best friend | zdj

eleven

"annabelle windsor! why did i have to find out through my suegra that you're dating zabdiel?" isabelle shrieked as soon as she walked in the house.

my dad, who was sitting across from me at the table, didn't even flinch at her voice. "she's the one who told me, too."

she got to the dining room and sat down beside me. "i can't believe you didn't tell me. i'm your big sister! i didn't get why she was teasing zabdiel during dinner and then she told me. he's so in love with you, i'm glad it finally happened."

i pressed my lips together. after zabdiel's mom accidentally heard us, i raced back to my house and locked myself in my room. i didn't come out until dinner. my father was already waiting for me with the food served, but his neutral expression didn't let me know if he was fond of the idea or not.

"what do you mean you're glad it finally happened?" i moved the food around the plate, the little appetite i had was already out the window the moment isabelle walked in screaming.

"we had a bet, i said that you two would start dating as soon as he went off to college because he would realize that he can't live without you and finally confess." she propped her elbow on the table. "noemi betted that it would happen when you got to college."

"and i said that it would be when zabdiel got to college, but that you would be the one to confess." my dad smirked behind his glass of water.

i dropped my fork. "you guys had a bet? was everyone in on it?"

"of course we were!" isabelle grinned. "joel said zabdiel was a pussy and he would never man up to confess, but their dad was confident that he would confess last year! you should've seen his face when el suegro realized that zabdiel was indeed a pussy."

"last year?" i shrieked, completely ignoring the fact that joel was in on it too. "how long has this bet going on?"

isabelle put her hand on her chin and pretended to be thinking. "when i started dating joel. so, around two and a half years?" she turned to my dad for confirmation and he nodded.

"so, since now it's between dad and i, spill the tea. who confessed?"

i felt my cheeks burning up. i didn't want to feed this bet thing they had. i stood up and mumbled something about not feeling hungry anymore. i went up to my room to slip on a pair of shoes and texted zabdiel, asking him to meet me outside. i walked downstairs again as quick as i could to avoid another interrogation.

"where are you going?" isabelle asked.

"out!" i yelled and slammed the door. to my surprise, zabdiel was on my porch, sitting down on the stairs. his head turned towards me and offered a sweet smile. i grinned as i sat down next to him. "you're here already?"

"i was outside already. i'm sure isabelle already told you what happened at dinner."

i bit my lip. "did they tell you about the bet?"

he raised his eyebrows as he looked up at the stars. "what bet?"

"they had a bet about when would we get together." i followed his gaze. it was a shame that in the city we could barely see the stars. "apparently our whole families where in on it."

i heard him scoff. "we're not even together."

"try telling that to your mom." i turned to him. "should i start calling her suegra?"

he laughed and looked at me. i watched as his gaze moved from my eyes, to my lips. i opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. i couldn't even remember what i wanted to say. his eyes remained on my lips for a couple of seconds before they returned to mine. i felt a warmth on my cheek as his thumb stroked it. i leaned into his hand and closed my eyes.

"you said you wrote a letter to joel," he began to say, but my eyes remained closed as i savored the feeling of his hand on my cheek. "do you still like him?"

my eyes shot open. "what? no!" i sat up, forcing him to let go of my face. "of course not, i gave up on him the moment he started dating my sister. i could never do that to isabelle. sure, sometimes it hurts to see them together, but if she's happy then i'm happy."

his hand dropped beside me and his eyes followed it. "i'm sorry, belle."

i pressed my lips together. the sadness in his eyes as he looked at me again made my heart ache. i wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. he wrapped his arms around my waist and i yelped as he pulled me onto his lap.

"wanna get out of here?"

"and go where?" i laughed. "it's a thursday night, we have class tomorrow."

he shrugged. "anywhere. i don't really want to go home yet."

they way he scratched the back of his neck was adorable. i smiled as i watched redness settle itself on his cheeks and the top of his ears.

"tell you what," he groaned as i shifted on his lap to see him clearly. "i'll sneak you into my bedroom and you can sleep over." his face lit up as he nodded. i giggled and kissed his cheek.