Out of the World

12. The Morning After

Nina

My mind was foggy, and I only knew one thing: I needed to be close to him. I was always terrified of sleeping close to other people. While I was sleeping, I was helpless and they could hurt me. Having someone touching me while sleeping was a whole new level of panic. My throat clogged at the memories, things happened in one of my many foster homes. I had to hide and even sleep under my bed sometimes or in the backyard because I was so afraid.

Dizzy thoughts swirled in my mind, but the memories were clear. No one knew about the boy’s advances. Who would believe me? It was the stray girl’s word against their son’s. I knew that, like the other families, they fostered me for a few months only to get some money from the state.

I was afraid that the foster couple's son would try something again and this time succeed. So, I had to find ways to escape him for months, until I was transferred to another foster home.

Shaking my head, I tried to forget it. Zorion wasn’t like the older boy in that foster house. He was, he felt… different. Beyond the desire that made my body a mess, I wanted Zorion to hold me. His touch was the only touch that never gave me fear, aversion or made me flinch. His soft touch gave me a peace that was unknown to me.

My eyes opened slowly as Zorion exhaled sharply. He handed me the t-shirt folded on the chair and I put it on with difficulty, managing to take off my wet strapless bra in the process. Laying beside me on my tiny bed, he wrapped his arms around me. My dizzy mind could relax completely when his warmth enveloped me. A sense of peace and safety washed over me as I pressed my head against his chest.

“Good night, Mate,” these were the last words I heard before dozing off.

Even though I was lightheaded and quite dizzy, I slept better than in months. Strangely, I felt at home and free in the way that I only allowed myself to be with my art.

My mind took me to a huge tower. Its edge crossed the clouds. I was there on the balcony, looking up at the sky and breathing the soft air around me. Zorion wrapped his arms around me from behind and I spun around, melting in his embrace. Our lips touched and I gasped for his kisses.

A smile rose on my face as he brushed a stray lock of my hair behind my ear. His touch was tingling, and I felt as if sparks of light were brushing against my skin. I wasn’t wary or stressed; I trusted him and knew he wouldn’t hurt me, he wouldn’t let me fall. I was safe and free in his arms.

His lips caressed mine before his tongue entered my mouth. At first, it explored my mouth slowly and gently before it plunged into me with the heated desperation of passion. A warm sensation built in the pit of my stomach, spreading to my whole body and my moans grew in a crescendo, until they muffled into a scream. A scream of pleasure.

My eyes popped open as I woke up with a jolt. Sitting up fast, my gaze searched for him. He wasn’t here. Was it all only a dream? My stomach churned, and a bitter taste filled my dry mouth, letting me know that my hangover was real, very real. I wasn’t used to drinking — I didn’t have the money or time for that, not even if I wanted to — so, I was quite sensitive to alcohol.

It had to be real, no? He was real, but left my drunk ass as soon as possible. Of course he did! I let myself believe and dream for a moment only to wake up to another solitude. Another person walked away from my life.

Swallowing my tears and breathing deeply, I stood up. I was parched and really needed a painkiller for my raging headache. As soon as I arrived in the living room, my eyes opened wide and my dry lips opened like the ones of a dumb fish: Zorion was on the tiny yellow sofa, my old teapot and two mugs in front of him on the wood box that was our makeshift accent table.

“Good morning, Nina. I thought that you would need something to soothe your stomach,” he told me, and I nodded, still shocked and confused.

Sitting by his side, I sighed as the tension and frustration compressing my chest drained completely. He poured some tea for me and handed me the mug.

“Good morning. Zorion, thank you… I thought you left,” I murmured, my voice a little hoarse.

“Of course not. I couldn’t leave you here alone the way you were yesterday, stomach sick,” he told me. Looking around the sofa, I saw the pillow folded to a corner and realisation hit me.

“You slept on this sofa?” I asked, looking between the huge man and the tiny sofa while trying to understand how he would fit.

“I came here when the sun rose. I didn’t want you to wake up confused and get startled by having me in your bed… I didn’t know if you would remember.”

But I did. I remember everything. His kisses, in my dream and in the club. Zorion should have his picture added as a dictionary description for the word unforgettable. How could I ever forget his kisses and his touches when they were the strongest and strangest things I’ve ever felt?! Like a bolt of lightning, or thunder, his kisses were a storm: intense, wet, and all-consuming.

“I remember you and me…” I murmured, looking away and taking a long sip of my tea. Gosh, I was beyond embarrassed. Why did I have to choose last night to have all the teenage rebel-free and party animal years that I’ve never had? To make things even more awkward, Laura walked into the living room wearing only her tiny underwear.

Looking at Zorion and me, she laughed, “So, Nina Loca. Are you still a virgin or did you climb this deliciously sexy man?”

Swallowing hard, I didn’t reply to her. Was she still drunk?

