Tamila's Point Of View: * five days later*
I was reluctant to say that I had returned to the office in Los Angeles. I'm in dismay to regret, however, that I haven't seen of, or heard from Jaime since the wedding. When I returned to Havana's house, (thankfully a brides maid drove me there) that night he wasn't present, and the morning that followed nobody had heard or seen of him either.
I left early the next day, not wanting to disconvience Havana since she was preparing to embark on her honeymoon to Hawaii with her Husband, Berto. She insisted I stay, claiming I was an honary part of the family, but I couldn't bring myself to stay when Jaime was prepensely giving me the cold shoulder.
He avioded my texts and declined my phone calls. The worst part was that he never told me what he said I needed to know. He left me "hanging" if you will.
I didn't get much sleep that night. I lie awake in the bed, overthinking everything, analzying what Jaime could've said... and to make matters worse, Miguel tried multiple times to sneak into the room with me, resluting with a nice hand print across each cheek on his face.
And in a way, I felt betrayed by him. Jaime was always there for me. And I usually went out of my way for him, our relationship was more or less working with eachother.
Here I was sitting in my office, having to rely on those reprobate employers of mine to complete some of Jaime's tasks, in which, they weren't doing very well with.
I was currently debating with one of my employees, who was givng me a hard time about being the spokes person for our new line of moisturizer.
"Honarable Dastanos, I was hired for product design not promotion!" Collin, one of the head designers snapped, placing one hand on his hip and the other on his bowtie. "You can't just assign me a task you know I can't complete!"
"Do you think I'm an idiot? Your resume says otherwise!" I yelled, lifting his resume off my desk and waving it around, making my point.
A knock at the door put our on hold.
"Leave before I fire you." I sneered, shooing Collin with my hand. "Expect an email from me later." I narrowed my eyes at his face, which was covered with oversized RayBans.
"Yes ma'am" he snapped with a nasally voice.
He nervously shuffled out the door, nearly tripping over himself before holding the door open for the next person, revealing who was on the other side.
There, in jeans and a bright yellow polo, stood none other than Chester Dembling. His toned arms were crossed over his masculine chest, he was leaning against the doorframe, his eyes locked into mine.
I drew my attention to his face. It was as handsome as ever but there were bruises and scratches all over it, scars and burns traced around his wrists and arms. The bags under his eyes signaled that he, too, underwent a lack of sleep.
I suddenly felt sympathy. An emotion I normally don't express. My voice seemed to agree with me as I was at a loss for words.
Considering the fact that Jaime seemed to care less, I realized I could give Chester that chance I had in the back of my mind when we kissed in Vegas.
"Come in." I said in a shallow whisper, trying to peel my eyes away from him.
He shut the door behind him and walked up to my desk. I stood up and walked around the desk, until we were less than a foot away.
"I didn't request for you to come." I teased imperceptably, a faint smile played on my lips. I pressed the button on my desk to fog up the glass walls so nobody would see in.
"I wanted to see you." Chester spoke up quickly, his eyes dirverted their attention to the floor. "And I wanted to talk about what happened in Las Vegas." He lifted his gaze to mine.
"I thought what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?" I tried not to chuckle at the cheap pun.
He flashed me a dazzling Dembling smile. "I like to think otherwise." He turned towards my desk and started to shuffle around my papers and files. Before I could even protest he lifted up a copy of the Los Angeles Times, revealing the front page headline.
"Dispute Between Dembling Brothers Leads to Late Night Race in Las Vegas"
I snatched the paper from Chester's hands, reading the brief synopsis.
Ronnie Reynolds, Reporting from Las Vegas. Around the midnight hour at the strip surrounding the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hollywood Director Chase Dembling was spotted pinning down actor and model Chester Dembling, his younger brother, in what appeared to be an argument. Survallence shows that Chester fled the scene, being closely followed by his brother, who chased him into an alleyway and landed in a dumpster, while Chester managed to climb a fire escape. Once Chase removed himself from the dumpster and onto the fire escape the two brothers were reuinted on the rooftop, where Chester premeditatively threw himself off the rooftop, which concluded to be 15 stories high. Survallence camera's did not manage to see how Chester managed the fall. Chase fled the scene and jumped into a cab before speeding off to an unknown location. Police are investagating what may have caused the scene between Hollywood's star brothers.
I stared at the paper in surprise.
"You jumped off a 15 story building?" My eyes widened, still looking at the paper. "What are you delusional? You could have severely injured yourself!" I set the paper down on my desk, shaking my head in ostracism.
"Tamila, I took martial arts for 17 years, I've trained to fall properly. You didn't see what went down between Chase and I after... after you left." He said hesitantly.
"Did you expect me to stay?" I questioned, walking over to the other side of my office, I was in need to make a cup of coffee.
As I turned to put the filter in the machiene the touch of warm arms was felt around my waist, pulling me closer. A chin was rested on my shoulder, sending a warm breath fanning my neck.
