One month after.
Dominik glanced at Carlos surreptitiously a n d Carlos nodded, indicating that everything was ready. Charlotte could not suppress the small smile that came from her lips, because she knew perfectly well what was going t o happen next. She was also Weigand's accomplice.
Samantha gave her friend a confused a n d questioning look.
"They say that h e who laughs alone remembers his pranks," she mumbled, poking the blonde's side with a finger.
Charlotte laughed out loud.
"I'm just happy t o have married a wonderful man," the Polish woman commented, scanning her surroundings with her eyes.
The garden looked beautiful, decorated in a vintage style with turquoise, white a n d silver decorations. Just two hours ago, Charlotte a n d Carlos had said "Yes, I do", in front of family a n d closest friends. Samantha was the maid of honor, a n d Dominik was the best man. Little Aháva played with some children, sons of some friends of the bride a n d groom.
"Who would have imagined it?" Samantha let out a weak sigh. My two best friends, married.” h e shrugged his shoulders up a n d down. It's so cliche,” h e scoffed.
-Shut! Charlotte exclaimed. What are you telling me? The Latin girl with the sexy, wealthy German with beautiful feelings? When do you plan t o get married?
Samantha couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic looking at the beautiful garden a n d remembering her wedding with Amir. Charlie noticed her friend's discomfort.
"I'm so sorry," h e apologized. I know that things are still very recent.
"Yes," Samantha nodded. Dominik a n d I decided t o take things easy, although I'm not denying that I'm beginning t o feel a little envious because of you.” She laughed a n d held her friend's hand. My goodness! His eyes widened as h e gazed once more at the precious white gold ring with a modest diamond set in it. Carlos sure hit the nail o n the head with that engagement ring.
"Yes. Its beautiful. A little pretentious though,” Charlotte mused. That's why I was the one who chose the wedding bands.” The blonde proudly showed the modest ring o n her finger. I prefer the simplest things... the most classic.
"That's why we're such good friends," Samantha smiled. What are those two up to? She nodded in the direction of Carlos a n d Dominik, who were standing a few feet away, whispering like they were a couple of kids about t o get up t o some mischief.
"I don't know." Charlotte shrugged a n d a small smile touched her lips again.
Samantha looked at her again with narrowed eyes.
"You know something, but you won't tell me," h e accused her.
Charlotte made a gesture with her hand, as if she were closing her lips with a n invisible zipper, a n d refused t o speak further.
***
"Come o n man! Carlos urged. You have nothing t o fear. She loves You.
"I don't know." Dominik shook his head. I don't think that's a good idea. Samantha still thinks about him, a n d I...
"Samanta loves you," Carlos felt the need t o make it clear t o her.
-Do you really believe that?
Carlos just nodded his head.
Dominik turned t o look at Samantha a n d take courage. h e took a deep breath, looked at Carlos for the last time, closed his eyes, exhaled, opened his eyes a n d started towards the woman h e loved.
As h e walked, h e went over the words h e would say t o her one by one.
"Samantha," h e whispered the name.
The aforementioned turned her head in Dominik's direction.
"What's going on? she asked.
They didn't need t o be told. Charlotte knew she was left out of the equation, so she slipped away t o leave them alone.
"Samantha," h e said again, clearing his throat. I know that, we agreed that... we would take things easy a n d that...
Samantha smiled at the scene, knowing how hard Dominik had t o express his feelings.
"I know that Amir's death i s still recent a n d that... the idea of forming a new family by my side, although you like it, i s not something you are contemplating at this moment, but Carlos believed it was..." Dominik couldn't help but turn t o look at his new friend, who gave him a thumbs up in encouragement. h e said it was a good idea a n d that...
"Dominik." Samantha took his hand. It was obvious from miles that h e wasn't comfortable with what h e was doing. It doesn't matter what I've told you. I love you.” She looked into his eyes. So relax, everything i s fine. Tell m e that important thing you have t o tell me.
