Chapter 34 THE LETTER
For most of the night, I had been cradled in his arms, allowing me to enjoy the warmth I craved.
For some reason, I felt safe within his arms and I had nothing to worry about as he held me close.
While we were in the car, he has paid extra attention to me, wiping off the bead of sweat that popped on my forehead, clearing off the fallen strands of my hair off my face and at a point, I could hear him say to the driver— ‘drive slowly'
Although, those gestures, they seemed little, but I was very fond of these things he had done to make me feel comfortable.
This man, Rafael, was not irritated by my state of drunkenness and extreme vulnerability nor did he watch me rush out of his car to retch by the roadside curb. Instead, he was there to make sure everything was okay with me.
It hurts me to compare my choices of men, but none of the men I had dated in the past had paid this much attention to me or shown me how easy it was to care for someone you are in love with. Not one of them— not even Dylan.
—
As the car moved slowly down town, a tear made its way out of my eyes and I could hear him whisper my name softly, carefully wiping off the bead of tear that had crawled down my face and after that, he planted a simple, soft kiss on my forehead and I leaned in deeper into his arms, feeling more safer than ever.
By midnight, I had woken up for a bit and I realized we were already back at the Devereaux's mansion and I was in the comfort of my bed.
Rafael was also there with me, sitting by my bedside with his hands holding onto mine tenderly.
He smiled softly as soon as my gaze matched his gaze and he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear before whispering to me,
“Rest well, Nessa.”
This he had said before leaning in to kiss my hand which he had been cradling.
Everything felt soft and surreal that I had to gaslight myself into thinking of the moment as a daydream, but the way he patted my back so I could fall back asleep made me think otherwise.
—
The next time I opened my eyes, Rafael was no longer by my side, but instead, I could make out a shadow by the window, taking in drags and puffing up smoke.
I could recall telling him I didn't like the smell of smoke from a cigarette. Was he quick to forget that already? How can he shower me with a lot of affection just to go back to doing something that disgusts me?
I couldn't confront him in that state— I knew I wasn't sober yet and I needed more sleep, but I managed to call out his name.
“Rafael—”
He paused, turning around at me, but I could barely see his face as all that was there to him was a shadow— a dark entity as he had refused to step into the light.
As I squinted my eyes to get a proper look at him, just around his face, I could see some white piece which I knew to be his teeth.
Was he smiling? Smiling so hard to show his teeth? I couldn't push the thought further, I just needed him to stop smoking around me.
“Take it off or leave.” I managed to say, my head hurting as it began to spin again.
“Hello, Vanessa Hudgens.” Were the last words I heard before giving in to the pain, falling into deep sleep the moment my eyes shut at the shadow that had spoken.
The sharp rays of setting light struck into the room through the dancing curtains. I squinted my eyes as the sharp rays of light hit my face, announcing what time of the day it was— it was already morning.
I finally shifted in bed, stretching hard as I began to reminisce how lovely my night rest had been regardless of my multiple stands ups.
I had slept well and I wished that it would happen again and again, but I couldn't escape the morning sickness that comes after a night of wholesome drinking— I was still hung over pretty badly that I could feel my head hurt with a bang.
I got out of bed and I finally noticed a cup of honey water already placed by my bedside.
I grabbed the cup at once and chugged the content down my throat until it's last drop hit my tongue.
I let out a brief belch and returned the cup to the bedside table. Also, on the table, a piece of paper was lying on it and I was quick to assume what it was— a letter.
I got worried for a little bit, wondering who could have dropped me a letter. Was it Rafael? I shook my head at this possibility, forcing myself to not believe that assumption.
Rafael definitely didn't look like the type of man who would drop off his thoughts in a letter. He would rather say whatever business it was right into one's face, so I had to cancel the possibility of him being the sender.
Who could the sender possibly be and what could they have written on a page for me to see?
Why had they dropped off a letter while I was asleep instead of saying whatever it was to me while I had woken up?
All these thoughts flushed through my mind, my curiosity lingering further then I stretched my hand towards the table to get the letter. I finally reached the paper, taking it off the table like it was a piece of timebomb.
When the letter was finally within my hold, I carefully unfolded it, preparing myself for what was written in the letter.
My eyes glinted softly as I read the content of the letter.