"Cause everything you are, is everything I need. You're everything to me."

- Skylar Grey

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"MAMMA? PAPÀ?" I REACH FOR THEM but it's too dark.

"My little Tori." Mamma caresses my cheek. "You are going to be fine my little one. Remember Mamma loves you."

What is going on?

"Will you remember it?"

"Yes Mamma. I will." I nod but what is happening. Why are we standing here in the dark? I can't see my Mamma.

"Be a good girl and remember to stay brave." She kisses my cheek. "You will grow up to be a brave brave girl."

Mamma stands up. There is now light on her face. I can see her. She's beautiful.

"Once I turn you go to that door and knock. Give them your bag pack."

"Where are you going? Where is papà?" What's going on? Where did papà go?

"My beautiful Victoria. You are so brave. You have to be brave. Mamma and papà, we both love you."

She fading away. I reach for her but she's just fading away. I can't touch her. I call her. Mamma. Mamma.

But she fades away leaving me all alone. The ground beneath me also fades.

I'm falling.

I'm screaming. Help.

I am on a ground laying peacefully. All alone. The sun feels so warm. So good in my skin.

I close my eyes and a hand caresses my face making me snap them open.

Christian.

"You are so brave my Victoria. So brave." He pecks my forehead. "So brave."

He stands up and turns away. He's walking away. Christian, I yell after him

I stand up and run after him. He's fading away. I can't reach him. It's turning dark.

It's so dark. Christian's gone.

Christian.

I gasp opening my eyes. I'm panting. I'm sobbing. I can't breathe. Something grabs my face. It's Rico I think.

My vision is too blurry with tears.

"Fuck Victoria. Breathe," He yells in my face.

I can't breathe. I try to take in air but I can't. I claw at my chest.

"Amara call Christian, damn it!" Rico barks.

"Don't," I gasp.

"Okay. We won't but first breathe. You have to breathe." Rico instructs me, "Breathe..."

My close my eyes imagining Christian's beautiful face. I have to do it for him. His mom is sick. I can't leave him like that. I have to do it for Karla.

I inhale a little air through my mouth again and again. I do it until my heartbeat slows down. I take in bigger gasps of air air.

I relax back on Rico's chest, I think.

"That's right. You are doing great. Take a deep breath. That's right," Rico rubs my arms.

I'm so exhausted. I blink trying to keep my eyes open. I fail. I need my mom. I miss her so much.

I wish she didn't have to die.

I close my eyes and her face reassuring face comes into view. The beautiful Harmony Forbes. Who loved me like her own daughter.

With her voice and face in my mind. I fall asleep.

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I reach beside me but it's empty. I gasp and sit up looking around.

Where's Christian?

He's not here. It's 8:00 in the morning. I rip the sheets off of me and jump off the bed. I look around the room. He's not here.

I open my door and run into the hallway down the stairs. I frantically look and run around trying to find him.

There is no one in the house. Where is everyone? I turn around the corner and bump into someone. I look up. It's Rico.

"Victoria?" Rico furrows his eyebrows.

"Rico," I gasp. Thank God. "Where is Christian?"

"He isn't back yet," he frowns.

"What? Why? Where is he?" My stomach is tying in knots. Something is wrong.

"He's still out. He will be back soon though."

I wipe my clammy hands on my shirt. "Rico, I'm having a bad feeling. I think something is wrong."

"Chill out Vic, nothing's wrong," Rico drapes his arm across my shoulders. "Let's get to know each other."

I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Is Christian your first boyfriend?" He questions.

"Yeah."

"Oh so you are a virgin," His eyes twinkle mischievously. He's acting like last night never happened.

Well I'm thankful for that.

"I never said that," I shrug his hand off my shoulders.

Rico laughs, "I don't believe you."

I scowl at him, "I was a med student. I had to find someway to get rid of my frustrations and stress."

"Fair point," Rico nods.

I laugh, "Why are you so interested in my sex life?"

He shrugs, "No reason."

I roll my eyes at him.

"Tell me one more thing."

"What?" I breathe out.

"Don't hit me but have two you been... What do Americans call it, bumpin' uglies?" He laughs.

"Rico!" I screech. "Behave yourself," I also his chest hardly. "And to answer your question before your imagination goes wild. No! We're not."

I'm red as a tomato right now.

"And I think it's enough floor show for today. I don't think Christian will appreciate you flashing somebody," He says gesturing to my clothes.

I look down at my shirt which is apparently Christian's.

"You look like you had one hell of a night with my boy. Go freshen up and change." He's enjoying himself too much. "He'll be back soon."

I give him my best stink eye and climb upstairs into our bedroom. I go in the bathroom and take a shower.

Once I'm done I enter the closet I wear one of my lace peach bra and panties. I have nothing except lingerie with me. I need to go shopping and buy something comfortable.

I pull on my black skinny jeans and with one of Christian's white dress shirts that is thrown over a chair. It smells if him. I shrug it on and fold the sleeves up my elbows.

I dry my hair and apply a little make up. Before leaving the room I put on my Chuck Taylors.

I have to distract myself somehow. The bad feeling in my gut just won't go away.

God please bring back Christian in one piece.

Just as I'm about to open the front door, Rico's voice stops me, "Where do you think you're going?"

I give him a sarcastic smile, "I am running back to America so I can give Seattle times the great news of the Italian mafia."

Rico rolls his eyes.

"I'm going for a walk," I snap and leave.

"Not so fast, Tesoro," Rico runs after me.

"Don't call me that." I grumble.

"Whatever you say Tesoro."

"You are impossible Rico," I sigh.

"So they say," He smirks at me. "So what do you wanna do?"

"I just want some me time beside that lake. Can that happen without you following me?"

"I think I can work it out." Rico winks at me, "You go ahead and enjoy."

Finally.

I walk through the garden and sit on the bench near the lake. It's beautiful. I sit back and gaze out. Remembering how me, mom and dad used to do it whenever we could.

Even though I am scared of the water. I always appreciated it's beauty. Though now I even took a swim, all thanks to Christian.

I smile as the memory surfaces.

"It's so beautiful dad. It gets me every time." I say as he puts his one arm around me and one around mom.

"But not more beautiful than my two girls." He gives us both a peck on the head.

"I'm so glad to find you guys. I love you." I clasp my mom's hand and snuggle more into my dad.

"We love you too honey."

I wipe away the tear that escapes my eye. I wish my mom didn't die the way she did. And I pray that Christian never gets taken away from me.

"Victoria!"

My reverie is broken when I hear Amara's loud, troubled and fearful voice reaches my ear.

I whip my head back to her. She comes to me running and crying.

"It's Christian."

All the air leaves my body. My body covers in chills.

No. No. Please, no.

It's like my worst nightmare coming true.

"He got attacked on his way back. His car blew up. We can't find him."

No. No. God please no.

•••

It's not proof read. I'll do it tomorrow but here's a chapter for my lovely readers.

And we are at 1k... Yay! 🙌🏻🙌🏻

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