Don't Touch

-6-

It had been almost a week since Syd's date with Emiliano. He told her he'd be busy with 'business stuff' for a while and he wanted to make sure to give her the 'ample' time that she wanted. She was lucky how the timing worked out, because she was able to spend the week making last minute preparations for the bachelorette party and ensuring all her work was done so she could take her annual winter vacation. Syd loved the flexibility she got from being an independent photographer. For the past three years, she'd been taking time off - usually for travel and bullshit - from December to February. However, this year her December would be spent doing other work. Lali and Chris would have a Christmas wedding and then she would have her formal induction into the Council soon after that.

Syd was packing her carryon for her early flight tomorrow when she heard a knock at the door. She looked through the peephole to see it was Hector and rolled her eyes.

"The fuck do you want?!" She yelled to the other side.

"You, cielo. It's been almost four months and you haven't even heard me out."

"Ya te dije que no! There's absolutely nothing you can say to me that would change what I saw." [I already told you no!]

"Amor, dame cinco minutos! Dejame explicar." [Love, give me five minutes. Let me explain.]

There was a wince in his voice and Syd groaned that she felt the tiniest bit of guilt. He didn't deserve it.

When she opened the door, Syd was surprised to see Hector's distraught appearance. He worked as an accountant in midtown and he normally took pride in the way he looked. It was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place. His dark, curly hair was normally perfectly coiffed and his face clean shaven. But today, his eyes were red and he had bags under them as if he hadn't slept in a while and his face was scruffy and hair overgrown. He didn't look this bad last time she saw him.

Syd glared at him with her arms crossed waiting for him to speak.

"Could you at least let me in?" He pleaded.

"Fine," she grunted as she stepped out of the way to let him in and closed the door. She walked over the plopped into the couch.

Hector joined her on the couch and gave her a miserable expression after looking around the apartment. "It looks like you're all settled in."

"Of course I am. This is my apartment. It's my home. I couldn't stay at that other apartment knowing it's the place where you cheated on me, probably numerous times," Syd said. Tears started to come to her face as the images and pain that he caused her hit her again like it was fresh.

"Cielo... I'm so sorry. Work was stressful, you know I recently lost my mama, and then all the shit going on with my brother running away from rehab. I was dealing with a lot. I was depressed and angry. I started acting so reckless and I took it out on you. My relationship with you was la unica cosa buena de me vida. And I fucked it up." Hector reached out to wipe the tear from Syd's face. "Te amo, Syd Johnson. I will do whatever it takes to win you back."

Syd immediately softened to his touch as he pulled her in for a hug. This was exactly why she had avoided speaking to him all this time. She knew she'd fall right back into him if she did.

"Cielo... Amor de mi vida. Please. Please, just give me one more chance and I promise you I won't fuck it up," he said holding her against his chest.

Syd melted in his arms and she wished she could hate herself for it. She wished she could hate him. But he was her first love. They were so good together. When she pulled back, she saw the sincerity in his eyes.