It was a typical early winter day in La Paz, quite cold in the morning. A perfect environment to bring my own coffee to school and drink it during the first lesson while my English teacher would ask any of my partners to talk about their favourite singers or bands. Although it was an interesting topic, my mind would only go to the date I would have with Agus in the evening.
Yes, at that time it had been three months since we reunited, and we'd been getting closer again, although sometimes she would get angry with me. And honestly? She had the rightful right to feel so, even though I wish she was a little calmer and would talk to me more openly.
"Well, some things never change, do they?" she said, looking at me drinking my coffee.
"You have no idea how much I've missed this while I was in Santa Fe" I answered, and then offered her some coffee. "Have some, you won't regret."
"Mmm let's test that statement." She moved slowly but confidently the cup to her mouth. With my head I was saying 'come on, do it', in spite of me getting a little nervous. Time passed very slowly…
"Mmm, not so bad" she said, savouring the coffee. "A little sweeter than my likes, but still good enough for drinking during the first lesson."
"Why thank you, elskede" I answered, taking a sip.
"Gotta cool down with that nickname, girl." Ah, she got me there.
"What can I say? I think Nordic nicknames just fit you well." She then nudged me playfully as I laughed.
"Can the Suasan[1] duo pay attention, please?" The raspy, strong voice of the teacher startled us in a way words couldn't describe accurately.
***
"... and then this guy offered me a place to reopen the music and record store" Aunt Araceli was telling me while I was getting ready for my date with Val. "And you'll never guess where the vacant place is."
"That's very good news, Ara'' I answered. Honestly, I was so happy for her on her second chance with her dream job. "If someone deserves this bliss, it's you."
She was so smitten with the whole thing.
"Ah, but don't think I forgot about you, saucy minx" she suddenly changed her tone into a daring, sexier one. "How's it going with this girl Valentina?"
Alright, I was hoping she would bring her up.
"Well, sometimes it's just annoying being around her, but deep down I care about her. A lot more than I'd like to admit."
"I already know it, Agus" she answered. "But I have this feeling that you're holding back."
Of course, she would notice.
"Well, I just want to know why she left me alone when I needed her the most. I want to forgive her, I really do, but I’m not sure if I can do it yet."
She sat beside me.
"Look, darling. I know you want to find out what happened that made her leave La Paz in such short notice. And I'm sure as hell she wants to let you in, but maybe she doesn't feel this is the right time yet."
My wire to earth. The voice of reason when I felt like losing my mind. Ara was greater than I gave her credit.
"I know, Ara, deep down I know" I said, yet I knew it sounded very unconvincing. "But I feel like I'm afraid of getting closer and closer, just to be left alone again. And I don't want to lose her ever again. I don’t want to go through such a painful experience all over again, not when I’m doing better."
"Afraid of being vulnerable and risk getting hurt again, even more than you already feel."
And that's when I said something I didn't expect to say, but that wasn't a lie either.
"I'm in love with her, aunt. Even though sometimes I feel like I hate her, the truth is that all this time my heart has always known it belongs to one person, and that person is Valentina.”
After what felt like fifteen minutes of ranting about my feelings, Ara put her arms around me and pulled me close for a hug.
"She's a really good girl, Agus, and I bet she's in love with you too, and maybe she’s now thinking of many ways to make it up to you after all this time.”
"I know it, but it's hard for me, you know." Deep down, I knew I had to give Val time to process everything she had been through –after all, she’d been hurting as much as I had–, but that didn't calm down my urge to get answers as soon as possible.
"Well, tonight you should forget about all of it and just have fun with her on your date."
She had a point. That night was supposed to be pure fun and enjoyment for Val and me.
“So, this is my outfit choice for tonight” I said, standing up and walking toward the mirror next to the wardrobe. "Damn, I’ve never felt so beautiful.”
"Agreed. You look ready to conquer Valentina's heart in that white off-shoulder shirt and pink high-waisted slacks. Maybe a jacket will give your outfit the final touch."
As she finished her sentence, she rushed to her bedroom. Meanwhile, I was checking my phone. Precisely, some messages Val dropped on our chat.
♥VS♥: r u ready 4 2night?
♥VS♥: I can't w8 2 c u
'She's trying her best, I'll give her that' I thought, my heart beating a little faster. 'I can't wait to see you too, Valentina.'
Right after sending back a text to Val, Ara rushed into my room, holding a black, warm jacket hanging in her hand.
"You should try this on, hun" she said as she reached out to my hand to hand me the jacket.
"Wow, aunt." I was speechless as I looked at myself in the mirror. "This looks so, so beautiful. I look damn beautiful."
"Spoken like a woman who chases after what she wants" she commented, her smile growing wider and wider. "You look heavenly, Agus. Ready to melt Val's heart."
***
While walking over to Agus' house, my mind was full of thoughts about how our date would be like. The things we would talk about, what would make us laugh, how we would look at each other… Yeah, I was getting too ahead of myself, but when it came to her, I couldn’t help it, because there was nothing that I enjoyed more than spending time with her, anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
However, all those thoughts, altogether, immediately faded away when, once I got in her house, I got the chance to contemplate her natural beauty. Her pink and white ensemble, alongside with her black leather jacket, was to die for, and her aura was magic, enchanting, captivating… Looking at her, I was speechless, as if words couldn’t make justice for how beautiful she was, inside and out.
“Like what you see, Suarez?” she said as she turned around to face me.
There was my firecracker. Obviously aware of me swooning over her.
“You don’t cease to impress me, Sanchez.”
Of course, I caught her checking me out as well.
“Well, I think purple is so your colour” she complimented me, clearly looking at me from head to toe and vice versa. “That long-sleeved dress suits you, and that with jacket…”
“We have a thing with jackets, don’t we?” I said, and I couldn’t help but giggle and pointlessly try to hide my blushing face.
“Yeah, I think we do” she replied. “Ready to go?”
[1] Suasan refers to Valentina and Agustina's first three letters of their surnames, Suarez and Sanchez respectively.
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