Caden’s POVSebastian and Anna sat not very far, she was so engrossed in whatever he was saying that she even giggled and threw her head back.Anger flew through me like lightning and I began to move to their table. The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Are you fucking serious right now?” I growled, staring at them, his eyes were suddenly wide with fear. His jaw clenched tightly as if he wanted to say something but the words were stuck on the way down. Anna looked red like she had been caught doing what she was supposed to do. She bit her lower lip and turned to look away from me. Sebastian who observed everything just looked confused but soon his usual smile was back on his face as if nothing ever happened. He looked over at me, “Yeah, that’s a good way to sum it up,” he gave an awkward laugh. He seemed amused by me. And he was laughing at me. He couldn't have been more wrong! It wasn't funny!“Nice to see you, Caden”“We need to talk,” I said looking directly
Anna’s POVIt was hard to decide but I decided that I needed therapy. I had to continue with my session if I wanted to be better and I needed to be better.Not just for anyone but for myself, too. It wasn’t as easy for me to get help in a professional setting but some people could. People like the person who had been there with me all through this whole process. She sat quietly in her chair in my room, listening to my every word with patience and understanding. She forced me to be better, ignoring the fact that I was a handful.I couldn't pretend that I wasn't anxious, it felt like it's been ages since the last session. It felt like the first day all over again.Beads of sweat formed on my forehead despite the cool air conditioning in the waiting room. The steady drip of water from a faucet sounded in the background and my heart beat faster than normal. Sweat dripped onto the table as well as the palms of my hands. A couple of strands of hair fell into my face and I brushed them bac
Anna’s POVPanic engulfed me in a warm hug that grew tight, almost suffocating as I stared at the man in front of me.The hair in my arms stood straight up like spikes, my breath caught in my throat.I could hear my heartbeat racing and I couldn't think, could hardly breathe. I couldn't speak or move, as I tried to focus solely on his face, which seemed to glow with a light from within. His hair was dark like ink, and shiny.But his eyes, those eyes were cold and danced with mischief and danger. Like liquid ice.I knew those eyes. I had seen them so many times, burning in my nightmares. Eyes that looked deep into yours like they could read your deepest desires. Eyes that screamed chaos, he was looking at me like a cat playing with its food before devouring it and leaving the bones to crumble underneath the weight of his appetite. I knew those eyes. “Not exactly who you were expecting, am I right?” he murmured amusedly, taking in the sight of me as if he had planned this whole encoun
Caden’s POVHow was I supposed to find her? I turned on the tracking app on my phone and followed its directions. She was in front of a hospital, curled in a corner.Her arms were wrapped around her as she rocked herself back and forth, rocking slowly. I hurried towards her. My feet stumbled over some debris and I almost fell. She didn't notice me yet but when she did... I froze with terror when I realized how fragile she looked. How much she needed help. The pain that was radiating off her wasn't physical; it was mental and emotional. It radiated from where I stood and all I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms. Soothe her mind and take away this pain for good. Instead, I just watched her, afraid if I spoke or made even the slightest movement she might collapse and not wake again.She was mumbling words, words I couldn't hear and her eyes seemed to be fixed on something yet unfocussed.I hadn't seen such raw pain from anyone before and I could feel the heat of it coming off of her
Anna's POVI had gone through the books in my Wattpad library for the umpteenth time, I needed a book that would keep me locked from my phone and I was yet to find it.The chime of a new message caught my attention, and I minimized my screen before going through my messages. If I knew what awaited me, I wouldn't have.The content of the message sent me throwing my phone at the farthest end, I was gripped by fear that had suddenly pounced on me like a cat on an unsuspecting mouse. I could feel one of my panic attacks creeping in slowly and I struggled to inhale and exhale, at the same time I struggled to count to one hundred like I was advised in therapy. Why wasn't it working? My brain felt like a giant spider web trying to contain all my fears, and all of them seemed to be crawling towards me right now with their sharp little teeth bared. All of them wanted to bite me where it hurts. The pain was unbearable, but I could not stop shaking. What if they succeeded? Why was I spinning
Caden's POVI sat up on my bed, and for a split second, I couldn't tell what was real or not, those tiny beads of sweat fell from my forehead and my chest. My sheets felt damp even with the AC on.I had seen her again, she looked sad, really sad.I wrapped my arms around her but she stood still, not returning my hug, not even when I called her “Mami” like she always loved. When I pulled away, she raised her hands to my cheeks, caressing them softly, her eyes were full of pain, it felt as if she was trying to say something before she disappeared.After eleven years, there was no day I went to bed without seeing her, and she had never said a word, not even “Pierre” it was my middle name, she was French. She'd call me even when she had nothing to say. For a while I couldn't help but wonder if my coming here was necessary like I had thought before, did I make the right decision? What would she say?I groaned, I wasn't a child, my mother wasn’t here, she had never been for a long time. I
Anna's POVNo, I didn't receive any more text from Scar, and no it didn't make me feel any better. It left me in a panic and made me more watchful than a hawk. I could also feel Erica watching but I pretended not to notice because noticing meant talking and I wasn't ready to do any of that.I threw myself into work as if my life depended on it. It was a busy month for us as we were expecting a visitor, a big one or so I heard. Even Trevor and his jokes didn't help. It only took him a while to realize that something was off about me and he didn’t stop bugging me about him when I couldn't take it anymore, I snapped at him.An action I regretted because he was a sweetheart and didn't deserve any of my ill-treatment.Trevor was a colleague whom Erica could swear on her life that he had a thing for me but I didn't think it was true though. Trevor was way out of my league and the last thing I needed was a man. The last time someone tried to get with me I ended up in the hospital and I was
Anna's POVThe following days at work were horrible, the new boss barely responded to my greetings, and when he passed beside me, he always had his nose scrunched up as if I smelled bad. He had done that again today and I couldn't help but sniff at my polka-dot chiffon blouse. It didn't smell bad. I sniffed my hair that was let loose past my shoulders and it didn't smell bad either.“Trevor, do you think I smell bad?” He was carrying a file.His cheeks turned red immediately and I realized how that must have sounded. My cheeks turned red too, redder than his.“You smell nice Anna, you always smell nice”I didn't think my cheeks could burn any brighter but they did and I had to bite my tongue to keep me from smiling like an idiot.Trevor left me standing there, hurrying off to submit the file he was holding.Apart from the sunshine and roses Erica and sometimes Trevor added to my life, it was mostly dark. Just like the days you could feel chaos slowly creeping in on you, waiting to en