The safest place that is made only for you

Mia's Pov:

"Mia, how are you? Is your family treating you well? How are you doing over there?" he asks.

I knew he was worried about me.

Dani, I missed you so much. I say, crying harder.

I slowly sat on the bed, only focusing on Danish and no one else.

"I missed you soo much too. I got your father's number from my moms," he says, the last part whispering.

My heart pained to hear his voice like that.

He was still feeling guilty for everything that had happened.

"Is everything okay over there? How are you? Did you treat your wounds well?" he asked me.

He was worried about me.

He wasn't even asking me why I left without saying goodbye to him.

I...I.. my wounds...are good.

They have..... been treated by a good doctor. I say while crying.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down.

My wounds have healed.

But how are you and how is Ava? I ask him.

I noticed from the corner of my eyes that Nathan was getting closer, and dad and everyone else were standing by the door.

"I am happy that you are doing well over there. Don't worry about Ava and me. I have to go now before mom notices," he says.

And before I could say anything, he shut the call.

Danish!

Danish! I screamed into the phone as if it would make him come back.

I put the phone down and just cried.

Nathan came sitting next to me and started to stroke my back.

I put him in a hug and just cried on his shoulder.

"What do you mean your wounds have healed?" asks dad.

Oh, I forgot he was here.

What am I going to tell him now?

"Dad, Mia needs alone time now. She will tell you when she is ready," says Evelyn defending me.

"Mia, what happened? What did he mean by have your wounds healed?" asks dad.

I could hear the sadness in his voice.

I knew I should have told him before, but I just couldn't.

It would bring no good.

I let go of Nathan and looked dad in the eyes.

Nathan stood up.

"Uhmm, I will give you guys some space," he says while picking up his bag.

No, I didn't want him to leave.

I really didn't, but I knew that dad deserved an answer, but the problem was if I could say it.

Nathan. I say, unsure of everything.

"You can do it," he mouths to me.

Everyone left me alone with dad.

I slowly look him in the eyes, but I regret it the moment I do it.

There was betrayal in his eyes.

Like he felt betrayed and hurt by my actions.

Dad, I thought my whole life that...

I pause for a while, not knowing what to call them.

That Isabel and Michael were my parents. I say, letting a tear fall.

The memories started returning, making me feel like I was reliving everything again.

It was like I was back in that house again with her.

My breathing was getting heavier the more I thought about her.

Everything that I thought I had built seemed to crumble down.

I started to feel myself shake and wanted to run away soo terribly, but I couldn't as it felt like my legs were glued to the ground like I always belonged to be in the darkness.

Her voice started replaying in my head.

I screamed, wanting it to stop so badly.

I put my hands in my hair, plucking my hair out, hoping it would make it all stop.

"Mia! Mia, darling, please don't frighten me. What is wrong?" I could hear my father's voice, but it wasn't helping.

It wasn't making the voices in my head stop, so I screamed louder desperately.

"Hey, stop it. You are safe here! You are okay! Please listen to me," I heard a voice I wanted to hear so badly.

It was soo soft but at the same desperate, just like me.

I was met with a hard chest which startled me, but when his smell met me, I started to calm down immediately, like it was the thing I was missing all along.

I wrapped my arms around him, afraid he would let go of me.

Nathan picked me up and sat down on the bed with me on his lap.

I still didn't let go of him.

I didn't want to!

I didn't want him to leave me just like everyone else always did.

"Shushhh. It's okay! You are here, in my arms. The safest place that is made only for you," he says with the sweetest voice in my ear.

I smiled through my pain.

I calmed down.

I stopped crying.

After what seemed like hours, I slowly let go of Nathan and looked him in the eyes.

He smiles gently, putting my hair out of my face.

He leans in and kisses me on my forehead.

When his lips touched me, I felt like my panic attack had never happened. She had never invaded my head, and I was just there with Nathan by my side.

He made me feel so peaceful.

Oh, what was he doing to me?

It made me soo scared that he had soo much effect on me, but it made me the happiest person on earth as well that he was here and not anywhere else.

He slowly lets me sit on the bed, telling me with his eyes that it would be okay.

Dad kneels on the ground before me.

"I am soo sorry. I just wanted to know what happened. I felt sad that you didn't tell me anything when you were going through all that," he says.

I could see the worry in his eyes.

I hugged him hard, wanting to tell him how grateful I was for everything, wanting him to know that I was more than happy to be here.

It was my fault for not telling you.

I should have told you instead of hiding it. I say, feeling guilty.

"Take your time. You can tell me whenever you are ready. I just want you to know that I am here for you, always," he says softly.

I know. I say, breaking the hug.

