Mercy||Miguel Diaz

10

"Looks like a prison in here." I was taken back by his comment, but once he turned around facing me I seen the smirk of amusement plastered on his face. "Very funny." I lightly shook my head, smiling. He then looked to the ground with a sad mien. I took my bottom lip between my teeth and sighed, "I'm still so sorry." "I came here to hear your side of everything. I never gave you the chance to do that, so that's why I'm here." He explained. I nodded my head understanding, "Okay." "Is it okay if we sit on your bed?" He asked. "Of course." I then made my way to the bed and we both sat adjacent from each other.

I inhaled a deep breath then started, "Before I even stepped foot onto the campus, Eli had told me that he doesn't want anyone knowing we're related. He's embarrassed of me I guess. So yes, I lied to everyone around me saying that I didn't even know who Eli was. It was never nothing against you, the ideology that Eli implanted amongst me was established before I met you; before I even knew who you were. I never even planned on making friends at this school, let alone dating anyone. So of course it was idiotic of me to play along with his crap, but I needed to try and get on his good side to make things work."

"Make things work? What do you mean?" He immediately questioned. "The only reason I'm here is because my aunt needed help with Eli. Y'know, getting him back to the sweet guy he used to be. Eli and I were more like siblings than cousins, so my aunt asked me personally to try and get through to Eli. I love Eli so much, and I'd do anything for him. So I knew that I needed to play along with that ideology to try and get the old him back behind closed doors." I explained. "Oh." He simply said.

"You know what's been driving me crazy since the day everything happened?" "The fact that I haven't spoken to you?" He asked. "No, aside from that." "No idea." He shrugged. I shifted my body to face him, "I keep thinking about how you thought everything between us was fake. That it was all a lie, or a pawn. I know I messed up, I know I lied. But those words have been repeating in my head over and over. Miguel everything between us was real, everything I feel for you is real." "You lied to me though. I don't even know the real you!" He retorted.

"I know," I sighed, "I messed up, I know. But trust me right now, Miguel, please. When I say everything was real between us, it was. It is!" He then stood up, "I don't know what's real anymore!" I then stood next to him, grabbed his hand, and placed it over my heart, "Do you feel this? This beating heart inside of my chest is real. Every beat that I've had since the day I met you has been for you. The way you make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time is real. This heart inside of me belongs to you, and only you. That is the truth, and it's real, Miguel. It's real."

He stayed silent for a second, feeling the beats of my heart. Then he pulled his hand away, "But you're friends with Tory!" "Miguel, I didn't know who she was. I know you've mentioned her and Robby, but I never seen pictures or anything of them." I defended. "Then how did you two become friends?" He asked. "I went to that little liquor store next to the Cobra Kai dojo after I left your house one time. I think my aunt needed some medicine, so I stopped there to get it. That's where I first met Tory, and we just had small talk. Nothing special, then we went our separate ways. Then time went by and we ran into one another there again and we exchanged numbers then started hanging out occasionally." I answered.

"Why did you never bring her up to me then?" "When I found out she attends Cobra Kai, I didn't want you to feel any type of way about her or me." I replied. "So you knew she's a student there, and you still didn't put two and two together to realize she's the Tory I was referring to? Or even the fact that her boyfriend's is Robby?" "Okay, I know it sounds bad; and I'll admit I did get a weird feeling about them at first but they never gave me any personal reasons to suspect anything badly about them." I explained. "Do you guys still talk?" He asked immediately. I sharply inhaled as I felt my heart stop, "I'll be honest, yes. But before you get any weird thoughts, I did confront her about keeping that secret from me."

"Did she even know about us?" "Of course she did. I've never kept you a secret from her or Robby, ever. So yeah, I was extremely hurt with the both of them when you told me that night who they really are." I answered. "Oh really?" "Yes, really. I confronted her the same night!" I defended. He stayed silent and hung his head low, shaking his head lightly. I then decided to pull out my phone and I opened my messages with Tory to show my proof, "Read this. I told her I needed to speak with her that night, we did meet up and we talked everything out." He then looked over at the phone and read the messages.

"Are you sure she told you everything?" He asked. "I'm positive." I answered. I really wanted to ask him about the whole kissing Sam thing, but I knew now isn't the time. Right now I need to make things up to Miguel, and I don't think me questioning his past is going to help me out. "What about Robby? Did you talk to him about it?" "Try yelling. As soon as I seen him, I went off. I couldn't contain the anger I felt for him." I replied. "Are you guys cool?" I stayed silent to think about how to answer him, "Not really. I mean I am cordial with him, but we aren't on perfect terms since I found out the truth." He nodded his head as his response to me.

We stood in silence for a few beats. We were both ironically playing with our fingers within the silence. "I've really missed you." Miguel cooed, breaking the silence. "I've missed you too." I admitted. "I really wish you would've told me the truth sooner, but I understand why you didn't." "If I would've known how much damage that one white lie would've caused, I never would have played along." I looked to the ground. "I know you wouldn't have." "It cost me the most important person I've got out here." I sighed. "Who's that?" He asked. I then looked up and said, "You... My boyfriend."

"Hey," He grabbed my hands, "You didn't lose me. I'm right here." "I thought I did, Miguel. I really thought that was it for us." I started blindly rapidly, to make sure no tears were to fall from my eyes. "Brielle, I only said I needed space. I never said we were done." He gave me a sympathetic smile. Confusion immediately consumed me, "I thought when someone asks for space, it's breaking up?" He chuckled, "No. It means I just needed time to clear my head, not that I was finished wth you— Or us." A smile was plastered across my face, "So, you're still my boyfriend?" "You aren't going to get rid of me that easy." He pulled me in for a hug. I did not hesitate to snuggle into his arms, my safe space.

"I forgot to tell you!" He beamed. "Yes?" I asked. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. I was utterly confused until I seen a certain piece of paper. "Guess who got their permit!" "No way! I'm so proud of you!" I squealed. "Thank you! I passed the test today, and I knew I had to share the news with you." He smiled. "That is such amazing news to share!" I smiled in admiration. "I couldn't have done it without you." "I am a pretty great teacher, aren't I?" I joked. "The best!" We both started lightly laughing. Oh, how amazing it feels to be laughing with him again.

"There's something I need to apologize for." My stomach started to churn, I had no idea what he could possibly need to apologize for. Immediately the words of Tory telling me the truth behind the huge school fight came to mind. No, Miguel wouldn't go back with Sam. I tried to calm myself. "About?" I managed to ask. "That night. I called you Lola. I'm so sorry about that, I felt like a complete asshole the second it left my mouth." I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, "Oh, that. It's okay." I shrugged.

"No, it isn't. I shouldn't have done that, I was speaking out of anger and that was wrong. You're Lola to everyone else, but to me you're Brielle." A smile slowly grew across my lips, "I'll always be your Brielle." "As long as I get the real Brielle." He arched his brow. He's right, he deserves to know the real me. To know my real past, my real family stories, everything. Then, an amazing idea hit me like a ton of bricks. I then stuck my hand out with a smile on my face. "Uh what're you doing?" He asked. "Hello, I'm kind of new around here, what's your name?" I asked. He still had a confused look, but not for long once he caught onto my drift, "Miguel, and you are?" "Brielle, but everyone calls me Lola." I answered. He then shook my hand, "Lola's pretty name, but I like Brielle better." "Brielle it is then."