Shadows In Durango

Chapter 44

HRHRRSOfig's POVHHIRK

Staring back at my friend who had so far taken everything I had told her with ease, providing comfort through

my difficulty, | decide to tell her everything that happened last night...

"Vincent toldhe was takinghafter that, to which I panicked because | didn't want him to see where |

lived." | admit, as Emma squints a little again seeming lost in her thoughts for a second. "Why, where do you

live?" She asks curiously, seeming to rack her brain as | chew my lip.

"Let's just say it gets referred to as the towns cartel..." | grumble at the nickn| had heard Vincent call it last

night when speaking with his friends who had turned up to help out.

The nsuited the street | guess, since illegal stuff seemed to run rife through it!

"That's not where your apartment is?! You should have said something sooner! My parents would have let you

crash at my place until you found something else! That place is horrible Sofia, everyone in town avoids walking

down there let alone living amongst it!" Emma takes off in a desperate rant, judgingfully for where my

apartment was but not meaning to in a spiteful way.

She only cared, which was nice.

"I know, but | couldn't afford anything else when I first got here. That was the only place allowing a jobless young

girl to move in I'm afraid." | explain, as she seems to breathe deeply to calm herself down. "Well now you know

why I didn't want anyone to find out..." | motion to how upset she had grown as she instantly leans forward to

take my hands.

"lI am so sorry for my reaction! | don't mean to offend you Sofia, | just feel terrible that you had to settle for an

apartment there. You don't deserve any of this!" Emma explains, offering my hands a gentle squeeze of comfort.

She really didn't mean to hurt my feelings, | understood what she meant by it.

"Tellthe rest!" She pushes forward, as | nod and sniffle to hold back my emotions once more.

"| got in Vincent's car because he demanded to takehand wouldn't letwalk. He also fired me, which

as you can probably guess by now was a really big deal since | desperately needed the money, so by that point |

was just totally defeated." | begin, stopping to catch my breath.

"I gave him directions to the park around the corner from my apartment and he started to lose his temper at that

point again, demanding to takedirectly to my door. | know now that he only meant well, but at the t| just

wanted to run and hide. But after that, | decided to give in. | pointed the way, and like you, he couldn't believe

that was where | lived." | feel my cheeks redden as the words escape, knowing | had reached my all tlow in

life with the apartment. But it was better than being on the streets...

"He toldhe would walkin, and to be honest, despite my protests, deep down I sort of didn't mind

because my two neighbours are assholes!" | tell her, as she nods forto keep going.

She was trying her best not to cutoff, but I could see the emotions swirling within her eyes, processing the

whole story since | had landed a whole lot on her today...

"The night before, my neighbours were creeping around outside my door and at one point, they even tried the

handle to get in. | was so terrified but | just hoped for the best - luckily, at that point my locks worked." | roll my

eyes suddenly, realising that the bastards had in fact planned the whole break in the previous day - being

unsuccessful.

"You should have called me!" Emma cuts in this time, as | nod knowingly.

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| just didn't think | could reveal my truth to anyone at that point... which was silly. | put myself in danger!

"I know that now, but at the t| wanted to keep my situation private and panicked. But skipping forward to

last night, as Vincent walkedinside, we found my door laying wide open and my two neighbours were inside

high on whatever drug they had stole my savings from the kitchen drawer to buy. They were both so out of it

that they didn't even know we had cin Emma... it was horrible... | even took a panic attack." | swallow the

lump forming in my throat feeling my hands tremble at the memory.

How could two grown men be so cruel? Knowing that | was a young girl living there alone? What would have

happened if | was still inside when they broke in?!

That thought alone was enough to bring my tears rolling down my face, as Emma instantly shifted to hug me

tightly to her - comfortingas best she could.

"It's going to be ok... I'm just glad that Vincent was with you!" Emma breathes as | nod in to her shoulder to

silently agree.

The truth was, | was glad he had takenhlast night too... it was fate!

Calming down slightly, I pull back from the embrace to wipe my wet cheeks, sniffling and attempting to regain

control of my emotions.

"Vincent called speople to cover and help whilst he helpedcalm down from the panic attack. He

seriously surprisedlast night, with how well he had handled the whole thing. He broughtback here with

him and now he wantsto stay for as long as | need." | tell her, concluding the whole story as a short silence

falls between us.

Giving us both stime, | excuse myself to go to the nearest bathroom for a tissue to wipe my nose and face,

before returning to find Emma teary eyed and pitiful.

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free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "You should." She speaks first, as | retake my seat on the sofa

beside her.

"What?" | ask, my voice soft.

"You should stay here, in this house. You'll be safe and he can give you a room so why not?" Emma nods firmly,

as | chew my lip.

It felt wrong, accepting to live here... but maybe | could figure out another job and offer to pay something for my

room? That would makefeel less guilty...

"Yeah I'll speak to him properly about it tonight, | don't want to go back to that apartment either." | admit, as

Emma leans back onto the cushions.

There was no going back now, she knew everything other than the finer details swarming around my family

... but right now, that didn't matter.

"It's all going to be ok, | hope you know that?" Emma turns her head toand tellssternly, as | half smile.

"Thanks... for listening and for being so open minded... that was a lot to offload on you." I join her leaning back,

as she shakes her head and pushes out another smile. "That's what friends are for!" She concludes, as we decide

to enjoy the rest of our ttogether to take our minds off everything that happened.

At least until Vincent comes back...