Zorion wrapped a protective arm around me and replied to her, “Nina slept after she arrived. She was not in the condition of doing anything, just like you. Grab a mug of tea, Laura.”

Laura nodded and took a mug in her hand, moaning at the smell of the tea. Her eyes flared open and she looked at me, “Sorry, you were in the bathroom, so I ended up throwing up in your cactus. I couldn’t find anywhere else,” she shrugged. It was my only plant, and I really liked it. She could have vomited anywhere else!

“What the hell, Laura!” I narrowed my eyes and frowned. She shrugged once more and sipped her tea leisurely.

“ Nina, we can get you a new cactus,” Zorion told me, squeezing my hand slightly.

“Zorion,” I murmured. My mind was hazy, confused. I didn’t know what to do; I haven’t ever had anyone carrying and looking after me before, not really. “What do you want from me?” I asked the only thing that popped into my head.

“I want to date you, Nina. To kiss you, dance with you and have you in my arms.” He looked intently into my eyes and ran his fingers down my arm.

“Is that it?” I asked, biting my bottom lip nervously. For a strange reason, I wanted to trust him, but I couldn’t brush away all my wariness, my fear of getting close to someone.

“Mainly that, but I also want you to trust me. I know it’s hard and I know I started everything wrong. But I also know you can feel the same desire and the connection I feel,” he said softly. Laura chuckled at his words, but we both ignored her.

It wasn’t like I could deny that I felt these things, at least not after last night. I also knew that I couldn’t tell this dreamy and crazy guy to stay away when everything in me wanted him close, wanted his arms around me.

I was crazier than him. Now it didn’t matter, the need and urgency filled me completely and, for the first time in my life, I couldn’t deny my body and heart. I couldn’t escape my desire.

Now that I was already jobless and screwed, I might as well let myself fall and get lost in him until this need, this fever was over.

“Nina, I am afraid for your safety. You were alone when I saw you hurt and crying last night. Let me…” he started and I interrupted him with a huff.

“And here comes Crazy again.”

“You don’t have to believe it, just see it with your own eyes. My world…” he said, and I chuckled.

“Your world? So now you are an Alien as well? Like the crossover between ET and Harry Potter?” I narrowed my eyes. Nice! I was going crazy for a clinically crazy guy!

“Let’s make a deal? You come with me and if what I say it’s not true, I will leave you be. I will do whatever you want me to, buy you a new cactus and disappear from your life,” his words vibrated with determination.

My head nodded in agreement, even though I didn’t want him to disappear from my life. Well, at least not before I could extinguish this fever and brush him off my mind. Since the day I first saw him, I couldn’t think straight, and all my thoughts and dreams were about his eyes, his touch, him.

“Okay, but I am not going anywhere dangerous, any alley or entering any closed place with you,” I replied. Smiling, he took my hand in his, he helped me to stand up. Wait, he wanted to go to the Land of Oz now? I couldn’t leave home. I was wearing only my sleeping shirt and no bra.

“We won’t go anywhere like that, we can reach my place from this living room,” he told me. Laura laughed and swirled her finger close to her head, looking at Zorion as to gesture that he was nuts. My face closed in a frown. I wouldn’t have her making fun of him. He might be certified crazy but he was my crazy dream-guy!

Zorion closed his eyes and stayed quiet for a couple of minutes before muttering something under his breath in a strange language. He moved his hands in a circle and a small ray of blue light surged beside the box-table. The light expanded in the shape of a bright blue arc. Was it a magic trick? Something modern that Iphone 15 could do? What the hell? Opening his eyes, he squeezed my hand gently.

“Come with me,” he said, and we both walked towards the light. Surely, I would cross the hologram and reach the other side of the tiny living room, right?

My mouth fell open at what I saw when we crossed the light hologram. We were in an ample garden, filled with flowers of every size and colour imaginable. There were flowers bigger than me!

“Here we are! This is my aunt Lea’s garden,” he told me. My attentive eyes tried to capture all the details, all the bright and beautiful colours. I wanted to memorise every single thing and paint this place over and over. It was surely the most beautiful garden I’ve ever seen. As I breathed deeply, the sweet and unknown smell of these exotic flowers entered my nose.

Suddenly, a winged squirrel as big as my hand flew next to my eyes. Wait, a winged squirrel? Looking at it again, I let out a small squeal and the animal squealed as well. We both exchanged a gaze of shock before it flew away and hid its furry-winged body inside a flower.

“Are you alright?” Zorion asked, squeezing my hand and looking at me.

“I… it was true; all this time, it was true! Thanks Gosh you aren’t crazy!” I leaped towards him. Zorion caught me in his arms and lifted me to look intently into my eyes. An unknown sensation of joy expanded through my chest; it was exhilarating. Giggles left my lips, and I smiled like a madwoman. Gosh, I was so relieved that he wasn’t completely insane!

“It’s true and you are real, and you…” My heart beat faster than the funny wings of the squirrel, and wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed his lips.