Once, my paranoid love

In the hazy realms of memory, Paul recalled a time when life was simpler and his world revolved around sandcastles and childhood dreams. He and Elena, bound by the innocence of youth, had forged a bond that felt unbreakable.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow on the sandy shore where they played. Paul and Elena knelt side by side, their small hands busy shaping the gritty sand into a form that resembled a house-a place where they imagined a future together.

“Look, it’s our house,” Paul declared proudly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The sandcastle they crafted might have been just a miniature, but in their imaginations, it represented so much more.

Elena, ever the realist, even at a tender age, gently corrected him, her voice filled with wisdom beyond her years. “This isn’t a real house; it’s a dollhouse,” she said, her words punctuated by a touch of melancholy. “We won’t be able to enter this house.”

Undeterred by her pragmatism, Paul remained resolute. He placed his palm tenderly on Elena’s cheek, his eyes sparkling with determination. “I’m going to build a house like this when I grow up, stupid girl,” he declared, a playful grin on his face. “After that, we’ll live there.”

Elena’s eyes brightened with hope and anticipation. “Really, that’ll be our house, huh, Paul?” she asked, her voice tinged with wonder.

Paul nodded emphatically, his conviction unwavering. “Only you and I will live there. I won’t allow anyone.”

A question lingered in Elena’s gaze as she sought clarity. “No one?” she inquired, needing assurance that their bond would remain exclusive.

Paul’s response was swift and definitive. “Yes, but Diana aunt is allowed to come there as well,” he added, a testament to the special place Diana held in their hearts.

Elena’s laughter filled the air, a melody of joy that seemed to resonate with the promise of their shared dreams. “Mom! Yes, we three will live happily there,” she proclaimed, her laughter contagious.

In that fleeting moment, as they built their sandcastle and exchanged vows of future togetherness, Paul and Elena shared a bond that transcended the boundaries of childhood. Their dreams were simple, and their world was pure.

**

[Before an hour]

The airport terminal buzzed with activity, travelers coming and going, each with their own story to tell. Among them was a woman named Lucy, a figure from Derek’s past who had left him bewildered and frustrated.

Derek stood there, waiting impatiently for Lucy’s arrival. She had disappeared without a word, refusing to pick up his calls, and his irritation had grown with each unanswered ring.

“Derek!” a voice called out, and he turned to find Lucy standing before him, seemingly out of thin air.

A grimace crossed Derek’s face as he took in her appearance. There was an odd smile on Lucy’s lips, and her presence only served to deepen Derek’s confusion and irritation.

“Exactly why are you here?” Lucy stammered, her smile persisting as she studied Derek’s expression.

Derek couldn’t contain his frustration any longer.

“Are you here to pick me up? Am I dreaming?” She retorted, her tone laced with sarcasm and annoyance.

Lucy’s smile faltered, and she seemed taken aback by Derek’s response. His anger was palpable, and it was clear that he had not forgiven her for her abrupt disappearance.

“Idiot, keep your mouth shut! You don’t have the right to ignore my phone calls,” Derek snapped, his frustration boiling over. The tension between them was palpable, and the unspoken grievances of their past hung in the air like a heavy cloud.

“Relax, buddy, I was busy,” Lucy retorted, her tone laced with attitude. But her bravado was a facade, a fragile shield she had erected to mask her anxiety. The fear that her ignored calls might have consequences she couldn’t bear to face drove her to maintain the act.

“Now, take me back to my house. I’m exhausted as well,” she declared, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempts to appear composed.

Derek’s response was laced with sarcasm and veiled menace. “Oh, you’re so exhausted right now? Madam, why don’t you let me give you a massage?” he suggested with a predatory smirk. His words and his demeanor were unsettling, and Lucy’s trepidation deepened.

With a smile that sent shivers down Lucy’s spine, Derek reached out and made a menacing move toward her neck. It was a gesture that pushed Lucy to the brink of terror, and she couldn’t contain her fear any longer.

“Wha-What do you want from me?” Lucy screamed, her voice echoing through the terminal. Her eyes were wide with terror as she confronted the very real threat that Derek had become.

