Luciano

It was pouring rain, and you were running in a sweater and dirty pants, having fallen twice in a puddle while tripping along the way. Another beating, another drunken father, more shouts that you were a mistake. The phone was broken and lying somewhere on the floor of the house, where my father had thrown it. And now you're at the door, slamming your palm against it. It opens, and you just bury your face in a strong chest.

• Luciano... - you howled into his sweater.

Luciano was 25, and you were only 19. They'd just met at a bar where you were working part-time, and he was drinking. One thing led to another, he courted you, and you didn't take anything from him... But when you turned 19, you finally accepted the gift—a phone, which now lay around the house like broken trash. You never complained to him about your life, you lied that your life was good. Luciano took you home and closed the door, then led you into the living room, sitting you on the couch. You could tell he was shaking with anger, but he held his own. Because he'd found out everything about her himself and simply stayed out of it. He knew you'd stop contacting her altogether, saying he was nobody and had no right to interfere in your life... but damn ... objectively, he should have intervened and fucked her father. You told him what happened.. Sitting at your feet, he held your hands and squeezed them lightly. “Now I’ll fill the bath, you’ll wash yourself... and... I’ll cook you something to eat...” he said and you saw how his jaw tense, he could barely pronounce the words calmly. He sat up, letting go of your hands, and you immediately reached out and kissed him... automatically, maybe out of fear, maybe out of gratitude, and he, eyes wide open, looked into yours... damn... your hand moved higher and clutched the black hair at the back of his head, closing your eyes. He pulled away first, gently, without harshness. His palm brushed across your cheek, and then rested on your forehead. Damn, Luciano thought he'd gotten his first kiss from you out of pure emotion, because you're unstable.

“Silly girl...” he whispered and stood up, going to the bathroom, as he promised to get you some water.