"Will you marry me? h e blurted out without further ado.
Samantha widened her eyes in surprise. She was still having a hard time adjusting t o how forthright Dominik was when h e said things.
"You don't have t o say yes a n ymore," h e said quickly. You can take the time t o think about it. Also, the wedding doesn't have t o be right away, either. I can wait as long as you want. I'm... not... going t o force you t o do a n ything you don't want to. I know you still have a lot of feelings for Amir a n d that he…” Dominik stumbled over the words. h e was the one who raised Aháva, a n d she loves him very much. I do not intend that she, nor you, forget it. Me...
"Dominik." Samantha gave the hand she was holding a squeeze. I do,” she mumbled.
His eyes widened.
"Really? h e asked incredulously.
"Yes, Dominic. I love you.” She said the words very slowly so that h e wouldn't have a n y doubts.
Dominik let out a long breath.
"Oh! My sister was right. Loving a n d wanting are very different things.
"Why do you say that? Samantha frowned.
“When I asked Dihanna t o marry m e a n d she said yes, I didn't feel a n ything like what I'm feeling,” h e confessed. "I feel like...like...in my stomach," h e stammered. I can't find the words t o describe it. It's like when you get o n a roller coaster a n d... you go down. You feel that...
"I know exactly how you feel," Samantha said. Because that's exactly how I feel right now. They are called "butterflies in the stomach."
"What? Do I have insects inside me? h e looked confused.
"No, Dominik," she replied. It's a metaphor.
"I don't understand metaphors," h e said ruefully, staring at the ground.
"I know," she whispered. Everything in you i s innocence, a n d I love you for being the way you are.
Dominik smiled a n d Samantha hugged him.
In that instant, she understood.
All the tragedies that occurred were worth it t o be together.
"I love you too, Samantha," h e said, feeling how that feeling in his stomach dissipated, giving way t o the most absolute peace.
13 years laterHe smiled heartily, as h e always did after a presentation. Hearing the applause of his audience as h e walked offstage was undoubtedly his favorite thing since his father gave him a cape, top hat, a n d wand for his tenth birthday. h e decided t o dedicate himself t o illusionism when that afternoon at his grandmother's house, a magnificent magician left him speechless by drawing a dove o n a small blackboard a n d then shaking it a n d taking out a royal dove. As it did? It was the question that haunted August until h e reached adolescence a n d discovered it for himself after so much studying a n d practicing magic tricks. In the end, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was.After finishing school, the Real Centro Universitario María Cristina de San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Spain was her next step in her academic training, where she specialized in Illusionism. Having dreamy parents helped him a lot, otherwise h e would have had t o settle for being a graduate, enginee
"All the way down, all the way down, all the way down," they yelled in unison.The girls tried t o encourage the youngest of all t o drink the entire contents of her glass in one sip. However, the blonde with green eyes could not do it, because she did not like the taste of tequila or a n y alcoholic beverage. I didn't understand how there were people who drank liquor until their livers dried up, if the taste of alcoholic beverages was so awful.She licked her lips, wrinkled her nose, a n d put the glass back o n the table.Aháva grimaced a n d wiped the corner of her lip with the back of her hand.-I do not can. It's disgusting,” h e yelled, due t o the high volume of the music. How do they make you drink this? It i s awful!—Booo. Don't be a spoilsport,” the eldest of all spoke up. Lauren, a pretty woman about six feet tall, slim, with black hair, gray eyes, a n d white Caucasian skin."You said you'd have a couple of drinks with us," Jessica, the giggling redhead with black eyes a
Aháva tried t o take long strides t o get t o the bar as quickly as possible. The club was packed a n d people seemed t o be possessed by some kind of demon of lust, as they groped each other while dancing grotesquely. The blonde looked at the couple o n her right a n d couldn't help but shudder. Could it be that they did not know about the existence of hotels? God! She didn't understand why she agreed t o go t o that place with her friends, if she never liked going t o places like that. She was more of mountains, rivers a n d beaches. h e liked t o be in contact with nature while enjoying the silence or reading a good book. I had known Lauren, Jessica, a n d Alicia since I was eight years old. h e had just moved with his parents t o California. They lived in the same neighborhood a n d went t o the same school. Since then they were inseparable friends.Aháva was about t o turn nineteen a n d college was just around the corner. h e would study at one of the most prestigious universiti
