- 39 -
What a night!
Everything has become so complicated since Ares came into my life. He's been like a little hurricane, destroying everything in his path. He's had his sweet moments, but those moments are overshadowed by all the times he's screwed up with me. How can he be sweet one second and then be so cold?
I sigh, and my breath is visible coming out of my mouth. It's getting really cold, maybe leaving the bar wasn't my brightest idea, but anything was better than standing there holding it all in. I try to call Dani again, but there's no answer. The tree behind me feels really hard against my back, so I move myself away from it. And then I hear him.
"Raquel!"
The voice that torments my mind and makes my heart go out of control. Startled, I glance up the street and see Ares walking quickly towards me. Concern is evident on his face, but at this point I don't care. I'd like to say I feel nothing when I saw him, though I don't, he's always looking so fucking hot.
When he reaches me, he wraps me in a tight hug, he smells so good.
"I thought I wouldn't find you."
I stand still without raising my arms to return his embrace. He pulls away from me and takes my face in both hands.
"Are you alright?"
I don't say anything, and I just take his hands off my face. He looks hurt, but he lets me.
"You're very upset, aren't you?"
"No." The coldness in my own voice surprises us both. "I am disappointed."
"I..." He scratches the back of his head, messing up his black hair. "I'm sorry."
"Okay."
He frowns.
"Okay? Raquel, talk to me, I know you have a million things to say."
I shrug my shoulders.
"Not really."
"You're lying, come on, insult me, shout at me, but don't be silent. Your silence is... agonizing."
"What do you want me to say?"
He turns his back to me, holding his head as if he doesn't know what to say. When he turns to me again, his voice is soft.
"I'm really sorry."
A sad smile forms on my mouth.
"That's not enough."
"I know, and I don't pretend it is." He presses his lips. "Just... give me another chance."
My sad smile expands.
"That's what this has become, an endless cycle of opportunities. You hurt me, you apologize and I come back to you like it's nothing."
"Raquel..."
"Maybe it's my fault for having high expectations when it comes to you."
A grimace of pain crosses his face, I turn around and start to walk away from him. I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going, but I need to get away from him.
"Raquel," he calls me. "Wait," He grabs my arm, turning me toward him once more. "This is all very new to me, and that's not an excuse, I've never... tried anything serious with anyone before. I don't know what to do, I know it seems obvious to a lot of people, but it's not to me."
I let go of his grip.
"It's common sense, Ares. You have the highest IQ in the county and you can't deduce that it wouldn't be a good idea to take me to a place where there are two girls you've fucked."
"Two girls I've fucked?" He looks confused. "Oh, Nathaly..." He really didn't remember? "How do you know...? Ah, shit, I forgot about that. It was a one-night thing, nothing relevant to me."
"Of course."
"What else did she tell you?"
I lift my chin.
"She also told me that you used to make fun with your friends about my crush on you."
He does not seem surprised at my statement.
"That was long before I talked to you, we hadn't even met in those times."
"And I'm supposed to believe you?"
"Why wouldn't you believe me? I've never lied to you."
I remembered all those times he talked to me so clearly it hurt.
"Of course, I forgot that honesty is one of your qualities."
His blue eyes are full of sincerity.
"I think that was sarcasm, but I'm really not lying to you. Nathaly never meant anything to me."
I cross my arms over my chest.
"And what am I to you?"
He looks down.
"You know what you are to me."
"After tonight I have no idea."
He looks up, his eyes are shining with a feeling that makes my heart race.
"You are... my witch. The girl who cast a spell on me, who makes me want to be different, to try new things that are scary but worth it, because of you."
The tickling in my stomach is unbearable.
"Nice words, but they are not enough, I need facts. I need you to show me that you really want to be with me."
"I'm learning. What else do you want me to do?" He looks so vulnerable right now.
"That's on you. You're used to getting everything the easy way, not this time. If you want to be with me, you'll have to fight for it and earn it. We'll start as friends."
"As friends? Friends don't feel the way you and I feel, nor do they desire each other the way we do."
"I know, but you need to earn things after all the times you've ruined everything."
He runs his hand over his face.
"Are you telling me I won't be able to kiss you or touch you?" I just nod. "Are you leaving me in the friendzone?"
