Chapter 26

I didn't mind how long the flight was. Compared to our flight to the Philippines heading back home was easier and smoother than before. All I could ever think was that I was now back in Mykonos. There's no such thing as comforting as home and no one would understand that after what just happened to me back in Manila.

I think that would be the last time I would set foot in that country, the trauma it left on me put a mark that I may not be able to get over sooner. It was disgusting. Harold was a scam. An experience I wouldn't want to be at again.

I told Konstantin to drop me off back at my place instead of heading back to his place. He wanted me to stay at his place, but I didn't want to. As we've agreed before, as soon as we came back from our trip to the Philippines, he would pay me, and he was true to his words, he transferred twenty thousand euros to my bank account, and I thought I couldn't be more grateful for what he did. 

"Are you sure you don't want to spend a night in my house?" he asked, I was still in his car, heading back straight from the airport. I shook my head at his question. "You could still have your room there. I knew they cleaned it. They should also welcome us with a dinner. I think you should come. . ."

I smirked, shaking my head, I put a smile on my face because, on our flight back home, Konstantin only showed and treated me right. He wasn't annoying or someone who I would curse to rot in hell. Somehow, I've noticed something and I'm not sure if he was seeing them too.

I held him on his arm, just by the shoulder. "You've done enough for me, Kons. You don't have to do anything for me since our deal is now off when we landed back in Mykonos. You don't have to pay attention to me. You don't have to think about my actions. You don't have to act as my boyfriend, and me, as your girlfriend. . . Hey! We don't need to put up this fake image anymore, so you should be proud of that!" I tapped his chest. "And your father would be proud of you. . . I still don't know what was the deal between you and your parents, but I don't need to know that. . . Let's all forget about that I existed in your life. . ."

He didn't say a word, so I guess he doesn't care anymore. 

I turned to look by the window next to me and watch the places we passed by. The ride was quick and easy, it didn't even take us too long to reach our destination which was my home. I faced Konstantin and I was about to only pat him on his shoulder when I decided to give him a hug. Obviously, he wasn't expecting me to hug him, but I felt his right hand placed behind my back. It was a kind gesture.

"I guess. . . To not see you around, Mister Galluccio?" I smirked.

The chauffeur opened the door for me, and my bags were waiting for me. Before I get off the car he called me so I turned to look at him.

"Take care, Atissa. . ." he said, and I noticed a hint of a smile on his face.

I nodded and smiled at him, and finally jumped out of his car, taking a deep breath of Mykonos' air. I took my bags from the chauffeur and carried them all the way to my apartment. It only took a few minutes because I didn't expect it would be so hard to carry all these bags up, but I did it.

As soon as I entered my apartment, I knew this was where I belonged, and I didn't need to be in a grand mansion or wherever that would make my life easier, this was fine for me. I only needed myself to be happy. I don't need a man for myself, I guess?

I put my stuff away in the corner while I lay myself down on the bed. I've been on an almost twenty-four-hour flight just to get back to this place, and I missed watching Mykonos' sunset so I can't let that go. Manila was okay, I've got good memories there, but I wouldn't come back, or maybe I could, it will just take me too long to get over what happened to me.

While I thought I could rest, someone started knocking loudly on the door and that made me get up quickly so they could stop doing that. As I opened the door, I was confused to see Vaia and Giannis together, and the look on their faces was so bad that I laughed seeing them, but then they didn't give any reaction which I thought was weird. I was about to hug them, but I didn't make any move as I thought someone was going on.

"What happened?" I asked.

"When did you get here?" Vaia asked.

"Just now? Why what's happening?"

"I've been trying to reach you. . . I wasn't sure if you turned off your phone or you were still on the plane when I was trying to call you, but. . ."

"But, what? Vaia?" I looked at her and turned to look at Giannis. "What's happening here? Gian?"

He swallowed, and even took a deep breath. "I don't know how to say this. . . But we only just found it about a few hours ago since we heard it on the news. Your. . ."