"I never wanted you to leave."
I turned my head to look at Chester, setting down the filter and pot of hot water. His chin still resting on my shoulder, arms still around my waist. He pulled me a little closer, our bodies now pressed tightly together.
What was he trying to say? I mean I know what he was getting at but did he sincerely mean it? Chase said the same thing to me...
*Flashback*
After talking to some people at the party in Mark Middleton's house, I returned to the kitchen, where that Chase guy was still seated at the bar where I had left him.
"Sorry I left, some people were eager to speak with me." I laughed nervously, approaching the bar.
"I honestly didn't want you to go, but you're here now, aren't you?" He smirked at me, his eyes glistening. "Cheers." He slid to me a glass of wine, the smile not once fading from his face.
*Flashback Ends*
"Tamila, I don't know what's gotten into me, but since that day, I couldn't get you out of my mind. I know you think I'm Chase, but I swear to you I'm not. I never... understand me, I never wanted to put you in danger of any sort. I won't be, and towards you, I couldn't be. Chester spoke genuinely, lowering the volume of his voice into a soft murmur. "And I want you to give me that chance to prove it to you. You have every right to be conceded and self centered, can't you see, you're so... sexy. Bold. Passionate. You're a leader, a little diamond in the midst of rocks. Everyone else... those wannabees of women...they just envy that they can't be you. Men like my brother just like what they see of you on the outside but me..."
He flipped me around to face him. His eyes were filled with emotions of need and desire.
"I see everything about you. Your beauty and personality. And that's what I love."
My eyes widened. He actually thought of me the way I thought of myself, above everyone else in every sense, always ahead and never anything less.
Not even Jaime said that.
I took Chester's face in my hands, feeling the soft, bruised skin touch my palms. "You could be playing me." I retorted, seeing if he'd go along or prove me wrong.
"Let me show you different."
He placed his arms around my waist again, this time a little lower than my personal prefrence. His caramel colored eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips multiple times.
"Well?" I was getting impatient, staring at those lips of his was driving me crazy. I was angry at Jaime for having confessed my mutual feelings and having him disappear on me. After hearing what Chester had to say, he spoke things Jaime would never admit, if even agree on.
I was indefienetly, in this moment, over Jaime Gonzalez. Regardless of what was, this right here, Chester, is what will be.
Chester pulled me closer and gave me a soft kiss, his lips had an addicting affect on me. However his gentle touch wasn't nearly enough to satisfy me.
I wrung my arms around his neck and kissed him hard, signaling to him how much in that moment I wanted the feel of his lips on mine.
Chester grazed my bottom lip bewteen his teeth, earning a gasp from me, which he used to deepen the kiss. He turned us around and shoved me against the shelf where the coffee maker was, our kiss very much in tact, getting more passionate as Chester lifted me off the ground and sat me on the countertop. I moved my hands to his hair, running my fingers through the mess of it.
It had been so long since I felt so cliche, but I had no complaints.
The two of us were nearly out of breath, but neither of us seemed to mind. Chester gave me a little squeeze before the door swung open and an all-too-familiar voice spoke up.
"Tamila, allow me to explain my-"
That spanish accent nearly shattered my heart. Chester broke the kiss and turned around facing the door, as I peered from over his shoulder, still sitting on the counter.
"Jaime?" My expression turned from shocked to furious in a matter of moments.
"Tamila..." His eyes diverted from me to Chester.
He was dressed in a usual grey suit and black tie, his hair combed back and his face slightly in need of shave. My heart was beating fast at his presence, and then I remembered what he had done, and what Chester and I were in the middle of doing.
"Where have you been?" I exclaimed jumping off the counter and standing in front of Chester, who held on to my shoulders in attempts to comfort me. "You haven't been in the office for days, you disappeared after the wedding! Haven't you read my texts? Did you bother to answer my calls?" My voice trembled as I struggled to keep my cool. "Why did you lie to me, Jaime? After all I've done for you... hell, I confessed to you something I'd never confess to anyone else!" I know for a fact my face was red now. "And worse... you said you felt the same way!" My fists were clenched at my sides, Chester was holding me tighter, glaring at Jaime in a not-so-nice manner.
"What makes you think I lied to you, Tamila?" Jaime exploded, now it was his turn to get angry, his eyes were wide yet narrowed at me.
Did he not see us kiss? Why wasn't he bringing it up?
"I couldn't stand seeing you all that time and not doing anything about it! What am I, an idiot, not making that necessary move?" Jaime was flustered. "Then with such perfect timing you caught Havana's wedding bouquet... not ONE person in the history of Gonzalez weddings who's caught the bouquet hasn't been the next married. And when I saw you holding the bouquet... I wondered in that moment... if you were the next married... what would happen if you weren't getting married to me.
My jaw dropped, I was nearly unable to process the fact that he admitted that. But that didn't explain where he was.
"Then where were you, Jaime?" I felt goosebumps rise to my skin from all the tension.
