Chapter 80 MY MEMORIES.
\~~~RAINA.
"Did you eat something bad?" he asked, squatting down next to me.
"What?!" I replied, surprised.
"Acting so calm doesn't suit you. I almost thought you were mute for a second."
"Hey!" I snapped, the spark of my usual fire flaring up. And I could swear I saw his face light up, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"You are enjoying this," I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him.
"What are you doing here? It is cold out here. You're gonna catch a cold."
"Mind your business and just go back inside," I groaned, turning my head away to stare at the dark yard beyond the pool.
A bit of silence fell between us. The only sounds were the soft splashes from our feet and the faint hum of crickets in the distance. Then I heard him move, and he settled down beside me on the edge. He let out a low groan as he got comfortable, his shoulder brushing mine slightly.
"What are you doing?" I asked, glancing sideways.
"Since when have you liked the pool, though?" he said, ignoring me and dipping his own legs into the water.
"What?"
"Did you forget? You once told me you had a phobia of pools during our second meeting. Did you say you fell into a pool as a kid or something?" He moved his legs slowly, creating little waves that rippled across the surface.
My mouth hung open, agape. I couldn't believe it.
Talia had told him that? But that wasn't her story… It was mine. Talia was the complete opposite, she loved water. She was like a human fish, swimming through anything if it involved a pool or the ocean. She'd dive in without a care, laughing the whole time. So why had she shared my fear with him, like it was hers?
"W... what... What do you mean?" I stammered, my mind spinning.
"Ah, are you starting your amnesia shit again?" His tone was teasing, but there was an edge to it.
I shook my head quickly and looked away, focusing on the far end of the pool where the water met the fence. The underwater lights made it glow softly. Talia hadn't just lied about who she was, she had given him pieces of my life instead of her own. It was all starting to click, but it hurt too much to accept fully.
"Y... you don't truly remember? Are you saying you don't fear water, then?" Luciano's question pulled me back.
"I... I do," I admitted, stammering a bit. The words felt heavy, like admitting a weakness.
"So, what are you…"
"What else had I told you?" I cut in, turning to face him. "If it's not too much, can you just tell me... more?"
He chuckled, but it sounded empty, like he wasn't sure why he was laughing. He leaned back on his hands, staring at the water for a moment. "You are allergic to roses, and you…"
"She… I told you that too?!" I interrupted, my eyes widening in shock.
Roses. That was my allergy, not Talia's.
I'd break out in hives just from the pollen, and had to avoid them at all costs.
Talia? She could bury her face in a bouquet without a problem. Why swap that detail? Why feed him my secrets as if they were hers?
Suddenly, he leaned in closer, his face just inches from mine. His breath was warm on my skin, and his eyes locked onto mine with a sharp intensity. "You love pretending so much, don't you? Are you hiding something?"
I startled, a hiccup escaping my throat. My heart jumped, and I pulled away quickly, scooting back on the tile edge. T... that wasn't possible.
Had Talia done this on purpose? Laid out my information instead of her own? She was allergic to nothing like that, and all of those were mine!
My brain was refusing to let me accept it fully, and that I had been caught in a game planned by my own sister.
Talia hadn't just disappeared, she'd built an entire identity using my memories. Every fear, every allergy, and she'd handed them to Luciano like they were hers.
Confusion washed over me, and it mixed with shock which made my hands tremble. I stood up in a hurry, my legs shaky from the cold night air hitting me all at once. But as I rose, I missed my footing. The tile was slippery, and in a rush, my foot slipped right off the edge.
"Luciano!" I screamed, my voice echoing as I fell forward into the pool.