The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 107

Rachel

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the anxiety that was still weighing on my chest since Vincenzo's messages. He had rekindled a jumble of feelings and fears that I could barely sort out in my head. But today, I decided that I wouldn't let it paralyze me. Nancy was here, and I knew she couldn't wait to see my hometown. Maybe that was what I needed right now-a light, carefree day with my friend by my side.

"Nancy, what do you think about taking a walk around the city?" I asked, forcing a smile as she finished getting ready.

She looked at me with renewed enthusiasm, that sparkle in her eyes that made me feel a little lighter.

"Yes! Finally!" she exclaimed, practically jumping off the couch. "I want to see every corner of this place and hear all the stories of Rachel as a child."

I laughed, and a part of me was happy to see her so excited. Having someone who valued the little things that were part of my daily life so much always made me see everything from a new perspective.

After a few minutes, we were ready. We left the house and headed to the city center, where everything was busier and full of life. Walking alongside Nancy, I felt a certain pride, even though the city was small compared to so many places I had already visited. The streets were busy, the shops were full of people and the atmosphere was light, the kind of day that brought back so many childhood memories.

First stop: the main square. It was the heart of the city and seemed almost untouched by time, with the same trees, the same candy and popcorn stands, and the fountain in the center, which now seemed tiny compared to how I remembered it as a child.

Nancy ran towards the fountain, already pulling out her cell phone to take some photos and saying excitedly:

"This looks like a movie set! Just look at these trees, this architecture...!" she said, enchanted, as she took photos of every detail.

That's because you haven't seen the oldest café in town yet, I replied, laughing. It always seemed grand to me when I was a kid. The café is just a few steps away.

Nancy looked at me, her eyebrows raised.

-An old café? I can't wait! It must have that small town charm, with a secret history behind it and everything. Rachel, you're taking me back in time!

As we walked, I tried to focus on the explanations about the places and the stories that Nancy asked, but my mind kept going back to Vincenzo's messages. "What if he really confronts Veronica?" The thought of that made my stomach turn. Still, I kept walking and guiding Nancy, smiling at every exaggerated comment she made about every detail of the city.

We arrived at the café, a charming building with wooden windows painted in light blue and little tables outside. We went inside, and the smell of fresh coffee enveloped us. Nancy pulled out her cell phone again and took a panoramic video. This is awesome! I can't believe you used to go to a place that's so... vintage. I can just picture Rachel sitting there as a teenager, dreaming of traveling the world.

I laughed, shaking my head.

"Actually, I used to come here with my parents. They loved this place and always ordered the same thing: a latte and carrot cake."

We sat at a table near the window, and I ordered the latte and carrot cake. Nancy, of course, ordered the same thing, just to "taste the nostalgia," as she put it. As we ate and drank coffee, we talked about all sorts of things. She told me about the people in her neighborhood, about her plans for the future, and even about her crazy idea of opening a themed store with "different" artifacts.

"It would be something completely unique," she said, gesturing excitedly. "Just imagine: a store where no one knows if it's for adults or children, with toys, handcuffs... in short, a whole mix of curiosities. A place where everyone interprets it as they wish."

I laughed, imagining how the people of my city would react to something like that.

"I don't know if these people would know what to think, Nancy."

She grimaced, feigning disappointment, and said, "Oh, but they need to expand their horizons. Just imagine, Rachel, revolutionizing the city!" and laughed along with me.

We finished our coffee and headed to our next stop, the park. It was a simple but charming place, with wooden benches scattered among the trees and a small lake where ducks swam lazily. We walked through the park, watching the families, the children running around, and the couples sitting on the benches, and it all brought me a peace I hadn't felt in a long time.

Nancy ran around like a child, pointing at every detail and dragging me to take pictures. I let myself go, laughing at the exaggerated poses she made and getting into her laid-back spirit.

"Hey, Rachel, have you ever swam?" in this lake? - she asked, pointing to the water while a duck quacked, almost as if it were answering her.

I laughed and shook my head.

"No! I've never been that brave."

"Oh, that's too bad. I'd swim in there right now. You know, I'm a rebel!" - she joked, pretending to consider the idea of actually jumping in the lake.

After a while in the park, we decided to walk to the town market. It was a vibrant place, full of colorful stalls selling local fruits, vegetables, and crafts. As we walked among the stalls, Nancy looked at everything curiously, asking about the produce and chatting with the vendors as if she were a local.

"This is amazing," she said, holding a jar of jam and looking at me with a smile. "How did you have the courage to leave here?"

"Sometimes we need to leave to understand what we left behind," I replied, a little thoughtfully. The words came out without me really thinking about them, but there was truth in them.

Nancy, always so perceptive, noticed the tone in my voice and put her hand on my shoulder, pulling me closer.

"Hey, let's not think about the past today. Today is the day to discover every corner of this city and enjoy it!"

I nodded and forced a smile, determined to follow her advice. We spent the rest of the day exploring the market, trying typical foods, and laughing at the stories Nancy told about her own childhood adventures.

Our last stop was the city's viewpoint, where we could see the entire city and, in the background, the mountains that seemed to protect this small place. We sat in silence, enjoying the view as the sun began to set, tinting the sky with shades of orange and pink. It was such a familiar scene, but at the same time, it seemed new to me, perhaps because I was seeing everything with a new perspective, thanks to Nancy's company.

She sighed beside me and said, almost in a whisper:

"This place really has a special energy, Rachel. Now I understand why you are the way you are." You have all this peace inside you, even if you sometimes forget it.

I smiled, feeling immensely grateful for her friendship. Nancy really was one of those people who made a difference just by being by our side. And maybe she was right. Maybe I had let the chaos of all the recent situations make me forget who I really was.

"Thank you, Nancy. For being here, for making me laugh, and for reminding me of things that I myself forget."

She hugged me, squeezing me tightly, and said in her playful way:

"Oh, you sentimental fool! Don't do that, or I'll cry right here and you'll have to comfort me! And I cry out loud, huh?"

We both laughed, and at that moment, I knew that, no matter what happened, I would always have a friend by my side.

The sun had already hidden behind the mountains, and the first stars were beginning to appear in the sky when we decided to go home. I knew that once we got back, the weight of decisions and worries would come back to haunt me, but at least for today, I had managed to replace some peace. And even though my heart was still torn between my love for Vincenzo and the need to protect my own peace, I knew that that day with Nancy would be a memory that I would carry with me forever.