"Tamila, I needed time-"
"Well your time's up." Chester inturrupted Jaime, stepping forwards and around me, approaching Jaime in a harsh manner that I instantly became hesitant about.
"Chester Dembling!" Jaime spat, running a hand through his hair.
"I said your time's up. You screwed around with opportunity, you lost what you so called "desired."
"I saw that little article the LA Times ran. You know, the one about you and your brother, that nice little rat race through the city." He sneered. "Now here you are thinking you're gonna win Tamila over." While his tone was cold, his eyes were filled with hurt, which took my already shattered heart and turned it into dust.
"I threw myself off a building for her, theoretically, Jaime. You told her you loved her, then you left her."
"YOU'RE PART OF YOUR BROTHER'S LITTLE PLOT TO ERADICATE TAMILA OUT OF HER OWN ENTERPRISE YOU SCANDALOUS PENDEJO!" Jaime took a step closer to Chester, his voice was booming through the room.
"What's pendejo?" Chester furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Look it up, since your mind can't handle the comprehension of various languages." Jaime grit his teeth through his words.
"Jaime what eradication plan are you talking about?" I stepped between the two men, feeling very concious, considering the fact I clearly had feelings for the two, even though I denyed myself the truth about Jaime, a part of me would never stop loving him.
Jaime didn't say a word, he was much too consumed in a staring match with Chester.
"And Chester is Chase really doing what Jaime fears he is?" I asked.
"I told you already, Tamila, I could never hurt you. I would never abandon you, not like Jaime did." He stated, still boring his eyes into Jaime's.
"You don't know her like I do." Jaime spoke.
"I will when she gives me the chance."
"She won't give you the chance, son."
"She already did."
"WHAT?" Jaime and I said in unison, our eyes meeting.
"You, Tamila, she, Jaime, gave me the chance to love her."
"When?" I said loudly, angry and confused.
"Before we were rudely inturrupted, clearly you like your kisses a little on the rough end." Chester snaked an arm around my waist, giving me a quick smile.
"You KISSED her... AGAIN?!" Jaime yelled, this time, his infuriation, on a scale from 1 to 10, was at a 10,000.
"How would you know I kissed her before?" Chester was close to screaming.
"I was THERE in Vegas." Jaime replied. "What gave you the right to do that?"
"The same right it gave her to kiss back." Chester smirked.
"Well why did you do it AGAIN?" Jaime was screaming now, I said a silent prayer hoping that none of the employers were standing outside the doorway listening in.
"What does it concern you? Evidently, you don't care for her as much as you proclaim you do. And what difference does it make to you now, she's mine." Chester's voice exceeded Jaime's in volume.
"Is this true, Tamila?" Jaime looked at me, his eyes softened with sadness and hurt. "Tell me it isn't." He was softspoken.
I didn't know what to say. In reality, I didn't know where Chester and I stood. As much as I wanted to be with Jaime, he had made me cry, something nobody else has made me do. He avoided me, which nobody else has managed to have done successfully. Though he had done plenty for me, I had done much more, and this would be the test to see if he truly loved me, if what we've been hiding for years would finally rise to surface. Our undeinable, yet currently denied, love for eachother.
"Its completely true, Jaime. You've done things to me that would never even cross Chester's mind."
Those words slammed me right where it hurt the most, the dust of my heart now vanished into thin air.
I felt something for Chester, and I did want to be with him, but as many times I wanted to be with Chester, I wanted to be with Jaime 100 times more.
I took another long, deep, breath before speaking the next sentence.
"Now, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the office for the rest of today. You are expected to be here on time tomorrow and follow up with the interns about the work you need to complete. Are we clear, Mr. Gonzalez? I raised an eyebrow, looking directly into Jaime's hearrtbreakingly beautiful eyes.
I absoloutely loathed talking to him that way. He wasn't like my employers, he was beyond them.
"Yes, Honarable Dastanos." He said before turning around and walking out of the office doors, leaving me and Chester once again alone.
"You did the right thing, Tammy." Chester whispered into my ear and pulling me into a hug. "You know I want to be with you, don't deny we both feel the same way."
Tammy.
That's what Jaime calls me.
Or used to call me, should I say. He'd probably call me Honarable Dastanos from now on, and it sure wasn't an honor to me. It was more shameful to me than anything else.
I sighed, returning the hug and holding Chester tight to release my anger through the hug, squeezing Chester hard and leaning my face into his shoulder.
"Tamila Dastanos, I think it's time I ask you to be my girlfriend." Chester pulled back from the hug and looked me right in the eyes.
My heard hammered in my chest, my breath hitched in my throat. The goosebumps returned to my skin and there were tiny beads of sweat forming on my brow.
"I will be." I said to Chester, not sure whether to be regretting or rejoycing over this decision.
Chester pulled me in for a kiss, putting his soft lips back on mine, but my mind was consumed with one concept, something most of us have heard before.
Why does it feel so good, but hurt so bad?