“C’mon, let’s go. There is still about two hours before dinner. We can fit a movie in,” she said cheerfully as she pulled me out of the kitchen.
As we made our way upstairs to my room, Maddie chatted about her day with Artur. She was definitely lost in him. I asked her if she loved him, but her response was that she didn’t know.
I didn’t believe her.
I was sure she loved him but was scared to admit it. She had nothing to be scared of. From what I had witnessed, Artur really did care about Maddie.
When we reached the top of the stairs, I stopped dead in my tracks. In the process of doing so, Maddie had to stop too.
“Huh? What’s wrong?” she asked.
All I could do was stare in front of me in shock.
Not again.
Then I heard Maddie mutter angrily. “Seriously?”
There he was. Alessio. But he wasn’t alone. He was with Nina, the same blonde I had seen in his office.
Alessio had her pressed against the wall, with her legs wrapped around his waist. They were kissing and didn’t appear to realize we were standing there.
“Seriously, dude. You wanna fuck, then get a room. That’s what rooms are for,” Maddie hissed loudly.
Alessio’s head snapped back and he stared at us, his gaze laced with lust. I shifted my eyes away.
“Well, you can leave if you don’t want to see anything,” Nina fired back.
“This is a hallway. Anyone can pass through and nobody wants to see your saggy boobs hanging loose, so get a room,” Maddie said, her voice calm yet filled with venom.
“You know…” Nina started to say, but she didn’t finish. Alessio had opened his door and was about to go inside, with Nina still wrapped around him like a vise.
She turned her head toward us and gave us a smirk before burying her face in his neck. That was the last thing I saw as the door closed.
“That little bitch. I swear to God, I will rip those fake hair extensions off her head one day. She makes me so violent. And I swear, I’m not a violent person,” Maddie fumed beside me.
“Why do you hate her so much?” I asked as we entered my room.
“Is that even a question, Ayla? She is freaking annoying. Nina thinks that just because Alessio fucks her, she is special. Like, bitch, please, he fucks anyone with boobs and a pussy.”
I watched her jump on my bed and lay down.
“Nina probably thinks that he will marry her one day. So delusional. Alessio doesn’t even care for her. She is just so easy and always comes for more. If she never comes back, Alessio wouldn’t even bat an eye or go looking for her. He has plenty of other women lining up for him.”
“Hmm,” I said, stretching out beside her.
“But I hate her because she is ruining my ship.”
My forehead creased in confusion at her words. “What do you mean?”
Maddie’s eyes went wide for a second and then she shook her head. Biting down on her lips, she shrugged. “Nothing.”
“What ship? What are you talking about?”
“It’s nothing,” Maddie said as she sat up. She leaned over me and took the remote control. “What do you want to watch?”
I stared at her for a second before turning toward the TV that Artur installed for me a few days ago. Maddie was definitely changing the topic and I was curious by what she meant.
But I decided to let it go. I would get it out of her later.
***
“Goodnight,” I called, waving at Maddie. Smiling, I made my way upstairs.
Dinner was over a long time ago and after cleaning the dining room and kitchen, we decided that it was time to call it a night.
I stopped at the piano room but didn’t knock. This was my routine. Well, our routine. Alessio and I would avoid each other during the day, but at night, I would play for him before going back to our bedrooms. It was our unspoken agreement.
Gentle and sweet Alessio was only at night. During the day, he was cold Alessio. And a teaser too. I was back to being called “kitten.”
If there was a time we crossed paths by accident, he would give me the same heated look. He would tease me with his slight touch and then walk away as if nothing happened.
But today, after what I saw in the hallway, I felt a little apprehensive. My stomach was twisted in knots. I was embarrassed for both me and him. I knew he didn’t care, but I did. It felt weird to catch him in such a compromising position.
But I also wanted to play the piano. It had become my obsession. But it wasn’t just the piano.
I treasured the small, gentle, and silent moment that Alessio and I shared every night. We barely talked. I played and he listened. And then we would go to sleep. But still, it was important to me.
So, I raised my hand and knocked on the door.
When I heard him call me in, I opened the door and walked inside before closing it behind me. Tonight Alessio was sitting on the couch as always, but this time he had his laptop. He was typing furiously, but when I got closer, he looked up and stopped.
I smiled but he didn’t. As always.
Alessio closed his laptop and placed it on the coffee table before leaning back against the couch and stretching his legs in front of him.
That meant one thing. He was ready for me to play. Giving him another smile, I walked to the piano and sat down behind it. My eyes closed and my fingers moved.
The sweet melody came through and my muscles relaxed. I played that song every night, while quietly singing the lyrics.
With each song, my chest grew fuller with contentment. It felt like I was flying. I was free.
After two songs, I opened my eyes and stared at Alessio. And as every night, his warm blue eyes were fixated intensely on mine as he watched me play.
I played the third song, our gazes still locked. We stared. We breathed. I played. I sang. He watched. And it was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced.
After the third song, I stopped. Alessio kept his eyes on me as I stood up. Walking slowly toward him, I stopped a few feet away.
“Goodnight,” I whispered.
“Goodnight,” he said.
And every single night, those were the only words spoken by us.
Giving him a soft smile, I walked out of the piano room. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. My heart continued the same pitter-patter dance.
I walked to my bedroom with the same constant smile on my face. When I got inside, I quickly shrugged off my black dress and put on the light pink night dress that Lena bought for me. I crawled into bed and closed my eyes. Moving my hand under my pillow, I searched for Alessio’s jacket.
But my hand only made contact with the mattress. My eyes snapped opened and I quickly sat up. Pushing my pillows away, I looked for the jacket.
I couldn’t find it.
No. No. No.
Jumping out of my bed, I went around my bedroom, desperately looking for his jacket. My peace.
I couldn’t sleep without it.
I needed it!
But it was nowhere to be found.
I was breathing hard, my hair a wild mess. Bringing my hand up, I pressed it against my chest as panic coursed through my body.
Milena had cleaned my room this morning. She must have found it and taken it away. I was so stupid. I should have known. But I had completely forgot.