"Your parents. . ."

"What. . . What. . . What about them?" I stuttered.

"There was an accident. . . "

"No—" I cut her off. "What are you talking about?"

"Wait. Vaia. Are you sure you were talking about my parents? Or you were just trying to prank me? Both of you? What the hell are you guys talking about? Could you just cut it out?"

They both looked at each other as if something was really going on. I thought I had to break it in a laugh, but they didn't do the same thing. I quickly grabbed my phone from my purse and it was turned off. I was sweating until it turned on, but it didn't get any signal nearby so I went down by the pier just to get some signal, but I couldn't get one.

Vaia and Giannis followed me. My heart exploded and emotions just came through. I hold onto my knees while my head bows down. I couldn't stop my tears from coming out. I couldn't help it. Hearing what Vaia had told me broke my heart. I knew I wasn't a good daughter to them, but I never wished them to die.

I fell on my knees and then as I raised my head, the sunset watched me teared up in so much emotion. I don't get it. Why would this be happening to me? I don't have the words for it. I don't know what to feel now. They did really die? I couldn't stop crying and I told them to stay away from me. I sat on the ground, hugging my legs, as I watched the sunset and let the sky be taken over by darkness.

"So. . . This is how you welcomed me back, Mykonos?" I asked as I looked around. "Why would you do this to me? Why would you do something like this to me?"

Vaia and Giannis were just a few meters away from me, watching over me, but I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to leave the spot where I was sitting until I decided to curl up on the ground. When they saw me in that positon, they tried to get me up, but I was resisting. I didn't want to go anywhere. I didn't want to move. It felt like I didn't want to live anymore.

I knew I lived far from them and living alone was hard, but I never stopped thinking about them, and now that I couldn't do anything, I felt so helpless. Maybe they were right, they really don't need someone like me. 

But I should be the one who ended up dead rather than them. I don't want to live a life like this. . . This wasn't fun anymore.

I don't know how long I have been curled up on the floor, but when someone came over to me, I tried pushing them away, but then he wasn't moving away.

"Atissa. . ." when he spoke, I quickly looked at him, and I saw Konstantin. "Please let me help you. . ."

"What. . . What are you doing here? Please, go away. . ."

"I want to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"Then let me take care of you."

"You don't have to."

He let out a deep sigh. "Please?"

I wasn't able to respond to him when the emotion inside me hit me like a wave once again. The next thing I knew, he slowly got me up from the floor and let me rest in his arms. I turned to him and hugged him so tight. I don't know what I was doing was right, but his arms around me felt like he cared for me. 

I didn't let go of his hug, and he didn't let me go as well, we stayed there for a few minutes until he asked me if I wanted to go back to my place, and I just gave him a nod as my response. He helped me get back to my apartment and there I saw down on the edge of my bed, staring into the blank. He offered me a glass of water, but I just held it until he asked me to drink it, so I did. I was out of my mind. I don't know what to do.

Because at that moment, all I could think about was dying rather than living.

"I'll stay here with you, Atissa. . . I won't leave you. . ."

I only looked at Konstantin and didn't even utter a word about what he was doing here and how he came back for me. I had no idea, and my mind was already exhausted to think about it. I am tired.

He seated next to me and he let me rest my head on his shoulder while he was rubbing my arm. It was soothing and with every breath I did, I felt like I was falling asleep. I knew for a fact that the sunset just witnessed how my life ended. Right there, at that moment, I've got no place to go.

Where this should take me now? I have no idea. . . I'm tired. Should I hope for another day to live? I don't know. . . Life has been too hard for me. Life lately? Well, it sucks. But my whole life, I guess, it wasn't. . . I just failed to appreciate most of it, and now that a part of me had gone, was there anything for me to do? To live? To love someone else? Well, that sucks.

This life sucks. . . You suck, Mykonos.

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