Out of nowhere, I was put in a hug by someone else.

I knew who it was.

"Oh, Mia. You always shock me whenever you do this," says Evelyn hugging me till I couldn't breathe anymore.

Can't. Breathe. I say to her.

I heard Nathan chuckling, and it felt soo melodious.

Evelyn, let's go off me and looks at me.

"I am sorry," she says.

I smile at her.

I looked at the door and noticed Olivia and Emily standing there.

I stood up slowly, feeling dizzy.

Nathan noticed it when you helped me to walk to the door.

I look at Emily.

I know she was scared of what she just saw.

I put her in a hug.

It's okay.

I am fine.

It was just temporary. I say to calm her down.

She was shaking a bit, just like me.

She hugged me back, and I felt relieved.

Emily was just like me and wouldn't show what she was feeling, but I was happy that we were getting closer.

I let go of her, and she smiles at me.

I return it and look at Olivia.

"You scared me," she says, putting me in a hug before I can even process what she said.

I chuckled a bit and hugged her back.

How did I deserve all these people? I ask myself.

She lets go of me and takes a good at my face.

"You look exhausted. Why don't you take a rest?" Olivia says, acting like her usual self.

Grandma. I said to annoy her.

She smacked me on my arm gently, and I chuckled.

"Let's all go out so she could take a rest," I heard father say.

Everyone was going out, and I looked at Nathan.

I didn't want him to leave.

When everyone walked out, he walked to me and put his head on mine, grabbing my waist and making me freeze all over again.

"Make sure to take a good rest," he says.

Are you going to leave? I asked him, scared.

"No, no. I will come back later. I just have something to take care of," Nathan says, looking me in the eyes.

I wanted to ask him soo badly where he would go, but I let it go.

"Did I ever tell you how gorgeous you look? You take my breath away every time I see you," he says, making me blush all over.

"You don't know what you are doing to me," he says, putting me closer to him.

No, YOU don't know the effect you have on me. I say, taking all the courage to look him in the eyes without blushing or looking away.

He smiles.

"I have to go now, but I will come back later," he says, giving me a peck and letting go of me.

I felt cold when he left me.

It's like he took all the warmth with him.

I go to the bathroom and wash my face without looking in the mirror. I go back and go into my bed.

I knew if I looked into it, I would feel all my confidence drown and hear her all over again.

I smiled, thinking about what he said.

Did I have the same effect on him?

I go to sleep, still feeling Nathan's scent all over me.

***

I wake up by the sound of someone knocking.

I opened my eyes and told the person to come in.

Evelyn comes in smiling.

"Okay, sleepyhead. You should wake up now. Everyone is waiting for you for dinner, including Nathan," she says, winking at the last part.

I push her away, blushing.

She goes away, chuckling.

I got out of bed quickly, not caring about my headache.

I go to the toilet to freshen up and change my clothes.

I put on an oversized long-sleeved shirt and wide-leg trousers.

I just brush through my hair and put on some moisturizer and lip gloss.

I run downstairs, almost slipping.

"My love, I told you not to run on the stairs," says father looking at me with the loveliest look.

I giggled and felt his stare at me.

They were all sitting at the dinner table, even stepmom.

She didn't say anything to me, which made me sad.

I walked over to sit next to him, still with our eyes locked.

"I see someone doesn't want to sit next to her father anymore," says father.

Evelyn laughed.

I knew he was teasing me.

I smile over at him, feeling embarrassed.

How could I have forgotten that I always sit next to dad? I say in my mind slapping my forehead.

Nathan chuckles.

Olivia comes with Mila and Chloe and puts food on the table.

Olivia looks my way and winks at me.

No wonder Evelyn and her are best friends.

I look away from her and inhale his smell.

He was wearing different clothes now.

More comfortable.

It was a tracksuit with a hoodie.

We started eating, and everyone started chatting.

I would join from time to time, but mostly I would admire how Nathan was bonding with everyone so quickly.

He talked to dad like they had known each other their whole life.

Someone kicked me in the leg, and I looked over at the person wincing in pain.

"You are drooling," mouths Evelyn me.

"Are you okay?" asks Nathan, worried.

Yeah, don't worry. I tell him, glaring at Evelyn.

After a while, we had finished.

I went into the kitchen to ask Olivia if she needed any help.

"No way, you will help me. You can help me by taking a lot of rest and getting better," she says, shoving me out of the kitchen.

It was already 8 pm in the night.

I walk back to the living room.

Nathan looks at me.

He was talking to dad anymore.

Dad was talking to stepmom now.

Nathan walks towards me.

I look at him and gasp at how sexy he looks in everything he wears.

"Done checking me out?" he says close to my ear.