the rhythmic patter of the rain outside refuted her claim.
"Nice try, but I'm not buying it! Now spill the beans!" I urged, swaying back and forth on the bed in anticipation of the tale that was to come. After all, Thato was a master storyteller, and I knew she had a captivating story to share.
With a dramatic exhalation and a playful roll of her eyes, she finally gave in. "Alright, so Gratanio did confess that he had a crush on me. He told me, 'The moment my eyes landed on you, I knew you were a treasure, a precious jewel that sparkles even amidst the most dazzling crowd. My heart skipped a beat, and I knew I was falling, tumbling down the rabbit hole of love, trusting that you would be there to catch me.' I, however, told him I didn't reciprocate his feelings. But the man is as stubborn as they come, refusing to accept defeat despite the numerous rejections I've served him."
Knowing Thato as I did, I could sense that there was more to this story than she was revealing. Despite her nonchalant demeanour, the depths of her eyes reflected an uncertainty, a conflict between what she was saying and what she was truly feeling.
"Are you entirely certain that you have no feelings for him?" I probed gently. I knew Thato had been deeply hurt before, betrayed by those she had trusted. She had been left and rejected so many times that she was understandably wary of opening her heart again.
"One hundred percent," she responded, her voice laced with confidence. Yet, her eyes betrayed a different story—they were a whirlpool of confusion and conflict, contradicting the certainty of her spoken words.
"In that case," I said softly, "my only prayer is that the Lord heals your heart, preparing it to accept and reciprocate true love when it comes your way."
****
"Giovanni!" Nio hissed urgently, turning to his closest friend. The playful back-and-forth banter between them had been ongoing for a solid hour, much to the amusement of those observing. Giovanni seemed to take great delight in teasing and provoking Nio, always managing to get under his skin, as evidenced by the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"What's up?" Giovanni innocently replied, squinting his eyes as if he hadn't just swiped a handful of chips from Nio's plate.
"Don't pay them any mind," whispered Lucia, the girl I had come to know. She, along with two other girls who accompanied Nio, had a distinct and intriguing presence. Lucia possessed strands of deep purple hair, Margaret adorned herself with piercings across visible parts of her skin, and Susan's body was adorned with tattoos spanning from her neck to her legs, each in vibrant colours. Perhaps I had been too quick to judge, as their personalities thus far had proven to be cool and grounded.
"Yeah, they always argue like children," Margaret chimed in with a roll of her eyes, exuding a more stoic demeanour.
"And yet, they manage to be quite entertaining," Susan, the sweetest of the group, added with a gentle chuckle.
"I couldn't agree more," I finally interjected as the bickering between Nio and Giovanni came to an end.
"What are you all talking about?" Nio inquired, directing his question to the group, but his gaze seemed to be fixed on me.
In an instant, a chilling sound reverberated through the restaurant, sending shivers down my spine and triggering a surge of unease and panic within me. The abrupt noise acted as an alarm in my mind, instantly throwing me into a state of confusion and fear.
The once tranquil atmosphere of the restaurant was abruptly shattered as chairs were harshly dragged across the floor, mingling with the piercing screams that erupted from the startled patrons. And there it was again, that sound that echoed in my consciousness, unmistakably a gunshot.
Before I could even process my next course of action, Nio swiftly yanked me out of my chair, jolting me into a heightened awareness of my surroundings. With a quick scan, my eyes fell upon a shattered glass where Nio had been sitting just moments before. Three individuals clad in ominous black attire stood menacingly, firmly grasping firearms in their hands. Their faces were concealed by balaclavas, leaving only their eyes exposed, intensifying the air of mystery and danger that hung in the air.
In an instant, the figures that had caught my attention vanished from sight, concealed by Nio's swift manoeuvre of pulling me beneath the protective cover of the table. Huddled together, four sets of eyes gazed at me with a mix of concern and curiosity, as if I were a lost and vulnerable creature. But why? The answer eluded me, as there was no time to ponder the question before yet another gunshot reverberated through the room, prompting a piercing scream to escape my lips, along with what seemed like a chorus of terror from the other patrons and staff within the restaurant. However, to my bewilderment, Giovanni, Susan, Lucia, and Margaret appeared surprisingly composed, their expressions betraying a mental shift as if they were swiftly formulating an escape plan.
"Antonio, reveal yourself immediately, or we shall not hesitate to take the life of one of your valued customers," a voice dripping with venom and carrying an unfamiliar accent bellowed, sending shivers down my spine. The sound of footsteps gradually drawing nearer to our table accompanied the threat, with each click echoing ominously against the floor.
Three words reverberated in my heart:
Isaiah 41:10
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you! Do not be frightened, for I am your God! I will strengthen you— yes, I will help you— yes I will uphold you with my saving hand."
A/N:
Hi, everyone. I know I have not been updating weekly and I would like to apologise for that. I promise to try to do my absolute to give a weekly update, no matter how busy I get.
Thank you for your continued support!