Sin Contrato • Maluma

Chapter 17 ● The Night They Got Caught

"Well," she puts her hands on my arms. "Have a good date... dinner... thing," she smiles. "Whatever he's trying so desperately to apologize for, just remember he's totally in love with you!"

"Of course," I smile down at Meli. "I'll let you know when I'm free," I nod. "I'll see you," I leave one last kiss on her cheek before going into the building.

I stand by the front doors for five minutes, waiting for Melissa to be far enough for me to leave without getting seen.

○○○

Juan's POV

I was sat at the dinner table.

It's been two hours and Antonella hasn't shown up.

All I can do is throw the chicken away and grab a beer out the fridge.

○○○

"Again!" The wedding planner shouts at all of us. "The wedding is one week away and you're all messing up the processional!"

I let out a grunt and head back to the end of the aisle, waiting as my corresponding bridesmaid, who was not Antonella, came up to me and locked arms with me.

We rehearsed for another hour, the entire time I kept staring at Antonella who was pretending that I didn't exist and I don't know why.

"Better!" The planner exclaims. "Let's take a ten minute break, everyone!"

I rush on over to Antonella who I haven't seen in three weeks and grab her by the arm.

"You better not," she looks down at my hand and I let go.

"Antonella," I say. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Me?" She looks up at me. "You have the audacity to ask what's wrong with me?"

"Can we go talk somewhere? I haven't seen you since-"

"Let's go," she points at the kitchen and leads me to it.

"What did I do?" I ask as we finally reach the empty kitchen, far from everyone. "I-I genuinely don't know- you just didn't show up to the dinner, I waited for over an hour. You don't take my calls and leave my messages on read-"

"I got to your apartment last week," Anto puts her finger up and stops me. "And I ran into Melissa on my way in."

"Okay," I start to listen.

"And imagine my surprise, well," she pauses. "My 'half-surprise' when she tells me how you slept with Eva for six months," I stay silent. "What now, Juan? Nothing to say?"

"You wouldn't believe a thing I had to say anyway," I look down at the floor.

"You're right," she points at me. "Because you lied from the get go. I asked you straight up, not just once too, if you had a thing with her. If you had a thing with that... bitch!" She yells at me. "I gave you the chance to come clean, at a time where it wouldn't have hurt me like it does now. And on top of the lying," her voice quivers. "Eva told me you were just using me to get to her, and at first I refused to believe it, but now-"

"Anto, I would never!" I stop her. "I know I'm a total piece of shit for lying to you about her. When you did ask, I didn't want anyone knowing, especially a girl I liked so much. Then when we started getting serious, I tried finding the right time to tell you! I was going to tell you that night on the boardwalk. I was going to tell you at the dinner you stood me up at! I-I couldn't go on with the lie, I couldn't not have you be mine anymore because that stupid thing I had with her was eating away at me-"

"Poor you," she grimaces and shakes her head. "Having sex with her must've been a real tragedy. Keeping it from me, I can't even imagine!"

"I was a dumbass," I tell her. "I still am. There's no denying that. I'm absolutely sorry."

All she does is shake her head and not look at me.

"You know," she starts without looking at me. "Poor Tim out there, he's the only groomsman that hasn't slept with her."

"Anto-"

"I'm glad I never slept with a pig like you," she hits me with her fake bouquet.

"Antonella, I'm sorry," I repeat.

"It sounds like you're just sorry you got caught," she denies my apology.

"I'm sorry I did it in the first place, I'm sorry that I hurt you, and I'm sorry that I lied."

"I'm done," she finally looks at me. "After the wedding. We're both moving out, I'll find a place-"

"Move in with me."

"That's fucking rich!" She laughs in my face. "I don't want anything to do with you, Juan. Get that in your head." We stay there looking at each other silently. "It's over. You fucked up."