With Tyler, we sat down to rest on a rock, trying to catch our breath after having been running for so long. I had hoped to at least find a road, but instead we had gotten lost in the woods with no idea where to go.

I wrap my arms around my torso in a desperate attempt to find warmth.

"What are we going to do?" I ask with a trembling voice as vapor escapes from my mouth. "I'm tired, cold, and don't know how much more I can take."

Tyler looks at me expressionless. He too is fighting the cold, I know it, I can understand it without him saying a single word. But I am truly tired and we've only been walking, we may as well have been going in circles.

"We have to keep going," he finally responds. "If we stay here, we'll die of cold or hunger. For now, we just have to keep walking, we'll figure out what to do later."

I nod slowly with caution. I can't help but wonder if he really has a plan or if he's just saying that so I won't ask.

"Shouldn't we have seen at least one road? The village isn't that big," I voice my doubt out loud.

"I wonder the same thing. Maybe this place isn't very similar to Nikolskoye."

That statement makes me stop in my tracks.

"Why are you stopping?"

"How do you know we're not in the village?"

Tyler doesn't respond.

"I asked you a question. How do you know we're not in Nikolskoye?" I ask again, more insistently.

"It's just a theory."

I knew he was lying.

"And why is that?"

Tyler runs his hands over his face before lowering them as he approaches me. Something in his demeanor makes me alarmed.

"Do you doubt me?" he changes his gaze to that of a predator. "Do you want me to be honest?" All traces of trust I had towards him evaporate after that question. I am unable to react, confused and trembling, I barely nod my head in agreement. Tyler takes my arm and pulls me towards him with force, pressing me against his chest. He slowly leans his head towards mine. "Kiss me and you'll know the truth."

An external force pushes me towards him. By the time our lips touch, I open my eyes and jerk awake in bed. I feel the sheets and breathe heavily.

"What...?" I mumble.

I see that I am in a semi-dark room. I look around, trying to remember how I got here. I see men's clothes on a chair and a phone on the nightstand. Suddenly, I realize that I am in a stranger's bed because it is definitely not mine. I touch my head, feeling dizzy with a slight feeling of nausea. I try to remember what happened but everything in my memories is blurry and confused.

I remove the sheets and gasp as I see that I am in my underwear.

"But... What?" I say with a trembling voice.

I quickly get out of bed and put on the clothes I find on the floor without stopping to see if they are mine or not. I look around for a clue about where I am, but I don't recognize anything. The vulnerability of my state scares me, and now what do I do?

I leave the room. A small, desolate hallway leads me to the kitchen and a mini living room, apparently it's a studio apartment. I start walking towards what I think is the exit, the lights are off, the daylight filtering through the curtains is enough to illuminate everything. As I walk, I try to remember how I got here and why I'm in a stranger's house, in their bed and half naked.

As soon as I see the front door, I run on tiptoes to get there. It's locked. I pull it again with more insistence. Damn it. I turn around and look for the first window I find. It's high, from ceiling to floor, with ivory-colored curtains, I thought they would disintegrate if I touched them because they are so thin. I open them wide. A third floor? The idea is suicidal, I can't jump. I start breathing with difficulty but convince myself that there might be a fire escape on another window, so I start searching the house for an exit.

I spy on the studio apartment as I return to the room I left. Everything is modern and minimalist. The sofa is light grey, the coffee table is made of glass, and the flat-screen TV. Nothing goes beyond the range of grays, and the decoration is simple but strategically ordered. Who could live like this?

I cross the small hallway. The door of the room is as I left it, I peek my head in and do a quick inspection. The bed, located in a corner to maximize space, is only wrinkled and messy on the side where I woke up. In front of it is a beautiful empty desk, with an office chair. And next to it, a partially open door, which I assume is the closet because I don't see a wardrobe anywhere.

And of course, another window that goes from ceiling to floor, with those curtains that are going to disintegrate at any moment.

Something tells me not to go there or step into the room again, so with that small feeling, I take three steps back. With my hands tangled in my hair, I feel my heart start beating strongly as I try to grasp onto any hint of calm. But reality overwhelms me and I feel the panic threatening to take over me. While my mind wanders through the worst possibilities, I notice out of the corner of my eye that the hallway curves. I straighten my posture and lower my hands. Before I can order my feet to move, they are already moving on their own, dragging me towards what appears to be the real end of the hallway.

There is a partially open door. I peek in carefully to see. The back of a boy with his legs tangled in the sheets is the first thing I see. I finish opening the door immediately and approach him quickly. A part of me wants to wake him up aggressively and impulsively, while another, more coherent part of me wants to make sure that he is not who I think he is.

