Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina)

Chapter 253

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Secrets of Us: A Forbidden Love Romance

Chapter 253

I scroll through the photos on my phone slowly. I can't help the feelings that ignite

in my stomach just by looking at a picture of

him.

I brush my thumb over his lips, thinking about kissing him. Thinking about his breath across my skin.

I keep scrolling, photo after photo blinks up at me. Me and Zaid smiling in front of the lake, him asleep on the couch after one of our movie nights.

He was extremely supportive of me taking as many pictures as I wanted during that last week he had together. He joked that it would make him more secure with the fact that I wouldn't forget him

As if I could ever forget him.

I have a lot of closeups of just him, too. His dark hair a mess, his sleepy smile soft and real. I trace his face with my fingertip and feel the ache settle low in my chest.

The video call ringtone chimes, and I swipe to answer it just as my stomach flutters with nerves. Cami's face appears on the screen, her new electric blue hair wild around her face.

I can't help but smile. "I love the new look."

She grins and flips a piece of it over her shoulder. "Thanks, babe. I've been wanting blue hair since I was like ten, thought it was

time for me to try it out."

"Well, it looks really good," I smile.

She looks me over. "I appreciate the compliment, but you look good, too. So much

more

peaceful."

best way. I press my hand lightly

feel it," I

head, taking a sip of her iced

The food, the weather, just the whole atmosphere here. It's beautiful enough to where I can appreciate where I am even when I'm missing home so much

into something proud. "That's

Italy one hundred days now. I've read one hundred of Zaid's letters,

she adjusts, then

talk about. "It's been hard," I admit, tucking a loose piece of hair

laughs a little. "We've

proud of them. I

Seriously. Want to tell

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Chapter 253

it to be a surprise. I'll

the way it always does when she's about to switch into her serious therapist mode. "And how've you been doing

in my lap. I breathe in slowly, trying to follow the rhythm

guilt like

still there sometimes," I say honestly. "That little voice that tells me it's my fault. That they would still be

gently. "It probably always will be,

I whisper. I pull in

me, mimicking my breathing, so

not

alone.

thoughts. When it comes up, I acknowledge it, name it, guilt, sadness, regret, and then I remind myself: thoughts are not facts.

beams at me, so

and see me living. Really living. Not stuck. Not punishing myself over something that

think and speak, to sit in it for a second. "That's good, Alina. Really good. All we can do is control how we react to those thoughts. They are not always as

realizing how many times

her grin turns a little mischievous. "And how's a certain