Mariana carefully dried the dishes she had just washed, placing them gently on the dish rack. Her mind was racing, filled with a whirlwind of thoughts. Every day she spent with Calum, she fell deeper into love with him. It was inevitable, a feeling she couldn't escape. Even if she tried to avoid it, it was impossible. She was already deeply in love, and this tragedy in her life had left her feeling lost and disoriented.
She sighed and reached for another plate, drying it with the white towel she held. She was wearing one of Calum's white hoodies and the panty shirt he had bought her. Her legs were exposed, as she only had two pairs of pants, and she had just put them in the dryer. It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and she didn't expect Calum home until 6:00 in the evening.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of a car, different from Calum's. Her heart skipped a beat, a sense of suspicion washing over her. She carefully placed the plate and towel down, peering out the window. She slightly opened the white curtain near the door and saw a man in a police uniform.
Her heart pounded faster. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or apprehensive. She closed the window and leaned against the wall near the door, her breath coming in rapid bursts.
She heard a knock on the door.
"Hello, anyone here?"
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, her hands trembling.
Her eyes met the brown eyes of the policeman. He was around 30 years old, and a smile on his face fueled Mariana's suspicion.
"Are you Mariana Rodriguez?" he asked, his smile unwavering.
"Yes... I am," she replied, her voice barely audible.
"Great, aren't you happy you're safe now? Who's with you right now?"
The policeman drew his gun and entered the house without asking for permission.
Mariana stood frozen in place, her eyes following him.
After searching the house, the policeman returned to her.
"I'll take you to the city now, you are safe," he said, grabbing her arm forcefully. She couldn't resist, her body numb. She let her bare feet carry her to the car, allowing the man to lead her inside. He drove quickly.
She sat in the passenger seat beside him and asked, "How did you know my location?"
Her face was impassive, a mask hiding the turmoil within. Things had happened so quickly.
"I got lost," he replied tersely.
"It seems that you're not at all, because you clearly know the road to go back," Mariana stated firmly.
"Look lady, aren't you happy you're safe now? I'm getting you back to the city," he said, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He accelerated, causing Mariana to clutch the seatbelt.
"You are right. Thank you," she sighed.
A wave of sadness washed over her, a feeling she couldn't deny. She should be happy she's already safe. But she was sad and worried. What about him?
The question echoed in her mind. Tears began to fall from her left eye, it just fell without her knowing. Her face betraying no emotion. Her feelings were torturing her, leaving her confused and lost.
She was hurt by the fact that she and the man he loved will be apart, maybe forever apart.
"I know that you experienced trauma, so that's okay if you cry," the policeman said, noticing her tears.
She quickly touched her face and felt her tears, she wiped them away as fast as she can. The afternoon sun glinted off the car windows, making her face more visible to him.
"Yeah... I want to go home," she said softly, another tear falling. She wasn't sure what home she had anymore. She had a house, a job, a fiancé, but she didn't have a home.
---
It was already dark when Calum arrived at his hideout. He was about to get the groceries from his car's trunk when he noticed the door was open. He was suspicious, especially since the lights were off.
He quickly drew his gun and entered the house, his heart pounding. It had been so long since he had felt this kind of nervousness. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Mariana. Her safety.
He turned on the lights and searched the house, but she wasn't there. His worry escalated, and he rushed back to his car and grabbed his phone. He quickly dialed Trae.
"What, bud?" Trae answered immediately.
"Someone found out my hideout, they fucking took her away," Calum said, his voice laced with panic.
Trae paused for a moment, surprised by what he had heard. "What?"
"How did they know about the location of your hideout?"
Calum paced back and forth, his voice tense and breaking. "I don't fucking know."
Trae could sense the desperation in his voice. "It doesn't matter as long as they didn't catch you there."
Trae knew Calum wasn't worried about himself, but about Mariana.
"I'll be right there, wait for me," Trae said before hanging up and rushing to his car.
Calum leaned back against the window of his car, dropping his phone. His gun was still in his hand, and the weight in his heart.
Why was he worrying about her? If she had been caught by the police, it was over. The battle he had been fighting for her was lost, and that's what he wanted too. To get her out of his life. He should be happy, but that wasn't the case. He was worried. What if it was the people who had been looking for her to kill her that captured her? His mind was overwhelmed with thoughts. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, breathing heavily. He kicked his car in frustration. He loved her, and them being apart was killing him.
It's crazy that this shit happened in his life, making it more complicated than it already was.
The coldness of the night air made him feel colder than ever before.
He clenched his jaw and grabbed his black leather jacket from his car and wore it over his white t-shirt.
He couldn't take the cold, there's something inside his heart that made him not vulnerable to the coldness of the air in this unexpectedly twisted night.
***