I purse my lips and lean forward, stretching my neck to get a clear view of his face. And I succeed. Although I know I should step back, I can't resist the temptation to get a little closer and detail every feature of... of his beauty. His skin looks like a work of art, so smooth and radiant that it leaves me breathless, how is it possible? Every inch of him is like a canvas, adorned with those little freckles that dance around his nose and spread across his shoulders. It's a symphony of cream and honey tones that make me want to stroke it with my fingers.

But what's happening to me? Where did all this cheesiness come from?

While I'm absorbed in contemplating his skin, I hear his voice:

"Do you like what you see?"

I startle at the scare, feeling my heart racing.

"Shit, what's wrong with you?" I put my hand on my chest. The feeling of fear recovers my body and, although I try to maintain my composure, I can't help my voice trembling a bit when I respond. "You scared me!"

He falls silent for a moment, as if surprised by my reaction. But then his face softens and he stands up. My eyes almost pop out of my head when I briefly thought he wasn't wearing pants.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to know if you liked what you saw."

"Of course not!"

He raises his arm and runs his hand through his neck, looking dissatisfied.

"I mean, yes... You're not bad... I mean-" I immediately cut off any attempt to correct what I've already said. If I keep clarifying, it will only make things worse. "Whatever. How dare you have me in your house without my permission? How is it that...?"

"Without your permission?" Tyler approaches me. "Don't you remember?"

I part my lips to speak but surprise silences me. Don't remember? Until the forest scene comes to mind.

"We were running away," I say firmly, rolling up the long-sleeved shirt that isn't mine. I show him the bruises. "We escaped from the kidnapping, you... "I want to say it but I can't. My throat tightens in a very strong knot.

"Don't you remember anything?" He repeats in a low voice, his honey eyes locked on mine, looking puzzled. I feel trapped, unable to escape from his intense and penetrating gaze. The feeling of fear increases in my chest.

"What are you talking about?" I break eye contact to look at his chest for a second. He has nothing... Where are all his bruises and injuries?

"We were running," I say firmly and roll up the long-sleeved shirt that isn't mine. I show him

"You"

"What"

"You fell in the park."

"Yes, I know."

"That's why you have what's on your arms. I brought you here, and you quickly fell asleep."

"It's not true," I deny several times with my head again maintaining eye contact. I let out a half laugh unable to believe what I hear. "We were kidnapped, Tyler, what are you saying? That damn place was almost in the middle of nowhere, two days locked up. We crossed the forest for hours, almost died frozen and... and..."

Tyler's face is a poem.

"Kidnapping? What are you talking about?"

"What's wrong with you?" I exclaim, pushing him with closed fists. He doesn't even move. "You kissed me and were mean to me. What's wrong with you? I don't even know you, you're a pervert, don't act like nothing happened."

"Chlorine, that never happened. You were dreaming."

"Ah?" he takes me by the wrists to stop the blows.

He scrutinizes my eyes at this short distance, where his masculine cologne can be felt like passing your nose through a flower intoxicated with its natural aroma. He furrows his brow.

"Did you dream that you were kissing me?"

Immediately my eyes widen without being able to hide the embarrassment that attacks me, added to the heart attack realization that I'm experiencing.

"W-we didn't kiss?"

Tyler smiles sideways and lets go of my wrists. He ruffles his hair and turns his back on me, hiding a small smile. If I weren't already surprised and scared enough, I'd say he's getting shy.

"You dreamed that you were kissing me... Do you like me?" he puts on a maroon t-shirt with great cunning.

I'm in shock processing the information.

"Of course not, pervert," I frown.

"You're in my house, you went straight to my bed and fell asleep, you had a lucid dream having an adventure where we were kidnapped and escaped together to then kiss in the middle of the forest..." he scratches his jaw, thoughtful. "You're right, I'm the pervert."

"Don't treat me like a crazy person, I know perfectly well what I went through those two days," I say accusingly.

"No, what I know is that you had a good nap and I did you the favor of helping you. You're in my house."

"Because you brought me here!"

"I asked you and you said yes."

"Well, aren't you obedient?"

"If it's any consolation, nothing happened between us."

I didn't feel like he was taking a worry off my chest but rather throwing a provocation at me.

"What do you mean?"

"We didn't do anything, if that's what worries you. Unless... do you have any reason to believe otherwise? The little clothing isn't attributed to me, you started taking everything off when you were sleeping."

The ability of this boy to switch from shyness to brazenness with a condescending tone is incredible. He draws confidence from my misery.

"No, of course not. Why would I think that?" I don't comment on the clothing because I know from firsthand experience that I go to bed in pajamas and wake up without them.

"I don't know, you just seemed a bit contrasting," he stands in front of me and signals for me to let him pass. "Do you want some coffee?"

"I want you to give me back my clothes."

"It's in the room."