The car was parked in front of the place h e had been frequenting for the last few days. It was a good place t o dance (he loved t o dance) a n d have a couple of drinks in the company of a pretty woman. h e met Melanie in New York a n d since then she accompanied him o n his tour. That's how h e wanted it, a n d although August didn't need the woman who was willing t o have a good time with him, she was perfect, because she was funny a n d undramatic. (At least it seemed that way at first) I didn't understand how his attitude changed in a matter of three days.He shook his head a n d cleared his mind. I didn't want t o think about that. h e was ready t o celebrate that night h e appeared in the place h e had dreamed of for so many years. For every illusionist, the MGM Grand Garden Arena was a statement that h e was reaching the pinnacle of his career. His parents knew it a n d that i s why they traveled from Scotland t o accompany him. Her little sister couldn't make it o n time beca
She was silent, watching as that handsome man walked away. She didn't understand why she couldn't stop looking at him. She had seen handsome men many times. His father lived surrounded by them. Athletic men with heart-stopping butts. However, there was something about… Damn! h e didn't tell her his name a n d h e wanted very much t o know. h e hit his forehead as h e remembered how h e treated him. "How stupid I am. At this rate, I'm going t o be alone." She couldn't help but feel like a fool for being so rude t o him. Perhaps his intentions were sincere… or perhaps not. h e felt a little relief when h e remembered the way that girl almost ran away, she seemed t o be running away from him. Maybe h e was a lout a n d deserved every one of his mistreatment.Anyway, h e decided not t o think about it a n ymore. She shook her head a n d started t o go back t o the table with her friends, but as soon as she did, she realized that her friends weren't there. h e took a quick look around the
I shook my head hard to concentrate on my friend's voice. She kept talking, but I stopped listening to her for a moment because I was thinking about Harvey, the gorgeous blond I met two months ago on one of my many girls' outings with Gabrielle, and who I started dating four weeks ago. He was divorced and had two young children. All my life I was reluctant to have anything with a man with children, because my policy was always: If I can buy a new car, ¿why buy a used one? This thought became ingrained in me as a result of living with my stepmother. It's not that our relationship was bad, but I remember a couple of times I tried to make her life miserable, just for fun. I was afraid that divine justice would take its toll on me for those years of rebellion and headaches I'd caused Valerie. But there was something about Harvey that appealed to me so much. He was very direct and upfront. When he approached me, he didn't do it with the typical cliché phrases that all men use to approac
I turned to the man who was talking to me. There was something in that voice that made me evoke a thousand memories. I looked at him carefully for a while, because although his face was very familiar to me, I couldn't place him. I opened my eyes like saucers and my heart stopped for a fraction of a second when I recognized the owner of those green eyes that were looking at me. In front of me was the personification of all my fears, traumas and insecurities. The man who served as a benchmark to compare all the people who came into my life after him. It was a beautiful vision, and at the same time a nightmare come true. “Antoine,” I said his name with difficulty. If the mere memory of him stirred up a lot of emotions in me, can you imagine “what his presence did to me?” The imposing figure of a six-foot-tall man lay before me. His eyes were greener than I remembered them and he had a beautiful smile (the one that brought out a couple of dimples in his cheeks) plastered on his face. He
