Nine hours IV
Camila's POV
There's a tightness in my stomach and it doesn't go away. It continues to eat away at me until it makes its way up to my chest and it's only then that I snap my eyes open and sit up, needing to catch my breath.
"It's just a dream." I whisper as I continue to inhale and exhale.
I take the chance to look around me. I'm in bed but when I look to the other side, it's empty and when I look up, I can't make out anything because all I'm met with is darkness.
Completely darkness.
"There you are, pumpkin." His voice echos from somewhere in the darkness and I instantly sink into the mattress. I try to get up and move but I can't.
I look down to see the sheets bound around my wrists, holding me in place and I shut my eyes in fear as I feel him coming.
"No." I breathe, shaking my head as I try to free myself.
It doesn't work and his footsteps start to get louder. I turn towards the right side of the bed. "Alejandro?" I try.
He tsks. "Try again." He sings, his voice taunting and I instantly shake my head as I try to snap myself out of it.
"You're not real. You're dead." I mumble frantically, but the second I snap my eyes open, I'm met with William's face and before I can scream out, he's on me, his hands wrapped around my throat.
I choke, scream and cry until I can't feel his body pressed on top of mine and when I snap my eyes open, it's to the sound of my name.
"-amila, Camila ."
I turn my head, my wide frightened eyes staring into Alejandro's tired looking ones and when I glance around the dimly lit room, I see him sitting up in bed as he blinks away his sleep.
"You were having a nightmare." He says softly, his head turning to stare down at me.
He shuffles closer, but instead of holding me to him, he stops himself and resorts to lightly smoothing the pieces of hair that are clinging to my sweaty forehead.
I breathe out and look up at him, the lamp is dimmed but it's still light enough where I can make out his face staring down at me.
I have the sudden urge to cry when I'm met with his tired face and all I want is to be held by him, but instead I find myself clearing my throat. "I'm sorry for waking you." I get out.
His brows furrow and he trails his eyes down to my hands that are balling the sheets up tightly. "You okay?" He asks softly, and I hate how I created this line between us.
I don't speak because I know if I do I'll lose it. Instead I slowly shake my head as my lower lip wobbles.
And when he looks back down towards me, it's like he finally throws away his resolve because the next thing I know he's reaching for me. "Cazzo, you're shaking baby. Come here." He murmurs, pulling me towards him.
I instantly let him pull me towards him. He lays back against the pillow, wrapping his arm around me from underneath me and I place my head on his bare chest.
I'm still shaking, but the proximity helps and I slowly, almost hesitantly bring my left hand out and place it above his heart, listening and feeling it beat under me.
His hands slowly bury themselves in my hair and he starts to massage my scalp soothingly, while I calm down.
He doesn't say anything and simply holds me as I try to control my breathing, and when he does speak, he doesn't tell me that it's going to be okay. He tells me that I'm safe. That no ones gonna get me and I find myself clinging onto him tighter.
I don't know how long we stay like that, but it's long enough where my mind starts to wander and I find myself thinking back to the words he spoke to me before I fell asleep.
Ti amo.
I love you.
It wasn't just the words. It was the way he told me that he loved me.
The way he said it with such ease. Like it was the simplest thing in the world. Like it was something he's been doing regularly. Like he's said it to me before.
And then something clicks and I realize why it sounds so familiar and simple.
He's said it before.
He's been saying it to me and I've never been awake enough to catch it but now that I look back, I'm remembering all those times where I'be heard his low murmurs.
"Alejandro?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
He hums, his chest rumbling beneath me and I tilt my head up to see him staring down at me, running his fingers through my hair.
I swallow thickly, my voice soft. "How long have you been telling me that you love me?"
He stills and his eyes flicker down to mine in a mix of surprise and shock but I simply blink up at him.
I needed to know.
He clears his throat and his arm around me tightens and he moves his hand out of my hair to trail my cheek as he shifts his gaze to follow the movements of his finger."Since my birthday." He murmurs softly.
I blink trying to process it. His birthday party?
"Were you even planning on telling me?" I ask.
He moves to fiddle with my hand that's placed over his heart, he traces the back of it before moving to slide the gold ring from his pinky finger off. "I was going to tell you." He murmurs and I watch him absentmindedly as he takes his ring-the gold one that he always wears-and he slips it onto the finger between my middle and pinky.
He slips it onto my ring finger, it's too big for my finger but he takes a moment to stare down at it. He then grabs my hand, moving it from his chest to bring to his lips and he looks into my eyes. "One day." He breathes, placing a kiss against the skin.
I swallow thickly, not knowing how to respond. But he doesn't look at me expectantly. He's just saying it as it is, and I watch him bring my hand back down to his rest stop his heart. He slides the ring off my finger and instead slips it onto my thumb, where it fits perfectly before moving his hand back into my hair and throwing his head back to stare at the ceiling.
"I was going to tell you one day." He sighs, continuing to massage my scalp as he speaks. "Camila , I may have started saying it then, but I knew it before." He continues to stare up at the ceiling, "Non mi sono mai sentito per nessuno come te. ecco perché so che ti amo." He murmurs as I move my head to stare at my hand placed on his heart, his heartbeat is steady and mine instantly swells. (I've never felt for anyone like I have you. Which is why I know, I love you.)
We're both lost in thought and for once my mind isn't a mess. We both aren't perfect in any way nor are we anywhere near good right now. But when I stare up at him, I can't help but think about how much I didn't want to lose him.
We had a long way to go but I knew if anyone was worth it, it was him, and I knew it the moment I laid eyes on him.
"If this is going to work." I say softly, my voice instantly gets his attention and his arms tighten around me. "We work through issues together." I say shifting my head up to stare at him.
He tilts his head down, his eyes searching mine. "No more secrets. No more playing with my emotions. No more lies." I breathe. "We move forward together."
He blinks down at me, his eyes holding so much emotion and when I think he's going to refuse, he surprises me by grabbing my hand that's placed over his heart. He threads his fingers through mine and brings my hand up to his lips as he looks me in the eye, a forever type of promise in them.
"Together."
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