Destiny Gift (The Everlast Trilogy) - By Juliana Haygert Page 0,26

this. He would never snap at me. No, no. My Victor loved my company, loved to hear me sing, loved to embrace me and inhale my scent.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice croaking under the heavy pressure inside my chest.

Then, I walked away.

At first, each step was heavy and slow, but as forlorn tears spilled over and shook my body, my pace increased until I was running. I ran as if the strides could erase the agony slowly consuming me.

How could I have been so blind? How could I have believed Victor truly existed and that he loved me? Why had I tortured myself by looking for him? I knew the answers to these questions. If I could make one wish, I would ask for my dream Victor to be real. When I’d seen a guy that could be his identical twin, I thought my soul’s wish had been fulfilled.

It had been too good to be true. Nobody could be so lucky. Still, I couldn’t believe I found the guy that looked like my Victor—but he would never be my Victor.

***

I had to stretch the not-feeling-well lie for a few more days with work since I didn’t have any strength to get up from my bed. Adam was livid for having to fill in for me, while Raisa and Olivia were left worrying.

On a Friday, after I spent three days in bed barely eating or speaking, the girls called Cheryl.

“I heard you’ve been hiding in here since Tuesday,” she stated. My face was buried in my pillow, but I felt the bed wobble as she sat next to me. “You’re not eating, you’re not going to class or work, and you aren’t speaking to your friends.”

Through the pillow, I smelled them. Cinnamon rolls—my favorite snack.

“That’s not fair,” I mumbled.

Cheryl chuckled. “I’ll use all weapons available to me.”

Grunting, I turned to her and instantly saw the giant-sized cinnamon rolls on a plate beside her. They were still hot, with extra sugar coating. The way I liked. And the fact that I was starving added to the temptation.

“God, you’re playing dirty,” I kidded. My first joke and my first half-smile in nearly five days.

She passed me the plate. “I’m glad you decided to talk to me.”

We sat in silence while I ate. It wasn’t an awkward silence though.

“Thanks,” I said after I devoured three rolls. I was feeling better and cozy. I guess it was Cheryl’s presence, her sure self and kind smile.

“You’re welcome.” She offered me a mug of coffee I had missed earlier. “So, what is this all about?”

Where to start? Or, a better question, would I even tell her? Here I was, in the privacy of my room, with a woman who was both a friend who wanted to help and a psychologist. I could take advantage of this opportunity and open up for the first time ever. But was I brave enough for that? I wasn’t sure.

I decided to give it a shot, to open my mouth and let the words come out naturally.

“I-I …” I stuttered, not ready to confess how insane I was out loud. I tried another route, not far from the truth. “I met a guy.” I swallowed hard. “I feel very, very attracted to him, but he has been sort of rude to me. He hasn’t let me get close.”

“Hmm. All of this because of a guy?” She smiled. “Tell me about him.”

I stood and smiled. “He’s gorgeous. Perfect. His hair is dark blond, and he is very tall. And his body …”

Cheryl chuckled. “It’s easy to see when you are nervous or excited.” She pointed to my hair. “You start doing that thing with your hair and don’t even notice it.”

I looked down at my hand near my shoulder, where my finger was entwined in a strand of my hair. I hid my hands behind my back, holding them together to stop my nervous habit and to steady their trembling. Still smiling, she beckoned for me to continue.

I took a deep breath and plunged on. “Well, I just feel this pull, this incredible need to be near him. I talked to him on Tuesday.”

She seemed surprised. “How was it?”

My brows contracted. “He was rude actually. And that’s why I’ve been hiding in here. Maybe my reaction was a little childish.”

“Oh, Nadine, if you feel like you should be with him, then don’t give up. Go after him. Show him you are a great girl. Show him what he’s missing.” Cheryl sounded like