When We Were Young

Chapter 22

Six years ago(Flashback)

Rafael almost cursed out as he drove out the car through the large iron gates. He still couldn’t quite believe what he had heard from her. Paula Solano, the rich, beautiful and elegant spoiled princess had confessed her feelings to him. It had to be the eighth wonder of the world.

But he couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more to this than she let on. He continued driving, his head full of turbulence and his palms sweating against the steering wheel.

How could she drop a bomb like that on him when he was about to drive such a long distance?

"Damn!," he cursed under his breath.

Nomatter how much he tried, her words still rang in his head like some broken record.

I like you, Rafael.

When she had said that, he had wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her senseless. He couldn't count the number of times he had laid in his small bed visualising that full cherry mouth plundering his.

He hated himself for being reduced to this hot and bothered creature! He knew he didn't love Paula in any way. He had loved Camilla half his life. Only her! His heart knew that, his mind accepted that but his body refused to yield to any of that. It always betrayed him whenever Paula was around or whenever her name popped up in his mind.

Rafael refused to be led astray by false emotions. Camilla didn’t deserve that. He owed her a lot. She had given him a second chance to live again when he had lost all hope. She had taken him from the slums and groomed him into a decent human being.

If it wasn't for her, he would have died alone in the dirty streets like a stray dog and for that he would always love her.

No matter how much Camilla's father adored him, Rafael knew that the old man would never allow his former stable help to marry his only princess. So Rafael had made a vow to himself that he was going to work hard, raise enough money to open his first restaurant and when he was financially stable, only then will he confess his undying love to Camilla.

He knew that she felt the same about him though she had never told him. The two of them would get married in their hometown chapel, surrounded by their loved ones, live in a small cottage by the shore and have children that would be blue eyed and blond like their mother.

But a certain dark haired was disrupting his well laid plans. His body betrayed him every time he saw her.

He recalled the afternoon she bolted out of the cottage like the demons were after her. He still wondered if she had somehow sensed the unholy thoughts that had been racing through his mind as he watched her.

He had itched to kiss away her flour dotted nose.

What was wrong with him?  

"What were you discussing with my sister?,” Andre's angry voice penetrated his thoughts.

Rafael glanced at the rearview mirror and met Andre's piercing gaze. He wanted to tell the rich spoiled brat to go to hell but decided it unwise. After all he needed the job.

"She sent me to buy something for her,” he answered in a calm voice instead.

"She seemed pretty nervous for something simple as that,” Andres pointed out with one eyebrow slanted in doubt.

Rafael shrugged his shoulders.

"She said she was sick and wanted me to bring along meds when l comes back."