SIARA'S POV.

I nervously tap my feet on the hard wood floor, my eyes on the door. I am impatiently waiting for Diego and Hunter. I want to know what happened, I want to know if they got any information from Anna and Ken.

I feel terrible for leaving like I did. I feel like a weakling, I feel like a fool. I should have stayed. I needed to get information from the two, but I ran away instead.

The scene I saw has been set as a reminder to not mess with the two men. I will still annoy Hunter, though.

The image that has been planted in my head reminds me that Diego and Hunter are dangerous men. I heard rumors, and now I have front row seats to the real business.

But both Diego and Hunter behave so differently when they are in my presence. It is hard for me to see them in a different light. Hunter will always be the silly brother I never had, and Diego will always be the man that I love.

It is too soon, I know. But love has no time range. I met the guy a few weeks ago and I am already in love, it feels weird, a good weird. I love his eyes, his famous smirk, his body, and everything that involves him. I know that I am suppose to be scared of him, but I can not see myself doing that, not anytime soon.

I sound like a creep, but it is the honest truth. Diego has become a part of my life, and I do not want him to leave anytime soon.

The late night walks we take around the place. The way he looks at me. The late night talks. The breakfasts, lunches, and dinners we share. Everything matters to me, it has all become part of me.

But I can not help but wonder what Diego thinks of me? I am sure he is disappointed. I promised to do my job, and I failed. I ran off like the little coward I am.

I can not even do a simple job. I can not do anything right. I feel like a fucking failure. I am a fucking failure.

I can feel the tears in my eyes, I can tell that I am about to have a breakdown. I lift my hand up, wiping the tear drops that manages to escape my eyes. More tears fall from my eyes, making me hate myself more.

I can not believe how fucking weak I am. I know that my parents will be disappointed. I gave them so much hope, and I am slowly shattering the vision I gave them. I told them that I will make them proud, and I am here running away from what I promised them. I know that they are counting on me to make them proud, but I know that I am disappointing them.

I hear a ding, making me wipe my tears, I clear my voice as I stand up. I see Hunter and Diego entering the room through what looks to be an elevator.

Diego and Hunter look startled to see me in the office, but I smile at them not wanting to seem suspecious, which is dumb.

"Are you alright?" Hunter asks as the two walk in my direction. I nod at them, assuring them that I am alright. I can tell that they are not convinced by the look they share.

"I promise that I am fine," I speak, not wanting them to ask the question again.

Both sigh, nodding at me. They walk towards the sofas, each taking a seat. They both look exhausted, which makes me feel worse than before. I feel like I could have helped.

"Did you find out anything," I ask walking towards the unoccupied sofa. I know that overthinking will do more harm than good, and I also know that I might have a breakdown infront of the two men.

"Yeah," Hunter says taking a familiar notepad from the his blazer. "This is what we found out," He hands me the notepad, which I gladly take.

"I have to tell the investigators to find information about Bianca.... I have to leave." Hunter leaves the room after we bid goodbye to him.

I watch him as he walks out of the room, my eyes following behind him. I turn my head after he disappears, and I become startled when I see Diego glancing at me.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, sitting up. " Why are you looking at me like that?" I add, looking at my fingers.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" Diego questions, ignoring my question. "You know that sharing your problems helps sometimes; we all need an ear to listen, and we all need a shoulder to cry on,"

Dieog's words make me think, and I realize that he is right. I have built up insecurities, which a lot of people do not know about. My parents think that I am alright, and I do too. But the negativity that my brain carries irritates me till I think otherwise.

"I..." My mouth opens, ready to make up another excuse. But Diego's eyes dare me to lie.

I look at my laps, feeling nervous. I want to tell him that I am fine, but I am afraid that he will see me for who I really am, scars and all.

But I trust Diego, and that is why I find myself sharing my problems.

"Everything started when I was thirteen... I met Eric, who was twenty-one at the time. Eric was everything that I watched in movies, he was perfect in my eyes. Eric and I met when he came to see his cousin at the school I attended," I chuckle when I remember the incident. "It was like a typical love story for me. I met him, and since I was very extroverted and social, the two of us easily became friends. He would buy me food, clothes, and he gave me all the things I wanted,"

I watch as Diego leans more into the sofa, his full attention on me. I feel like I am talking to someone I can trust, someone that might help me fight these voices that disturb my peace.

"A month passed since our meeting, and Eric asked me to be his girlfriend, we did not go on any fancy date or anything, but I did not mind." I ramble. "Everything was alright, and I was happy. But that did not last long; Eric started acting strange. He would ask me for some cash, and I would always give him whatever my parents gave me. He said that he loved me after I gave him the cash, and I am afraid to say that I believed him. Which was the start of my pain," I pause, remembering everything that happened.

"You can stop if you are not comfortable," Diego says, but I shake my head at him, murmuring that it is alright.

"Eric started hitting me two months into our relationship, he would throw magazines at me, telling me that I was too fat, and that I needed to lose weight or starve myself. And I followed his advice after we hit five months, I made sure I ate healthy and I made sure that I drank medicines that made me thinner, which worked." I state feeling stupid. "Eric was happy, and I was relieved, but not happy. To cut the story short, I found out that Eric was going out with my bully, which made me angry and I ended up punching and slapping him in public." Diego chuckles when I say the last words, which makes me smile.

But I lose my smile when I remember more of what happened, a tear drops from my eyes, but I quickly wipe it away.

"But I didn't realize that Eric ruined me. I became a shadow of who I was. I stopped eating, I started becoming more conscious of my surroundings, and I remember questioning myself. I would always walk into a room, scared of what everyone else will think. I stayed in my room for a whole week with nothing but water. My parents tried to help me, but I pushed them away. I would always hear little voices, telling me things that I started believing. I found myself cutting myself, and one day it got bad... I found myself in the hospital with my parents crying. They told me what happened, and even though I knew it was difficult, I promised them that I would get better. And I kept my promise for years, till sometime back. The voices have returned, and I am afraid that they are winning," I hide my face in my palms as tears drop from my eyes.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, which comes as a surprise. Diego and I have kissed before, but it surprises me that he has touched me. Diego is not a very touchy person.

I look up, and I am left speechless when I find Diego kneeing infront of me with a concerned look, which is rare.

"I know that I am the wrong messenger, but I just want to advice you to find a happy place. Distract yourself from the things that hurt you... Write things that make you happy, and make sure you surround yourself with people that bring peace in your life. Tell yourself words that encourage you, words that are positive, and make sure you tell yourself good things till you end up believing them. Your mind has trapped you into believing bad things, and now it's time to trap yourself into believing that you are worthy. Your past made you stronger, and you are a conqueror, you just have to believe in yourself. There is only one you in the world, and you have to make sure that you make the best of it."

I find myself looking into Diego's eyes, getting memorized by them. I do not know what pushes me to do it, but I fhind myself hugging Diego. I can tell that he is startled by the way his body reacts, but I do not dwell too much on it.

"Thank you." I murmur, holding tightly onto him. It takes a while, but I feel Diego's arms around me, which fills me with joy.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I read somewhere that men like younger girls, like very young girls. And everyone was like the guys like molding them, and then break up with the person when the person turns a certain age.

I just want to ask why the fuck that happens?! Girls, especially teens, love exploring, but a dude who knows that it is wrong and shit decides to do it... Like why?

Somethings are fucked up🤦🏾‍♀️

Be safe and happy ❤️