Sinbound (18+) | ✓

29 | cold stone

29 | cold stone

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"It's about damn time you call me. Sheesh, I bout thought you were dead." Cassidy's voice greets me after three rings.

I sigh and throw my house keys down on my kitchen island and head for the fridge, "Do you wanna go get ice cream?"

"One — it's ten o'clock in the morning. Two — I have school."

I roll my eyes and grab the jug of orange juice. I really need to go shopping, "How many absences do you already have?"

She pauses, "One. But, that was for a doctor's appointment."

"Okay, you can afford to miss another day. I'll pick you up in thirty minutes."

Before she can say anything, I hang up and throw my phone beside my keys. The entire flight back to New York, I was on edge. I couldn't sleep, barely ate, and all I wanted to do was talk to and cuddle with Matteo. The flight landed an hour ago and I just got in the house.

The drive from JFK to Manhattan is usually thirty minutes but morning traffic made that commute even more painstaking. Surprisingly, after sixteen hours of overthinking, I'm not as tired as I thought I would be.

I'm sure I'll get back home from the ice cream place at midday and pass out on my bed, but I can't even think about that right now.

I'd been making a list of pros and cons since I got on the damn plane and kept adding to it throughout the flight and my drive home.

Pros of quitting — Freedom to pursue a relationship with Matteo and probably go back to Spain. I already miss it. I would just need to get a permanent residence card — maybe under a business visa.

As you can see, I took advantage of the first-class wifi and did my research.

If I were to move to Spain, what could I possibly do there? Well, I could open my own travel advising business.

Or maybe expand my experience and knowledge towards something else.

Cons of quitting — I couldn't think of any.

There my decision goes.

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"You know daddy aguh beat mi ass when the school calls him that I was checked out." Cassidy munches her ice cream away without a care in the world.

I pick the gummy bears out of mine and shove them into my mouth, annoyed at the amount of chewing I have to do considering it's now cold and hard.

Cold Stone is one of my favorite ice cream places, mainly for the fact that I can fit all this junk food into my cup for just $4.75. We're seated in the corner right beside the window where rain beats against the glass.

I shrug, "Tell him it was me who checked you out."

Cassidy scoffs as she eyes me, "Girl, what is wrong with you?"

"Hmm?"

"You've been weird since you got back. What happened in Spain?"

I avoid her gaze only for her to gasp dramatically.

"Did you meet someone?" When I don't answer, she narrows her eyes, "You met someone. Ooh, who is he? Is he Spanish? Beautiful? Charming? Rich?"

All of the above.

I still don't answer.

She kisses her teeth, "You really pulled me out of school just to eat ice cream?"

"Well, I would do it with anybody else but I don't have friends." I send her a fake smile only for her to nudge my foot with hers, "Alright, fine, annoying ass." I exhale, "I met this guy. We talked, had a good time, then it ended."

Cassidy narrows her eyes in annoyance, "You're holding something back."

"How do you know I'm holding something back?" I tilt my head and lick more ice cream off my spoon.

"Because I'm your sister and not stupid." I roll my eyes and just stare at her as she continues, "That man got a hold on you, sis, cause you quiet as hell, and that's not like you."

I scoff, playfully, "Yes, it is."

She rolls her eyes, "Okay, maybe a little, but not like this. What? What did he do? Did he break your heart? Did you break his? Do I gotta stalk him and beat his ass? Did his brother's cousin's uncle's neighbor's sister do some shit to make y'all break up?"

I raise a brow at her accusations, "Girl, you watching a lil' too much Housewives." She stares at me, expectantly. I try to avoid it but damn, this girl stay doing too much, "Fine." I throw my spoon into my now empty cup. I wouldn't say all this to a random person, but this is my sister. I tell her pretty much everything. "He was my client. I was helping him promote his restaurant and we kinda... got together during my duty. I, uh, I actually... fell in love with him. And then, my boss —" Cassidy gasps like she knows what I'm about to say, "showed up and gave me the ultimatum — him or my job."

"Noooooo."

"Yeah — are you gonna eat that?" I point to her half full cup of mango sherbet. She slides it towards me and goes for the cookie I also got for her.

"This too good to be real life. Which one you gon' choose?" She breaks off a piece and shoves it into her mouth, "The rich, sexy Spanish man, orrrrrrr that wack ass job with a boss that makes ultimatums? We'll find out next week on Monique Gets Her Life Together!" She tries to sound like a game show announcer.

I roll my eyes and kick her shin making her hiss in pain and laugh all at the same time. "You're annoying, this isn't some show or game you can just watch. And I've already made my decision."

"Oooh," Cass coos in excitement, "And you right. This isn't a game or a show — it's much more entertaining."

yo, i was about to do something sooooo mean but complacent talked me out of it

— played myself, imma still do it