[Fanfiction] INTIMACY - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

On Monday, Clara woke up excited. It was workday, she would see Marina no matter what. She dressed up a little bit better than she used to before the photographer showed up in her life. Cadu had noticed the difference, that twinkle in her eyes that were absent in the last two days. All this made ​​him worried and angry.

Before Clara even turned down the studio street, she was already smiling like a fool. As she entered, she saw Marina cleaning and organizing some lenses. She was wearing black lightweight overalls, hair thrown aside and she wore her glasses. Clara loved when she wore glasses, she looked even more beautiful, looked like a nerd. It was charming and sexy at the same time.

- Good morning, Marina. – She said happily, walking towards her. Clara was ready to feel another one of those warm and passionate hugs Marina always received her with. But soon she realized that things were different today.

- Good morning, Clarinha. – She answered raising her eyes towards her by a brief moment with a weak smile and without that shine in her beautiful eyes.

Immediately, Clara’s heart sank. Something had happened to Marina and she had no idea what it was. All she knew is that she wanted more than anything to change that, she wanted to solve the problem that was tormenting her and bring the light back to her eyes. She would do whatever she could to end that sadness.

- Are you alright? Did something happen?

- No, nothing has happened.

She wanted to hold her close and ask what was going on as she ran her hand through her hair. But then again, she didn’t want to invade her privacy, she knew that if Marina wanted to, she would talk.

Vanessa appeared with some photos for Marina and giving Clara some tasks. Marina analyzed the pictures in silence, she didn’t show them to Clara with her insightful comments as usual. So when they got a little free time, Clara went to her.

- How was your weekend?

- Common.

- Just common? That's all? It must have been good, you didn’t even remember me.  - Clara said with a joking smile, but she was serious inside, like a teenager in love for the first time.

- Yes, I did. - Marina said looking at her sternly. – I went to your apartment. On Saturday morning.

Clara felt an ice through her spine.

- You forgot this. – Marina handed her the bracelet.

- You didn’t come in.

- You were busy. – She said, trying to keep her cool. She never once wanted to be cold with Clara, but she also didn’t want to cry in front of her.

Clara knew what she was talking about. "No, I'm not in love with her." The sentence echoed in her head. She wanted to ask her what exactly she had heard, but seeing Marina that way, she already knew the answer, no need to ask.

- Before you go today, I need you to prepare some things for tomorrow. I want to start early. - She left the room.

Both felt a pain in their chests, both wanted to cry. Marina wanted to go back and ask if she had been seriously, if it was true, she wanted to cry and be held by Clara. But she felt ridiculous to even think that. She felt bad for ever having hope. Vanessa was right all the time, Clara had a life in which Marina didn’t fit. Clara just wanted to be her friend, and maybe she was curious about Marina’s life. She wanted to say it didn’t matter, that as long as Clara was happy, it would be okay. But it hurt to realize she was wrong. She was so sure that Clara was part of her future. That she was the one she had been looking for all her life.

Clara wanted to go back there and fix it, she wanted to make Marina happy again. She couldn’t stand seeing Marina feeling so low, she couldn’t bear the guilt. She wanted to wipe her tears and say that.. no, it wasn’t true. But she thought that maybe it was better to just leave it that way. This way, Marina could live her adventurous life as before and meet someone more like her, while Clara came back to being a simple housewife, a mother, Cadu’s wife. As much as her heart wanted to venture with Marina, she was scared. And.. she still loved Cadu. Not the same way, not with the same intensity, she wasn’t in love with him as she was with Marina. But she was too afraid to jump into the unknown.

Once she finished her work, Clara didn’t have the courage to face Marina again to say goodbye. She knew she couldn’t avoid doing everything her heart wanted so badly. Marina, running her hands in her hair, watched through the window as Clara left the house. She was extremely scared that at any moment Clara could simply vanish from her life, walk away like that and never come back. She sat on the floor feeling her throat tighten and decided not to hold the tears anymore.

Clara hadn’t failed to notice the happy expression on Vanessa’s face all day. She most probably knew everything by now, and she was loving that Clara had disappointed Marina. That ironic smile of hers filled her with rage. If she could, she would jump at the redhead.

A while later, Marina was told that she was being called at her door.

- Cadu? What a surprise! Clara has left already, did something happen? – Her mind immediately worrying about Clara.

- No, Marina. – He said her name with bitterness. - Nothing happened and nothing will. I came here to tell you to leave MY wife – emphasized - alone. Clara is not a woman for you, she has a family to take care of and she isn’t interested in this lifestyle of yours. She can’t give you what you’re looking for. Get real. – He poked her head. - I won’t let you ruin our life, don’t you have consciousness? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?

Marina felt extremely offended by his words and manners. Had it been another day, she would have argued, responded to that attack at the same height. But he was right, she shouldn’t poke her nose in their lives.

- You don’t have to worry about me anymore, Cadu. – And with that, she entered her house.

Cadu didn’t want to let her go easily like that, he still had a lot to say. But the way Marina said it held him back. He had never seen the photographer so low. Maybe she was being sincere.

Vanessa watched the whole scene. Her ex-girlfriend’s sadness made her sick, but she felt her hope renew. Vanessa hugged her.

- Don’t be so sad, my love. You’re still going to be very happy in this life.

- I won’t insist, Vanessa. You know, if ... if she felt the same for me, I would go to the end of the world for her, if necessary. But if she isn’t in love with me, there’s nothing I can do. She has a family, she is happy, I won’t interfere. I think it's time for me to accept that Clara won’t be mine and that I should just give up on her. – She walked away sadly.

-Finally. - Vanessa celebrated quietly.