The Shadows We Keep

CHAPTER EIGHT

Gabriella's pov

I was safe. I was safe. I was safe. It was what I tried to tell myself even though I was so unhappy. It's been fourteen days since I've arrived in Los Angeles, and it felt like eternity since I felt I had any form of control over my life.

It felt just like the hospital, but worse. Since I wasn't familiar with my surroundings, I couldn't move around as I pleased. I had a monotonous routine : wake up, eat, get ushered to the garden by the maid, Gretta, eat again, then sleep. I felt locked up.

Matteo on the other hand was like a ghost. It was almost like I had made him up these past few months, and now my reality was struggling to keep up with my fantasy.

I hardly slept, because my nightmares kept me up. The darkness was oppressive, like a physical weight that pressed down on me at all times. But what difference did it make? Day or Night, it was all the same to me. This left me filled with so much panic and anxiety, that I began to create scenarios in my head. I thought about how much of a big mistake this was. I didn't fully know Matteo, and I just let him take me to an entirely different city. What if this wasn't Los Angeles? What if I was somewhere else, and what if Matteo was someone dangerous? I was vulnerable, and he had taken advantage of that. What if this was all a trap?

I stood up, my hands shaking with frustration. I needed to get out of here, I couldn't stay here anymore.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Gretta's voice called out. "Gabriella, breakfast is ready."

When I didn't give a reply, she came into the room, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the walls. "Gabriella, are you okay? You haven't been eating much lately."

Gretta was around my age, and was nice to me. But it always felt more like she did it as a job rather than the goodness of her heart.

"I'm not hungry." I replied, and took a step away from her.

"Are you sure? Do you want me to bring it to your room? I could help you if you want."

"I'm blind, not immobile!" I snapped.

She was clearly taken aback because she paused for a moment before she spoke. "Gabriella.."

"I need to speak to Matteo."

Her voice was calm yet firm. "I believe that's not possible, Matteo is unreachable right now. He went on a business trip this morning, and won't be back today."

I glanced at her, my eyes wide in panic. "Why didn't he tell me? Why would he leave me here alone?"

"Gabriella, are you okay? Do you have a fever?"

She tried to touch me, but I shrugged away. "Don't touch me!"

I clenched my hands to fists. "I am not crazy or sick! And unless Matteo returns, then I won't eat, and don't bother coming to my room until then."

"You can't just starve yourself till he comes back. I could get in trouble for that!"

"Then you better find a way to get him to come back."

She scoffed, here tone incredulous. "You can't just demand the presence of someone like Matteo."

"Who is Matteo? What does he really do? I need you to tell me Gretta, please."

She was quiet for a moment as if weighing her decisions. "Of course, I shouldn't force you to have breakfast. I'll be back to call you for lunch."

She didn't wait for what I had to say before she walked out of the room, leaving me more confused and frustrated than ever.

I ignored the food she brought up to my room during lunch and didn't even bother with dinner.

****

Days passed, and I grew more desperate. I refused the food Gretta kept bringing to my room, and in the process lost some weight. But I couldn't care any less, the only thing that weighed me down was how I felt trapped. I had to find a way out.

"You know you can't just keep refusing food, Gabriella." Gretta said one night. She came up to my room with a tray of pasta and fruits. "I'm going to get in big trouble if Matteo comes back, and finds out you haven't been eating. "

"You still haven't told him I want to see him?" I said, glaring at her.

She sighed. "It's not that easy to reach the man, especially when he goes on his trips."

"It's a phone call away."

She moved further into the room, and placed the tray on my bed. "Please, you need to eat."

I shook my head, regretting it instantly because of the dizziness that came with it. "I'm fine." I whispered.

"I'll leave it here, in case you change your mind." She said, and in no time she was out of the room.

I waited until Greta's footsteps faded away, and the house was silent once again. This was it. I had to get out here.

I slowly got out of bed, my hands outstretched in front of me. I made my way to the window, my fingers tracing the outline of the furniture and the wall. Finally I found the latch, but it was stuck.

"s**t!" I whispered as I struggled with it. After a couple of pulls, it finally swung open, and the rush of the cool night air blew in my face.

"Okay." I said and hoisted myself up onto the windowsill, my hands grasping for the frame. From what I had noticed, my room wasn't that high up, and I was sure not to break my neck. As long as I didn't slip and fall, that is.

I swung my legs over the side, careful not to slip or fall. "I just jump, and run."

It sounded like a stupid idea, but I needed to get out of this room, out of this place. I took a deep breath, and pushed myself out of the window. But as I dropped down, I realized I had misjudged the distance. I fell to the ground all right, but not without a loud crack from my ankles.

"Arghhh." I cried out in pain, and grabbed my leg. "f**k!"

Realizing the noise I just made, I clamped my free hand over my mouth. I had to get up, or someone is going to find me. Pursing my lips together, I tried to get up on my feet, but my ankle couldn't bear the weight. My head spun around, and I wished I had at least eaten something before my stupid stunt.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching towards my direction. I had to move!

"Gabriella?" Matteo's smooth voice rang out through the night.

I turned my head towards the sound. "Matteo?"

His footsteps were louder and more urgent. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I..I"

He was beside me in an instant, his hands gently grasping my arms. "What were you doing? Why are you on the floor?" He squatted down until I could feel his breath on my face. "Were you trying to run away?"

I tried to explain, but he cut me off. "You could have killed yourself! Do you have any idea how high that window is?!"

As he said that, I winced at the pain in my ankle, and that didn't go unnoticed.

"You hurt yourself." He sighed, and gently lifted me up, cradling me in his arms. "Let's get you back inside, and you're going to tell me exactly why you tried to do this."

I ought to feel angry, scared, unsure, but instead, I felt safe. Safe in the arms of a man I hardly knew a thing about.