Derek’s actions had crossed a line, and Lucy’s fear was genuine. Her attempt to keep up appearances had crumbled in the face of his menacing behavior.

“Take me to her place,” Derek said.

“Her place?” Lucy repeated, feigning innocence. She looked at Derek with a mock expression of surprise, fully aware of the effect her words were having on him.

Derek, seemingly undeterred by Lucy’s playful teasing, responded with a hint of exasperation. “What? But I’ve just arrived,” she protested, her voice tinged with frustration.

However, the situation took an eerie turn as Derek’s demeanor shifted. A creepy smile spread across his face, causing Lucy’s playful facade to crumble into genuine fear. His sudden transformation left her on edge, and her attempt to smile in response to his unsettling expression was feeble at best.

Suddenly, Derek gave Lucy a creepy smile and said, “What did you say?” Lucy tried to smile in fear.

[After one hour]

Lucy and Derek found themselves in an unusual and tense situation. They were both looking forward to seeing Anne, yet their interactions had been marred by lingering tension and unresolved issues.

“Why don’t you wait for an hour, Derek? We can come here once I’ve taken a clean shower,” Lucy grumbled, her frustration evident. Her annoyance seemed to simmer just beneath the surface, and her words carried an undertone of anger.

Derek, however, was resolute. “No, I can’t,” he replied firmly, his determination unwavering. His desire to see Anne clearly outweighed any discomfort or inconvenience he might experience.

Lucy couldn’t resist the opportunity to taunt Derek, her words dripping with sarcasm. “What are you going to do if she rejects you?” She quipped, her tone laced with a mocking edge.

Derek’s brows furrowed in response to Lucy’s jibe. His frustration with her behavior was palpable, and he couldn’t comprehend why she seemed so insistent on making things difficult. His thoughts betrayed his exasperation as he wondered, ‘This girl is an absolute jerk. Why is she turning me down? I just want to see her for once.’

But Derek was quick to refocus his attention on his ultimate goal. “Stop blabbering, Lucy,” he retorted, his tone firm and resolute. “All I want to do now is see her,” he explained, his voice carrying a note of earnestness.

“Hump bullshit,” Lucy said.

“Mind your language,” Derek was about to say, when a woman’s approach was marked by a sense of calm and poise as she addressed them. “Yes, tell me how I may help you,” she offered, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

Lucy, determined to cut to the chase, wasted no time in stating their intention. “We want to meet Elena,” she declared, her tone resolute.

The woman’s response was delivered with a sense of finality. “Oh, she’s not at home,” she stated matter-of-factly.

“By the way, who are you guys? I’ve never seen you,” Anne inquired, her gaze shifting between Lucy and Derek, her expression curious.

Lucy seized the opportunity to engage in some playful banter, offering a smile as she replied, “Oh, we’re her friends. And what about you?” Her voice carried a teasing tone, concealing the shock and confusion that had overtaken her.

Anne’s response was unexpected and profound. “I’m her mother,” she stated plainly, her words carrying a weight that hung in the air like a revelation.

Lucy’s initial hesitancy and disbelief were palpable as she hesitated and glanced at Derek. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, yet the picture they formed was far more complex than either of them had anticipated.

“But I heard her mother died when she was ten,” Lucy finally ventured, her voice hesitant as she continued to smile, sharing her disbelief with Derek.

Anne took a step closer, offering clarification that was both surprising and enlightening. “My name is Anne D’Souza, and I’m her stepmother,” she explained, shedding light on a facet of Elena’s life that had remained hidden until this moment.

Lucy’s amazement at the revelation of Elena’s stepmother’s name was evident in her shocked response. “What? Elena never told me her name is D’Souza,” she exclaimed, her surprise clear.

Derek, too, was taken aback by the revelation, and he couldn’t help but express his astonishment. “So, you’re Anne D’Souza?” he inquired, his voice reflecting his shock at this unexpected twist.

Anne confirmed her identity with a simple, “Yes, and you?” Her gaze shifted between Lucy and Derek, and her curiosity piqued.