Wildcard [ÉLITE]

―v.

Daniela was dragged away from her exam preparations when the doorbell rang. Not that she was particularly disappointed to be putting the books down. But she hadn't been expecting anyone, and no one had texted in the past few hours.

She opened the door, half expecting to see the postman with a package. Instead she found Valerio. A smile came to her lips, unbidden. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought you could use some company," he said.

Dani shrugged. "Well, I guess I could use a study break." She pushed the door further open, and invited him in.

As they walked down the hall toward the living room, Valerio looked around. Though it had been two months since she moved in, there were few personal touches. That had always been her mother's job, and Daniela didn't have the knack for making a place feel like home. "You live alone?" He asked.

"Just because I came back, doesn't mean my parents could," she explained. "My mom's doctors are in America, and she still has appointments twice a week."

He stopped walking, and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, Dani."

"None of it was your fault, V," she told him. "If anything, you're the only reason I could come back. No one knew that I had anything to do with it because of you." Dani sighed. "It wasn't easy, when my so-called friends stopped calling, 'cause they didn't want to be part of the scandal. And I've never been more scared than I was in the hospital when we weren't sure mom would wake up."

Dani shrugged. "But my parents were just glad it wasn't me, that I hadn't gotten caught up in it all." She moved toward the bar, and made them each a negroni. Valerio watched her while she worked, and his silence made her nervous.

Finally he said, "You're like the real life Cayetana, huh?" Dani tilted her head, confused. Valerio laughed quietly. "You missed a lot this past year."

She carried the glasses to the coffee table, and they sat on the couch. Dani folded her legs underneath her so she faced Valerio. "Who were you talking to after Marina died?" He asked. "Nadia? Samuel?"

Dani shook her head. "No, Marina talked about them, but she never introduced us. As far as I know, she didn't even tell anyone we were still friends. Why?"

"How'd you know Lu's secret?"

"What secret?"

"He's your brother, not your boyfriend," Valerio said, putting on his best Daniela impression. It took Dani a moment to remember when she'd said it.

She laughed softly. "Marina told me Lu practically had Guzmán on a leash. That's all I meant." Valerio let out a single sharp burst of laughter that he then hid in his negroni. After a moment, Dani frowned. "Wait, what secret?"

Valerio swirled his glass for a moment. "I'm not sure if I should tell you."

Dani raised an eyebrow. "That's hardly fair, is it? I told you everything." He stared intently at the glass, instead of making eye contact. "Valerio, you can tell me anything. You know that, right? Whatever it is, I won't judge."

"The last time someone said that, they did."

Daniela grabbed his free hand, and squeezed. "You're the only real friend I have left. If I got rid of you..." She trailed off, and then shook her head. "I can't lose you, V. You aren't going to lose me."

Valerio stayed silent for a few more moments, but Dani didn't press. He never rushed her into saying things she wasn't ready to say; the least she could do was offer him that same courtesy. But finally, he spoke, "A few years ago, before we moved here, Lu and I...messed around a little." He paused and bobbed his head. "A lot, I guess. But we stopped. We said it would never happen again. For a while, it didn't."