Munich, Germany. Of all the things he did not like doing, getting out of bed was one of them. But he had to, the alarm clock was so exasperating.We Are The Champions was the one song he hated most in the whole world. That morning, like every other, he regretted choosing thatQueen song. If there is a way to hate a song, that is to use it as an alarm clock ringer to wake up to. But it was not all bad, at least, if he woke up feeling low or blue,Freddy Mercury's voice would remind him he was a champion. Dominik Weigand at age 19, was the most coveted player this season. Sports critics dubbed him “The Bullet”, because he was unstoppable when it came to scoring goals. Although he was a celebrity, Dominik never acted as such. He would reject invitations to crazy wild parties all the time. He was raised differently from the rest of his team mates. From a very young age, his father taught him the va
I turned to the man who was talking to me. There was something in that voice that made me evoke a thousand memories. I looked at him carefully for a while, because although his face was very familiar to me, I couldn't place him. I opened my eyes like saucers and my heart stopped for a fraction of a second when I recognized the owner of those green eyes that were looking at me. In front of me was the personification of all my fears, traumas and insecurities. The man who served as a benchmark to compare all the people who came into my life after him. It was a beautiful vision, and at the same time a nightmare come true. “Antoine,” I said his name with difficulty. If the mere memory of him stirred up a lot of emotions in me, can you imagine “what his presence did to me?” The imposing figure of a six-foot-tall man lay before me. His eyes were greener than I remembered them and he had a beautiful smile (the one that brought out a couple of dimples in his cheeks) plastered on his face. He
I shook my head hard to concentrate on my friend's voice. She kept talking, but I stopped listening to her for a moment because I was thinking about Harvey, the gorgeous blond I met two months ago on one of my many girls' outings with Gabrielle, and who I started dating four weeks ago. He was divorced and had two young children. All my life I was reluctant to have anything with a man with children, because my policy was always: If I can buy a new car, ¿why buy a used one? This thought became ingrained in me as a result of living with my stepmother. It's not that our relationship was bad, but I remember a couple of times I tried to make her life miserable, just for fun. I was afraid that divine justice would take its toll on me for those years of rebellion and headaches I'd caused Valerie. But there was something about Harvey that appealed to me so much. He was very direct and upfront. When he approached me, he didn't do it with the typical cliché phrases that all men use to approac
She was silent, watching as that handsome man walked away. She didn't understand why she couldn't stop looking at him. She had seen handsome men many times. His father lived surrounded by them. Athletic men with heart-stopping butts. However, there was something about… Damn! h e didn't tell her his name a n d h e wanted very much t o know. h e hit his forehead as h e remembered how h e treated him. "How stupid I am. At this rate, I'm going t o be alone." She couldn't help but feel like a fool for being so rude t o him. Perhaps his intentions were sincere… or perhaps not. h e felt a little relief when h e remembered the way that girl almost ran away, she seemed t o be running away from him. Maybe h e was a lout a n d deserved every one of his mistreatment.Anyway, h e decided not t o think about it a n ymore. She shook her head a n d started t o go back t o the table with her friends, but as soon as she did, she realized that her friends weren't there. h e took a quick look around the
The car was parked in front of the place h e had been frequenting for the last few days. It was a good place t o dance (he loved t o dance) a n d have a couple of drinks in the company of a pretty woman. h e met Melanie in New York a n d since then she accompanied him o n his tour. That's how h e wanted it, a n d although August didn't need the woman who was willing t o have a good time with him, she was perfect, because she was funny a n d undramatic. (At least it seemed that way at first) I didn't understand how his attitude changed in a matter of three days.He shook his head a n d cleared his mind. I didn't want t o think about that. h e was ready t o celebrate that night h e appeared in the place h e had dreamed of for so many years. For every illusionist, the MGM Grand Garden Arena was a statement that h e was reaching the pinnacle of his career. His parents knew it a n d that i s why they traveled from Scotland t o accompany him. Her little sister couldn't make it o n time beca
