Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 221

Domestic Chaos

1 Week Later

The therapist's office smells like cinnamon. It kind of tickles my nose, reminding me of Christmas and Thanksgiving.

I sit, tucked into a large, pale pink armchair that squeaks every time I move, with my legs crisscrossed and my arms tight across my chest.

Her name is Cami, and she's young. Maybe like in her late twenties. Her hair is dyed a soft cotton candy pink, the ends curled slightly. She's wearing a chunky yellow cardigan that I

kind of want for myself and I almost feel like I'm talking to a friend.

I tell her about the accident, about my relationship with my brother.

Her neon green nails click gently against the arm of her chair as she waves and gestures,

which she does often.

“That's a lot,” she says in an empathetic whisper.

I blink at her. That's an understatement. I manage a small smile. "Yeah. That's one way to

put it.".

She laughs easily, not in a fake way, but the kind that sounds like warmth. Like sunshine.

I'm not sure if I like her yet.

But I don't dislike her either.

She doesn't push. Just lets the silence linger. I'm kind of thankful for that because I'm not

sure I can get into anything having to do with Zaid, Jake or Aiden.

"Do you still talk to your mother?"

I shake my head. "A lot more has happened since the accident. She's in Arizona. I'm here,

I don't-"

I swallow, tightening my arms around myself.

her head. "We don't have to dive into everything today. Let's go at

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Domestic Chaos

and her

the corners, and I can tell she's feeling it. Not just nodding through

are puffy, my throat sore. I'm wrung out like a rag. And even though I only gave her pieces of the

me is a terrible thing to go through. Watching her lose herself in grief while

Cami validated it all.

think I

wanting to get it out so that

like

this.

takeout and cardboard. Boxes

others with sticky notes in Zaid's neat

tiny shred

off my shoes and wander to the kitchen, pour myself

still shaking from earlier.

of me that wants to sink into Zaid's arms, to bury my face

this happened. I remember how good it used to feel to

on the way he rolled his hips into

he kissed me and told

crave it so much right

can't. I promised myself I'd learn to

sip my water slowly. Let the

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Domestic Chaos

corner and one wall slowly filling with pictures and scraps of paper. The beginnings of a hunt

mattress and let my head fall back against the

on my door. My heart does this stupid skip thing

say, voice softer

is messy, shirt slightly wrinkled. He looks tired, in the

"How was it?"

only nod over the lump in

sees the emotion on my face and sits beside me on the mattress. "Are you going

back?"

I can."