He slowly walks away from me and leaves the room in silence. Meanwhile, I release a lot of air through my mouth as if I've been underwater the whole time. I hold onto my chest and try to process what just happened. I still tremble with fear and anger inside. Was it Tyler who was talking to me? The same Tyler who entered the library a few days ago asking for a Bible?

If it was all a dream... I still can't conceive it. It can't be possible.

I quickly return to the room and pick up my scattered clothes and get dressed. Everything is clean except for my knees with a little dirt and the elbows of my coat, because I stumbled on the branch of that tree, but I don't remember why. However, I open my palm and remember the huge A written in the center, what was that then? I shake my head and sigh, I suppose it was part of the dream. What dream? That did happen.

"How much sugar?"

The kitchen, living room and small hallway were facing each other, so it was uncontrollable for me to get nervous passing in front of him until I reach the door. He didn't seem affected at all.

"The door is locked, can you open it?"

"Are you leaving so soon?"

"I never finished arriving, I don't even remember crossing this door."

"That's strange. Do you really not want to have some..?"

"I won't have tea in your porcelain cups like an Englishwoman, if that's what you think."

"It's coffee," he corrects me hopefully.

"Open the door for me!"

"Okay..." he puts the sugar pot aside and approaches me. "I don't understand your behavior, but let me tell you that I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. I just thought of helping you."

I blink slowly, apparently I still have some sleep on me. I can't raise my voice again, my throat lets me know before I try. Why do his eyes have to be so honey-like...? This not so narrow distance leaves me without darts to reload, and that frustrates me. But I'm so tired. So tired and confused, is he apologizing to me? What am I supposed to do?

"I don't care," I say in a passive tone. I place a hand on his chest to keep him from getting closer, when did he move so fast? "I... I want to go, can you open it for me?"

His eyes scan me and he nods. Did he understand that I want to let go of what happened and move on with his life? His eyes scan me and he nods.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone."

The last sentence makes my hair stand on end. How did he know what..?

He steps aside and I wait a moment before reacting. The room becomes smaller when I appreciate his height. He opens the door and signals for me to leave. When I try to pass by his side, he takes me by surprise by the waist.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs before leaning in and planting his lips on mine.

...

I don't know where I am, but the fact that I'm already far away from her house gives me some relief. I touch my lips reflexively and can't help my hands from trembling. "I wanted to kiss you too," the disrespectful one said when I pushed him and ran downstairs. How dare he!

"Come on, stop touching your lips," I say aloud to scold myself. Although it's confusing, I feel a great anger inside me.

In the end, I wasn't so far from home. I immediately recognized the way from the park to the pharmacy. From there, it was a blink of an eye to get home, and I stopped for a moment, unable to move. I'm afraid of how my mother will react when she sees me, and I'm worried that my fear will be evident on my face. I take a deep breath. I'm sure it wasn't a dream. Something inside me screams that I shouldn't believe in anything, that everything did happen. Maybe some parts were a dream because I was asleep... But I know that days passed, I'm hurt, and my mind is very lucid about all the pain it caused me and how scared I was. Tyler may lie to me, but only time will give me the answer.

Finally, I take a deep breath and press the doorbell. I wait anxiously, but there is no answer. I press it again, but still no signs of life. I begin to worry that my mother is not at home, or that something has happened to her. But then, I hear someone approaching the door.

The door opens slowly, and I find myself face to face with my mother.

"Don't you have a key? Come in."

I don't hesitate and obey. She closes the door and goes straight to the kitchen. No... Nothing happened. Impossible, did I disappear for two days, and this is her reaction?

"Mom...?" I swallow.

"You took so long to get the medication. Did you have to make it yourself?" she jokes.

"Medication?" I frown, confused.

"The one the doctor prescribed for you."

"Oh..." I touch my pocket reflexively and feel the box touching my hands. Yes, I went to get them, they're still here... "I-I took so long?" I approach the island slowly.

She opens the fridge and puts a bottle of milk inside. I observe her carefully; nothing on her face gives me any indication of panic or annoyance, quite the opposite.

"Four hours. You went for a long walk. I suppose you had enough time to clear your thoughts."

I feel astonished, as if I'm living in a parallel world. What do you mean, four hours?

"I... It's not possible. What day is it today?"

Mom rolls her eyes at me.

"The punishment has just begun, in case you're worried about that. It's Saturday, your father wants you to help him finish the pots he was commissioned for tomorrow," she sighs and takes off her kitchen gloves. "Here are the dishes, I want everything clean."

And she goes out to the backyard through the kitchen's back door, where Dad is waiting for her.

"Today is Tuesday," I whisper, but she doesn't hear me.

I want to run and tell her that I was kidnapped, that I went to the pharmacy and didn't come back, that they did horrible things to me and I was running away, that I was very cold, that I was very scared... But apparently, Tyler is right. And what do I do with this feeling that makes me feel everything as if I really lived it?

🖤
Don't forget to leave your vote ✨