𝟎𝟏 | 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 beginnings

"Loving you was the most exquisite form of self destruction" —David Jones

IT WAS NEVER the most common option for Avelina to believe in fairy tales. She was a woman doomed with bad luck. She was doomed with a mind full of outrageous thoughts that wouldn't allow her to be free. Once upon a time was only a figment of the imagination, but Adrik was beginning to ease it into her reality.

"I can't look. What does it say?" Avelina asked once she finished pacing back and forth. Her heart was thumping so powerfully in her chest, she was sure Miss Paola could hear it. Biting down on her lip wasn't enough to calm the thoughts running wild in her mind.

"Oh," Miss Paola uttered.

Avelina's brows pulled together at the remark that fell from the woman's lips. It wasn't enough to either end the curiosity pounding at her mind. All it did was leave the hairs on the nape of her neck to stand up at attention.

"Am I preg—"

Miss Paola handed the test over to Avelina. Her heart immediately fell to the floor at the sight of the one line shown on the little screen to the pregnancy test. She had to check only to check again in order to make sure that she hadn't misread the test. However, no matter how many times she rinsed out her eyes to make sure she wasn't just seeing things, the test was always the same—positive.

"Oh," Avelina found herself repeating. It wasn't just one positive test, but it was all four. "What do I do?"

"I don't know! Tell the father," Miss Paola pronounced as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

Avelina knew she was right, but she couldn't end the battle of doubt that began to surface in her mentality. Adrik was a complex man, and he was candid about everything including the way things would make him feel. It would tear her apart if he ever came close to not wanting her and the baby in a way that was sealed forever.

"You're right. I'm going to go tell him and we will come up with a plan together," Avelina declared.

Miss Paola nodded her head as the corner of her lips lifted up into a reassuring smile. "Go get 'em, tiger!"

Avelina walked out of the bathroom and charged down the stairs. A sigh moved past her lips. Drizzle complimented her body the moment she stepped outside. As she moved, Avelina reached for her phone from the inside of her pocket. She instantly began dialing Adrik's number. He had told her to call him if she ever needed a ride, and it was exactly what she desperately needed at the moment. She had neglected to bring her wallet and didn't exactly have any money to pay for a taxi.

Her phone began to ring. Typically, Adrik always made sure to pick up his phone. Not a lot of people ever bothered calling him unless it was important. So, when her phone went straight to voicemail, she couldn't stop her lips from drooping down into a frown.

As she walked through the crowded streets, she sent Adrik a text. The text informed him that she was done with Miss Paola and really needed to talk to him. She waited a few moments before also letting him know that she didn't have any form of transportation.

He never responded.

Her shoulders fell with ease. Worry was prickling at her emotions. It was so unlike him to behave like he had no care in the world about her. Suddenly, the drizzle quickly converted into a rainstorm. Huge splats of water drenched her entire body with efficiency.

"Just my luck," she whispered.

People were bumping and pushing her with each step she took. As much as she disliked walking, she knew there was no other choice. Luckily for her, Adrik didn't work too far from where Miss Paola lived. It was only a block away, which didn't make it that far of a distance for her to walk.

After quite a long walk full of crowding and pushing, she finally made it to his office. She was immersed in rainwater and her body was shivering just to gain some type of warmth. There was a small clatter of her teeth as she stepped into the building. The receptionist held wide eyes when he took in her drenched state.

"Miss Santos," Zaria let out, coming from the elevator. Zaria's expression matched the receptionist's–wide eyes and mouth. Avelina looked down at her apparel to see that everything was practically sticking to her body like glue. Customers were passing the woman by with confusion written within the dept of their eyes along with a swirl of pity.

"Hi, Zaria. I'm just going to go up to see Adrik," Avelina said, moving over to the elevator. Zaria quickly latched onto Avelina's arm, shaking her head as she stared down at her. Avelina couldn't understand why Zaria was suddenly acting so hostile. It didn't make sense to her. All she wanted was to go see Adrik, which was a task she did plenty of times without any confrontation.

"You can't see him right now," Zaria informed her.

"What? Why?" Avelina asked, raising a brow suspiciously. Zaria let out a sigh before trying to pull Avelina's arm over to sit down, but Avelina wasn't allowing it. She quickly snatched her arm from Zaria's hold. There was something going on, and Avelina didn't like it.

"Why can't I go see Adrik?" She asked, her voice rising slightly. It had to be some sick joke that they were playing on her. Avelina searched for cameras or someone to pop out and claim it was all some prank, but that never happened.

"I'm sorry. He's given us specific instructions that you can't s—"

"Zaria, it's me, Avelina. Since when am I not allowed to see Adrik?"

"I'm so sorry. I-I don't understand it at all. I'm only doing my job," Zaria explained. Avelina let out a sigh before looking over at the elevators that seemed so close but so far away. She was tempted to ignore Zaria's words and to go see the man who would be the father to her child, but she didn't. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't. Zaria seemed honest about not knowing what was going on. Avelina was sure that it had to have been Adrik's order to keep Avelina away. "Fine. I'll wait for him."

Zaria watched Avelina as she walked over to the waiting room. She plopped herself down the seat and uncomfortably sat there in wait with her foot tapping against the marble flooring. Avelina ignored the receptionist who watched her pathetically. She ignored the whining of her heart. She ignored the questions in her mind that wondered if maybe this was the end to her fairy tale.

***

Her body was being shaken awake. Slowly, she peeled back her eyelids only to gaze into the most beautiful of silver orbs. Adrik. Relief flooded her body as she quickly shot up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

A smile took over her face. "I have something to te—"

"Avelina," Adrik cut her off. She raised her brows in response, her smile still tugging on her lips. However, the longer she looked into his eyes, the more she could feel her smile slip from her face. His silver eyes that she used to love peering into because they were filled with such adoration—they were gone. Instead of seeing the sunshine that sparked hope and appeared magical, she saw rain clouds that loomed themselves in her nightmare. The Adrik she grew to love was no longer staring back at her. Instead, she saw the reflection of herself. A reflection that alerted her of the tears that began to fall from her eyes. Adrik was gone.

"Adrik?" She whispered.

"Go to Brazil and live out your dream. There is no significance in us anymore. I wish you well, Avelina," Adrik stated. He didn't bother to offer the courtesy of allowing her to respond. He simply began to walk off with his hands in his pocket as if Avelina was a stranger on the street.

Hurriedly, she latched onto his arm. "No, I'm going to stay. I plan on staying with you, Adrik. I love you, and there is something that I really need to tell y—"

"Go, Avelina! Leave, now, please."

She dropped her hold of him and glared into his eyes with so much hurt. She wanted him to see just how much he was ruining her. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He didn't say anything. He walked out of the door leaving her all alone.