𝐂𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ━━ 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘰

7 ── Accidents

"I wrote that for myself—I put it with the other papers by accident."

"For yourself?" he asked skeptically.

"W-When I feel really strongly about something or someone, I write it out and then reading it over and over helps me focus" she explained, hoping to get through to him. "I-I have this major crush and I really needed to write it out and I'm so—so sorry you had to see it."

"Oh" he realizes, forming his own huge 'O' with his mouth. "Well, that—that...makes sense."

"Yeah, yeah" she nods quickly, wishing the discussion could be over with already. "Again, sorry you had to see it and all."

"It's okay. It's okay, I just totally freaked out about it. I thought I was gonna have to explain to you how I see you as a friend, sister, even" he replies, causing her in cringing a bit. She maintains a forced smile, feeling a pang of hurt practically directed at her heart. "And, I do."

After only a few moments, an awkward silence comes forth. Hajira finds herself staring at him, his words replaying in her head. Sure, she wasn't gonna tell him about her ever-growing feelings but it still hurt how he perceived while she felt really differently.

"C-Could I get that back?"

"Oh. Yes, of course" he nervously chuckles as he hands her the piece of paper. She gives him a forced 'thanks' while promptly leaving the office and dropping her faux expression. Rafael goes back to his desk, only to wonder who her crush could had been.

Hours later, Hajira finds herself at the bridal shop, in support of helping Jane pick out a dress. She had still been feeling a bit off about earlier with the letter and Rafael but she still tried to be in good spirits.

Although, Jane's own troubles seemed to get resolved, slowly but surely. Michael had just left after speaking with Jane, fixing a little issue they had but right after, someone they all recognized came bursting in.

An slightly older man with a costume fitting an army man comes in, Rogelio De La Vega, the guy from Passions of Santos. Alba & Xiomara seemed to know him, though but still surprised by his arrival.

"Why is the guy from Passions of Santos here?"

"You two know him?" Jane questions her mother & grandmother as they obviously seem to know who he is.

The man gestures for her to sit as he does so, himself, apparently having something huge to say.

"Well, why don't you tell me why you're here?" Jane offers as a starting point, seeing how he was having trouble beginning.

"I-I-I..." he stutters, not getting anywhere, "I'm your father" he spits out, making both Jane and Hajira take a double take.

"What?"

"I'm your father."

"No, I heard you" she said obviously, still not believing what he said.

"Yeah, but you said 'what', so I thought you didn't."

"Wait, y-you're her father? Xo, please tell me he's not serious."

Xiomara only stays silent as Jane begins to slowly process it, herself. "You...You knew...You knew who my father was?" she tearfully asked her mother.

"I'm sorry, honey" she replied, almost as tearfully with sound regret in her voice.

"All this time...Oh...! You knew who my father was, and you didn't tell me?" she asked, hurt obviously rooted in her tone. Xiomara says nothing in response, resulting in Jane suddenly getting up from her spot and making everyone leave. Xiomara, Rogelio, & Alba had left abruptly, knowing she wanted to be alone.

Even as the rest of them left, Hajira had stayed behind, not sure if she wanted to leave her friend all alone.

"Janie..." she led off as she saw her friend reluctantly sit down on the pedestal and let the tears fall down her face. Her eyebrows furred in sympathy as she rushed over to her, enveloping her in a tight hug. She rubbed her hand up and down her shoulders, attempting to be comforting as possible.

She felt like she was somebody who could at least relate to her. She had been lied to so many times by her family, she knew what it was like. And soon, she would experience it again.

As the hours passed, Hajira could tell she was on a bed, her usually comfortable one at that. A huge weight was above her, causing the sensation she could definitely feel on her neck and on her upper right thigh. Whoever had been touching her, had smooth hands with extreme expertise. She could definitely hear her own moans, echoing through the room.

Soon enough, their mouth landed on her neck, dangerously near her collarbone. She could feel the peppered kisses, each with an electrifying feeling of pleasure. She threw her head slightly back, not used to the feeling. Only a moment after, she looks to see who it is. She sees Rafael, the one creating the pleasure before it all fades into black.

And just like her dreams, Rafael's dreams had betrayed him. He woke up all too suddenly, shocked being a understatement. He sinks down back into his bed, attempting to figure out what he had dreamed about—no, why he dreamed about it.

── Authors Note ──
Hi I love Rafael Solano—