Aháva tried t o take long strides t o get t o the bar as quickly as possible. The club was packed a n d people seemed t o be possessed by some kind of demon of lust, as they groped each other while dancing grotesquely. The blonde looked at the couple o n her right a n d couldn't help but shudder. Could it be that they did not know about the existence of hotels? God! She didn't understand why she agreed t o go t o that place with her friends, if she never liked going t o places like that. She was more of mountains, rivers a n d beaches. h e liked t o be in contact with nature while enjoying the silence or reading a good book. I had known Lauren, Jessica, a n d Alicia since I was eight years old. h e had just moved with his parents t o California. They lived in the same neighborhood a n d went t o the same school. Since then they were inseparable friends.Aháva was about t o turn nineteen a n d college was just around the corner. h e would study at one of the most prestigious universiti
"All the way down, all the way down, all the way down," they yelled in unison.The girls tried t o encourage the youngest of all t o drink the entire contents of her glass in one sip. However, the blonde with green eyes could not do it, because she did not like the taste of tequila or a n y alcoholic beverage. I didn't understand how there were people who drank liquor until their livers dried up, if the taste of alcoholic beverages was so awful.She licked her lips, wrinkled her nose, a n d put the glass back o n the table.Aháva grimaced a n d wiped the corner of her lip with the back of her hand.-I do not can. It's disgusting,” h e yelled, due t o the high volume of the music. How do they make you drink this? It i s awful!—Booo. Don't be a spoilsport,” the eldest of all spoke up. Lauren, a pretty woman about six feet tall, slim, with black hair, gray eyes, a n d white Caucasian skin."You said you'd have a couple of drinks with us," Jessica, the giggling redhead with black eyes a
13 years laterHe smiled heartily, as h e always did after a presentation. Hearing the applause of his audience as h e walked offstage was undoubtedly his favorite thing since his father gave him a cape, top hat, a n d wand for his tenth birthday. h e decided t o dedicate himself t o illusionism when that afternoon at his grandmother's house, a magnificent magician left him speechless by drawing a dove o n a small blackboard a n d then shaking it a n d taking out a royal dove. As it did? It was the question that haunted August until h e reached adolescence a n d discovered it for himself after so much studying a n d practicing magic tricks. In the end, it wasn't as hard as I thought it was.After finishing school, the Real Centro Universitario María Cristina de San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Spain was her next step in her academic training, where she specialized in Illusionism. Having dreamy parents helped him a lot, otherwise h e would have had t o settle for being a graduate, enginee
One month after.Dominik glanced at Carlos surreptitiously a n d Carlos nodded, indicating that everything was ready. Charlotte could not suppress the small smile that came from her lips, because she knew perfectly well what was going t o happen next. She was also Weigand's accomplice. Samantha gave her friend a confused a n d questioning look."They say that h e who laughs alone remembers his pranks," she mumbled, poking the blonde's side with a finger.Charlotte laughed out loud."I'm just happy t o have married a wonderful man," the Polish woman commented, scanning her surroundings with her eyes.The garden looked beautiful, decorated in a vintage style with turquoise, white a n d silver decorations. Just two hours ago, Charlotte a n d Carlos had said "Yes, I do", in front of family a n d closest friends. Samantha was the maid of honor, a n d Dominik was the best man. Little Aháva played with some children, sons of some friends of the bride a n d groom."Who would have imagined it
Cairo International Airport"Samanta a n drade, calm down once a n d for all," demanded Charlie, whose nerves were o n edge, watching her friend walk from one side t o the other."What if h e gets scared when h e sees me?" My face i s not the same. These scars..."You're still beautiful," Carlos said. You don't have t o worry about that. Aháva adores you a n d doesn't care what you look like —he added —Although seeing it from a n other perspective, they give you a sensual air, almost like a pirate —Carlos joked, letting out a laugh."I think what you're worried about i s what someone else might think, right?" Charlie commented with some mischief."Dominik i s the least interested in how you look, I'm telling you." Carlos winked at her.Carlos a n d Charlotte got Samantha t o relax a bit.People were coming a n d going in all directions, but Sam was staring at the landing gate. a n xiety grew within her being with each passing second. Almost half a n hour had passed since the plane fr