The warmth of your embrace.

~MELANIE~

The guest room Allison picked for me was ridiculously beautiful. White walls, warm golden lighting, a balcony overlooking the courtyard, but I barely noticed any of it.

I was moving on autopilot, unpacking clothes and folding them neatly even though my hands kept trembling.

Everything in this house felt too perfect. Too peaceful. Too… stable.

It made me feel like an intruder. Like I wasn't worthy of being here. A familiar sting began to itch my eyes but thankfully, a distraction came right on time. 

My phone buzzed from the bed, snapping me out of my little pathetic self-reflection. 

My eyes went straight to the caller ID as I picked up the phone. 

Marcus.

A small smile tugged at my lips, as the tension within my body was slowly eased. Maybe, finally, I could talk to someone who actually cared.

I grabbed the phone and answered.

“Hey babe,” I whispered, leaning against the bedpost.

His voice blasted through the speaker, loud and cheerful. “Mel! You will not believe the kind of fun I’m having here. My parents booked this insane villa in Costa Rica. And, bro, you need to see the babes here. Everywhere. I’m trying not to stare but damn… they are just sooo fucking hot.”

I winced when a female giggle erupted in the background.

“Sounds… nice,” I managed, even though something sharp twisted in my chest. I would have appreciated not knowing that information.

But Marcus had always been like this. Appreciative. Complimenting every girl on the planet like he swallowed a handbook on flattery. He has never meant anything by it to the best of my knowledge. He was just… Marcus.

“How are you though?” I tried, gently. “Something happened last night and I really need…”

“You in your feelings again?” he cut in, laughing. “Relax, Mel. It’s just a harmless compliment. Cheer up and have a little fun, will you? Thinking about it now, maybe I should have brought you with me. Where even are you?”

“In Madrid,” I answered quietly.

There was a pause. 

“How the hell did you get to Madrid?” He snorted. “I thought your folks were too broke for you to even travel outside the damn city.”

The words hit me harder than I expected. Another information he didn't need to throw in my face but as usual, he was just being Marcus. Joking around when he didn't need to. There was no need to get upset. So I swallowed it down quickly.

“I came with Allison,” I said softly. “Her dad invited her, so she made me tag along.”

“Well, good for you,” he said, sounding distracted again. “Anyway, listen, some people are calling me. I gotta go. We’ll talk later, yeah?”

“Wait… Marcus, I really need to tell you…” The line cut off before I could even finish my statement. 

I stared at my screen. The call had already ended. He didn’t even say goodbye.

My shoulders slumped as a hollow feeling settled in my chest. Why did I ever think he’d listen? He’s having the best time of his life and I probably shouldn't weigh him down with my problems. I let out a small sigh. 

A gentle knock snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

The door cracked open and Allison’s dad, Rafael, stood there, leaning casually against the frame. His presence alone made the room feel warmer somehow.

Or maybe it was just in my head. 

“May I come in?” he asked, politely. Something about hearing this man's voice soothed me in a way I couldn't explain. Or maybe I just liked the accent. 

“Yes, of course,” I breathed, shifting awkwardly.

He walked in slowly, his turquoise eyes scanning the room before settling on me. “Are you settling in well?”

Jesus. Even the way he asked simple questions sounded… soft. Patient. Nothing like the harshness I was used to. My mother would start screaming from anywhere before she even laid eyes on me. 

“I… I’m good. Yes. Fine,” I stammered, mentally slapping myself for sounding like a glitching robot. If I continued like this, he might end up thinking I have a speech disorder.

His lips curved slightly, amused. “You don’t sound convinced.”

I swallowed. “The room is beautiful. I just… I’m not used to all this hospitality.”

“Then I hope we can change that,” he said gently, hands in his pockets as he took another small step in. “We’re going to the beach later. Maybe some horse riding too. I’d like you to come with us.”

“Horse riding?” I blinked. “Um… I can’t ride a horse. At all. Like, zero experience. Completely useless.”

He chuckled, and God, the sound did something to me. It was deep, warm, and so… intimate. Like it wrapped around you and made you want to stay forever. 

I blinked rapidly, shaking the thought off. I shouldn't be thinking about him like that. It was wrong on all grounds. 

He was just being polite to me because I was his daughter's friend. I shouldn't let it get into my head. 

“That’s not a problem,” he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. “I can teach you.”

Teach me? Oh, great. Perfect. As if being near him wasn’t already making my lungs malfunction. I couldn't imagine him any closer than this. I might just pass out. 

Before I could muster a proper response, my phone chimed.

A message.

“Excuse me,” I murmured, stepping away to check it. Which was also an excuse to get far away from him. 

I lifted the screen and the moment my eyes landed on the message, my blood ran cold.

The phone slipped slightly between my trembling fingers, and an intense, icy shiver raced down my spine.

The room seemed to be tilting at that moment.

And the warmth. The peace. The brief sense of safety I thought I found here. All of it shattered in one heartbeat.

My eyes stung, blurring out as the text glared back at me. Reminding me of everything I was trying so hard to forget.