After ✔

34

"Your dad will come visit you tomorrow, I promise."

"Tomorrow?" He blinks.

"Yeah."

When he smiles, it puts his little white teeth on display. All his sadness slowly starts morphing into excitement.

"I'll go make him a drawing!" He hops off my lap and runs out of the living room, yelling "Mommy! Where are my colors?!" At the top of his lungs. 

When he's gone, I quickly dial Dani's number. He picks up on the third ring.

"Hola." He greets. "What's up?"

"Did you text Gabi from your mom's phone?"

"Straight to the point I see." He says dryly. "Yes, in fact I did. Used her new SIM-card and everything."

"Okay, great." I get off the couch when I hear noises coming from the kitchen. It's just the maid, and of course,  Gabriella's brother, fraternising with her. I tell Dani I'll text him later and end the call.

"C'mon, baby." Zach purrs. "Just one drink."

The maid throws him a really dirty look, but I'm not blind. I see the way she looks at him. She's just afraid of getting caught. 

"Hitting on our maids now?" I cross my arms. "You've grown desperate."

"That I have." He says. "Say, your blonde friend. Can I have her number?"

"Claire is taken."

"Claire." He sighs dreamily, leaning over the counter. "What about the other one?"

"Rosie? You're not her type."

He snorts, mumbling something about how he was everybody's type. 

"Fine." He crosses his arms to mock me. "You. Me. Tonight. You can even
invite all your little friends and we can hit some club. How does that sound?"

"Like it's not my scene." I inch away from him and grab my car keys.

"Think about it." He calls after I turn my back to him and unlock the kitchen door.

"Will do." I reply, stepping out and closing the door behind me.

I decide to head to Dani's. I won't be able to catch Amelia this late, but hey, at least I'll see Dani. And Nate, not that it matters. But it does.

Oh God, I'm mumbling.

I park the car under his building like usual and head up the stairs.

I'm just about to knock when I hear voices coming from the inside. I realize the front door isn't locked at all. It's not even shut properly.

Typical guy behavior.

I wonder if I should just tip-toe inside and surprise them.

"I can't do this!" Comes Nate's voice from the inside.

"Man up." Even from here, I can mentally picture Dani rolling his eyes.

"Man up?!" Nate hisses. "How hypocritical of you, brother!"

My brows tug together in confusion. Even with their usual brawls, this doesn't seem like a friendly one.

It's almost as if Nate is angry. 

"She gave you two years of her life, Dani!" He growls. "God knows what she sacrificed for you! And you're here, playing poker with all of us."

My throat suddenly tightens. Was he talking about me? Why?

What had Dani done?

"It's... it's different, I'll tell her, I just need time."

"You'll tell her what?" Nate yells. "That you've been lying to her? That now you've got your memories back, you think you can play with all our feelings?!"

My fists clench together. What was he saying?

The door opens with a bang.

"What?!"

I barely hear my own voice, or feel my footsteps on the floor.

My brain is swarming with thoughts and accusations.

No wonder he was acting so differently these days.

He remembers everything. 

Yet he didn't tell me.

And to me, that only proves one thing. 

"Is it true?!"

Dani stares at me. Nate's eyes are wide in surprise, like he didn't expect to see me here in a million years in a situation like this.

"Well?!" I scream.

All I see right now is red. Hot blood might as well have been dripping from the walls and pooling in my feet.

My vision is blurred, but I don't really care right now. Warm tears fall down my cheeks. I would have never imagined finding out like this.

I wrap my arms around my body protectively. What else hadn't he told me?

Is he the same person I thought he was yesterday?

He starts walking towards me. "Look, querida, I..."

He raises his hand to grab onto my arm, but I step back. "Don't touch me." I say, shaking my head.

What I would give to not be in this situation right now.

Ground, if you're listening, it's your queue to swallow me alive right now.

My head is pounding just as fast as my heart.

Without another word, I turn around and walk away.

News, everyone! After is almost complete! And that also with only about half the chapters as it's prequel. Brace yourselves though, this is not going to be a Harry Potter ending where they have kids or anything. Infact, there's no yearly gap at all.

Chapters remaining : Around four.