Valentin and Rojo | ✓

seven (2nd draft)

Adriana

A week went by and I did everything possible to avoid Xavier. He made several advances to talk to me, but each time, I came up with an excuse.

I spent most of my time in the library. I read and read and then, read some more. Books were always a way for me to escape my reality; a reality that was never my favorite. Guns and death filled my everyday life and it was nice to read about something different.

When I had my head buried deep inside a novel and I felt someone tap my shoulder, I had to resist the urge to groan.

"Valentín. Please, we need to talk," he said softly as if speaking too loud would be a sin. I hated how he interrupted my alone time to speak about a trivial subject. What had happened, happened and there was nothing we could do to change it or reverse it.

"There's nothing to talk about." As he was breathing down my neck, I had a difficult time paying attention to the words on this page. I read them, but they flew out of my mind.

"Fine. I'll talk." He pulled up a chair and sat next to me. I pretended as if he wasn't there. "That shouldn't have happened." I felt his warm breathe on my ear. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "I never meant to seem disinterested when I pulled away. Look —" I turned to him.

"It's okay. I know I shouldn't have asked that of you and please, it's already embarrassing enough. I do not want to talk about it." I peered up at him and he held such sullen eyes. "It's okay, I promise. We can put it behind us and pretend as if it never happened." I smiled warmly and so did he.

"I want a fresh start. I... like you, Adriana. I immensely apologize for the last couple of weeks. I know it has not been fair to you at all and that night at Nico's party, you were right. I feel like shit and I took it out on you. I do not expect you to forgive me but I did want you to know that I regret treating you like a burden. You're anything but that. Now," he pulled the chair closer to me and leaned into the book I had on my lap, "what are we reading?"

I giggled. "Uhm, I don't know. I kinda grabbed a random book off the shelves. But so far, it's okay. The protagonist is a bit annoying."

"How so?" he asked.

"He's, as you would say, an 'entitled spoiled brat.'" He rolled his eyes and laughed. "He just... isn't written to be likeable, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. Makes for a hell of a read, though."

I liked this. I liked being about to joke around and have a conversation with Xavier. Underneath all the rough exterior, he was a sweet soul. I felt comfortable around him. His smile lit up the room. Poking fun at him felt normal and comfortable.

"Adriana! Xavier! Dinner's ready!" I jumped when I heard Luis' voice from the other room. I set the book down on the coffee table and Xavier followed suit as we made our way over to Luis.

We headed to the dining room. I saw Luis sitting there, already eating. I chuckled at his impatience. I sat down and situated myself in front of the meal. I had been starving from a lack of eating the whole day and this meal was immensely appreciated.

I had almost been done with my dinner when Luis set his utensils down and shifted towards Xavier. "Your girlfriend is coming over soon. She called a few hours ago and I had forgot to tell you." I froze, nearly choked on my food. He didn't just say... girlfriend? I finished my last bit of food and tried to think of a decent excuse.

I had to go with the oldest one in the book.

"I'm not feeling well. I think I'm gonna go to bed now. Thank you for dinner." I felt his stare on me as I politely smiled at his father. I scooted my chair back and sauntered towards my bedroom.

Never in my life had I been so disappointed. Minutes after claiming a fresh start, another one of his lies came to the surface. I knew we were not together but the mention of his girlfriend stung. I wanted so badly to ask him if it was true but it didn't matter what he said. I couldn't trust him. Luis would not blatantly call someone his girlfriend if he wasn't sure. I stepped out onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh air.

I heard my door open. I already knew who it was. It was the only other person that could open my door.

"What do you want?" I said from my balcony.

"Valentín, you have to let me explain. I swear on everything, it is not what it looks like." All of his words meant nothing to me.

"Save it. I can't and won't believe you. Xavier," I whispered as I turned to meet his saddened eyes, "I can take your remarks, I can handle anything you want to throw at me but I will never forgive a liar. I have forgiven you for the shit you've said and put me through in the last couple of weeks but you kissed me. You kissed me when you knew you had a girlfriend. You cheated when you knew you had someone else waiting for you. I will never forgive you so please, go away."

He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled in sadness. "Valentín, please. You don't understand. She is not my girlfriend!" he pleaded with me.

"I swear to God, if you don't walk out of this room in five seconds... I'm gonna punch you," I said through gritted teeth. 

"I'm not leaving," he shoved his hands inside his pockets and stood there. I groaned out and I shoved his chest.

"Get. Out." I grunted between shoves. I had no idea if I was weak or he was insanely strong. He wouldn't move an inch and that irritated me beyond relief.

I had this tendency to cry when I'm frustrated. When something aggravated or frustrated me so much, I started crying. I couldn't help it, it was something I always did.

Then, I started punching his chest. Anything to get him to leave me alone.

I heard him chuckling and I looked up to see him laughing.

"Oh, you think this is funny?" I said in a taunting voice. I balled my hands into fists and starting punching his arms as hard as I possibly could. Over my nineteen years of life, I had learned how to throw a pretty mean punch. Having two older brothers and doing boxing does that to you.

After the fifth punch to his right arm, he started to stroll backwards. That's when the doorbell rang. She was fucking here.

"Look, it's your girlfriend. Better be polite and answer the door for her," I strained out.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly stopped him. "Get the hell out of this room."

On queue, he opened the door and left.

After several seconds, I plopped down on my bed and exhaled in relief. Thank God, I didn't cry. I groaned in annoyance as I heard the strident voice of a female downstairs.

"Babe! I missed you!"

The voice filled me with anger and I couldn't explain why. We were not a couple nor would we ever be one. I was merely a roommate in his home for a couple of months and that was it. In that moment, I didn't understand why the voice of another woman calling him "babe" enraged me so much.