CHAPTER 21: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

CHAPTER 21: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
I start walking towards the elevator, and Harry keeps calling me from the apartment door.

"Allison!" I hear him calling me for the thousandth time.

Each time I hear him, he sounds farther away. I am angry, very angry. After I found them kissing, I asked Camila to leave. Harry simply said I couldn't kick her out, always insisting that I push people away. So, I looked at him and told him that I would be the one leaving because he was incapable of getting her out of there.

"Allison, please!" I hear Harry's voice very close, and at the same time, I feel his hand on my shoulder. "Let me explain."

"You don't have to explain. I know she was the one who kissed you, I know you didn't want it, I know you tried to push her away but couldn't, and that's when I found you. Is that right?" Harry nods, and I do the same. "Alright," I say and turn around to keep walking.

"If you know, why are you leaving?" I turn and look at him, furrowing my brow.

"Because she's still there." Harry takes a step towards me and stops.

"If you kick her out, her father will get angry, and the business..."

"I know how much these business dealings mean to you, that's why I didn't insist," I interrupt him. "But I can't stay there next to that pair. If I stay, I'll go crazy." Harry looks at me and gets closer.

"Don't leave me," he says, looking into my eyes.

"You've left me alone for days. You avoided me all the time, leaving before I woke up and coming back after I fell asleep. And now you don't want me to leave you alone?"

"I'm sorry," he says, lowering his gaze.

"I'm sorry too, but I'm leaving."

"Allison, I like you. Let's start over, give me another chance," he says, seeming sincere.

"I like you too, Harry, but I need time. We need time. There are many things we need to think about and clarify. When you're ready to listen to me, give me a call."

I turn and start walking again. Tears begin to fill my eyes. I enter the elevator, without looking back, take a deep breath, and the doors close. I press the button for the ground floor, close my eyes, and lean against one of the elevator walls.

When I reach the building entrance, I step out and start walking without a clear destination, with a lost gaze and a slow pace.

The sky starts to illuminate with giant lightning bolts, the thunder resounds throughout the city, and small droplets begin to fall on my head.

I continue walking, and the rain becomes increasingly stronger. I am soaked, but it feels good. To some extent, the water is washing away my anger, and you can't even tell that I'm crying.

I keep walking for many more minutes until I reach the same pier where I was brought by Imanol. Upon arrival, the first thing I see is the immense sea, the waves crashing against the rocks and the pier, and the lightning seemingly emerging from the vast ocean and returning to it.

"You're soaked," I hear Harry's voice behind me. "Let me cover you."

"No," I say, turning to face him. "Leave me like this. I enjoy it."

"I searched for you, I've been doing it for hours."

"Why? What for? You and I, this marriage, it's all fake, it's all a lie," I look at him and start crying.

"Allison..."

"I thought I could handle this, but I can't when my heart is involved."

"I thought I could handle this, but I can't when my heart is involved," I approach him and take the umbrella from his hand.

"I thought I could too. It was just another business deal. What could go wrong? Everything could go wrong," he says, looking at the sea.

"You're so... so you. So correct, so manipulative, so cautious. You're everything that annoys me in a person, that's why I didn't see you first," I say, analyzing every inch of his face.

"That's why you liked my brother, right? Because he was more like you?"

"Yes," I reply and hold his cheeks. "But then you, you started getting into my head with your words and actions. Even if you didn't say anything, I felt more and more comfortable."

"But still, you kissed him," he looks at me with resentment.

"I know it was wrong, but I wanted to see if kissing him would feel the same as kissing you," I say, looking into his eyes.

"The first time I kissed you, you felt nothing," he says, gazing at the sea.

"The second time you did, my heart raced, something that didn't happen with your brother," I move closer to him and lock eyes. "I want to be with you, do you understand?"

Harry looks at me and closes the gap between us, our lips meet. It feels like the world stops, and it's just him and me. Our lips dance, and our bodies find warmth in the cold rain.

Harry pulls away from me for a moment and studies my face.

"Let's start over, forget everything that happened, let it be just you and me."

"That sounds good," I smile at him and then become serious. "I want Camila away from us."

"I promise you it will happen. I won't let my mother do what she did last time either."

"Thank you," Harry smiles and then kisses me.

"Ali."

"Yes?"

"Could we... Ahchoo!" he sneezes. "Could we go?"

"You're so weak," I laugh, watching him shiver. "Let's go."

"I'm not weak," I laugh even harder, and Harry lunges at me, lifting me as if I were a sack of potatoes.

We both laugh heartily. Harry spins around a few times and then walks toward his car.

Is this what starting a love feels like? I never want to let it go, I don't want it to stop being like this. I want it to be just him and me. Can it be possible for me to be happy for once? Can everything be this easy all the time?

I don't think so. I'm getting myself into a mess, but my heart doesn't understand reason.

"Your heart is so foolish. But don't worry, dear, you have me," says my chilling conscience.

Conscience: Is it legal for this man to have so many muscles in his arms? If it's not legal, I'm a cop, okay?