"No, not really, well, yes, but with the possibility of being something more if you know how to do things."
An ironic smile fills his lips.
"No one has ever left me in the friendzone."
"There is always a first time for everything."
He gets closer to me.
"What if I don't agree to be your friend?"
"Well," it takes all my strength to say the following, "then, unfortunately, you are out of my life."
"Wow, I really hurt you this time." I ignore his words.
"So, do you take it or leave it?"
He runs his hand through his hair.
"You know well that I'll hold on to the least. All right, we'll do it your way, but on one condition."
"What condition?"
"During this period of friendship," he makes quotation marks with his fingers. "You can't date other guys, you're still my girl."
Inevitably I smile.
"Why are you always so possessive?"
"I just want to make it clear that, although we're starting from friends, that doesn't mean you're going to be able to date other guys. Got it?"
"Friends don't have no such rights."
He gives me a murderous look.
"Raquel..."
"All right, Mr. Jealous, no dating other people; that applies to you too."
"And it's okay to play dirty."
My eyebrows almost came together.
"What do you mean?"
"Just because I'm your friend," he makes quotation marks with his fingers again, "doesn't mean I can't try to seduce you."
"You're crazy."
He extends his hand in front of me.
"Do we have an agreement?"
I nod and squeeze his hand.
"Yes."
He lifts it up and brings it to his lips, giving it a wet kiss without taking his eyes off mine.
I swallow thickly and release my hand. He gives me that crooked smile I love so much.
"What do you want to do? Do you want me to take you home or do you want to go back in there?"
I debate between what to do.
I decide to go back in there just to test Ares, to see how he's going to deal with that situation now that he's realized he didn't handle it the best way. With a lot of confidence, I go back inside the club with him.
The table is almost empty with the exception of Nathaly and Samy, who are there talking. I guess the others have gone dancing. I sit next to Nathaly and Ares next to me. She gives me a look of annoyance and I just smile openly at her.
Volví, perra.
I'm back, bitch, as Dani would say.
"Do you want something to drink?" Ares asks in my ear.
"A margarita," I reply and he nods and gets up to get it.
In a while, Ares fits into my field of vision in the distance. A margarita glass appears in front of me on the table and Ares sits down next to me. Electronic music begins to play and Nathaly gets up, moving to the beat; she walks past me and stops in front of Ares.
"Do you want to dance?" She holds out her hand. I just take a sip of my margarita, faking a smile.
"No."
He doesn't even give her an explanation as to why not.
"Oh, don't be boring. Why not?"
Ares shrugs and takes my hand.
"Because the only one I want to dance with is her."
I didn't expect that. Nathaly goes back to her place. Ares squeezes my hand and forces me to stand up, so we go dancing. This is going to get interesting.
We cross a lot of people until we are in the middle of the mass of bodies moving to the rhythm of the music. I'm nervous, I can't deny it, it's the first time I'll dance with him. Ares is in front of me, waiting. He looks so perfectly beautiful under the different colored lights falling on us. I bite my lower lip and start to move, he follows my movements pressing to me.
I put my hands around his neck, moving my hips gently against him. I can feel his breath on my face, his body against mine. Being so close to him is intoxicating and I realize that I may be underestimating the effect he has on me with all this starting out as friends thing.
Ares rests his hands on my waist, moving with me. The sexual tension between us is palpable, like an electric current coursing through our bodies to the music. He turns me around and hugs me from behind, wrapping his arms around my waist.
He rests his chin on my shoulder, and places a soft kiss on my neck. His lips feel wet and warm against my skin. I don't know how much time passes, but I don't want this moment to end. I want to stay like this with him, that nothing changes, that nothing gets ruined again because I couldn't bear it.
The music changes and Gnash's I Hate You, I Love You plays and I turn to face him and sing it with him. He looks so cute, singing, looking into my eyes.
I hate you, I love you, I hate that I love you...
Ares takes my hand and makes me do a dramatic move. I burst out laughing and keep singing. The world around us disappears, it's just him and me, singing and dancing like idiots in the middle of the crowd. A sense of peace and joy invades my heart.
I want to believe in him, I'll give him one last shot to win my love, I'll be cheerleading to the idiot Greek god who stole my heart.