|Andrew|
“Andrew, honey,” my mother whispered, “go get your sister. She needs to share her condolences to her aunt and cousin.”
I shot an apprehensive look at her and she smiled, “Tell her I will personally go up there and smack her till she’s down here with us.”
“Feisty, mom, I love it,” I returned the smile while she chuckled.
“Now, go. And don’t make too much noise, you know how Clarissa is—all conservative and stuff,” she finished, holding my hand and kissing my cheek swiftly.
All the whispering and sad smiles made me want to throw up, literally. It’s sick. So what better excuse to leave? “Okay, I’ll be right back. And if I don’t come back, you know who the killer is—Dawn.”
“Oh, Andrew,” mother laughed a little bit too loud which made her self-conscious, “My apologies.” After she apologized to the sad relatives, I raised myself up from the uncomfortable furniture and headed upstairs.
During my course, it was customary to see dad rubbing Fred’s back in comfort and people dressed in black verbalizing their sympathy to Aunt Clarissa and Fred. But I do think that right now—in her grief—Aunt Clarissa prefers to be deaf again… as if that’ll exclude her from the terrible loneliness that awaits her.
“Andrew, where are you going?” Dad suddenly asked, with angriness pouring out of his whisper.
I turned around—before taking another step up the stairs—and detected his fuming eyes, “Mom told me to look for Dawn,” I smiled innocently as Fred glowered at me.
Maybe he’s glaring at everybody because he doesn’t want to cry. I know this, of course, because we—Lukewood’s males—don’t cry; we just glare. It’s not healthy, but neither crying will help our male pride.
“Oh,” he nodded, “okay!”
I nodded too and went all the way upstairs to Dawn’s room. Staggeringly, I knocked twice and without any respect or deference, I opened the door and entered.
“Gosh, don’t you know how to knock—“
“I knocked twice,” I smiled broadly at her annoyance, “Mom wants you downstairs with her.”
“Why? Why did mom have to offer our house…? I just wanted to be alone,” she sighed helplessly; staring down at the hem of her black dress.
“Is there a problem, Dawn?” I asked skeptical and worried. She’s a thespian and sometimes it’s hard to comprehend her.
“Why did you lie to me?” she never met my gaze as she collapsed on her bed. “Why?”
“Dawn… what do you mean?” I dashed to the bed and sat next to her. “Why are you so sad?”
“Because you lied to me!” she raised her voice—anger and disappointment outwardly screening on her attitude, “I just don’t understand, Andrew.”
“Dawn.” Crap, she knows… “I’m sorry,” was all I could say. I lied to my family and I should be ashamed of myself… but somehow, I don’t regret having that weekend with Riley.
“You’re sorry?” she scoffed rudely. Just a glance of her tyrannous eyes and my heart immediately sunk. Is this the behavior I’m teaching to my younger sister? Disgrace on you, Andrew!
“I didn’t mean to hurt you or lie to you,” my tongue got stuck at the lie I re-invented, “How did you know?”
“After dinner, you were searching for Ayden like a crazy beheaded chicken and when you went upstairs, I followed you. You left Ayden’s door ajar and I heard everything.”
“You were eavesdropping?!” I was offended, although I wasn’t in my right to be. She was right; I acted like a crazy man—in fact, I am a crazy man… a fool.
“I was scared, Andrew. You fought Ayden and I was going to call dad but in that moment, Ayden said that Riley wasn’t your girlfriend. And then, everything hit me,” she inhaled and sighed wearing an upset manner, “She’s not your type.”
You know… people keep telling me that bull of crap. And I’m tired of it. She’s not my type but… I love her.
“What?” Dawn snapped me from my contemplations, “What did you just say?”
“Huh? I didn’t say anything,” I answered nervously.
“Yes you did! You said that you love her!” she abruptly stood up and grinned. What the—? “You love her! I knew it!”
“Dawn…”
“What are you doing sitting here!? Go and get her! Tell her that! Nibblets! I knew it! By the way you looked at her and the way you kissed her! Aw!”
“It’s not that easy, Dawn,” I sighed and ran my hand through my curls.
“Since when you were afraid of telling the girl you like, how much you love her?!”
“Since I fell for her, Dawn! Since I knew how much I cared for her! There are other feelings besides mine in danger!” now I was screaming and stalking towards a frowning Dawn. “You’re too young to understand, Dawn.”
“Are you going to let her go… why don’t you—“
“She doesn’t love me. And if being in another’s arms makes her happy, then I’ll,” my voice instantly weakened, “I’ll let her be in her love’s arms. Even if it means I have to watch it all… I’ll bear it.”
“Andrew,” Dawn’s eyes began to shine in a watery substance. “You love her so much,” a tear glided down, leaving a trace of her heavy makeup smudged on her delicate and young skin, “You need to tell her, Andrew. Maybe she loves you too! The way she kissed you—“
“It was her first kiss,” my upper lip sprinted upward as I remember the tingling sensation I felt, “every girl reacts that way if she thinks of the man she loves while she kisses.” And now… the small smile faded away.
“Andrew!” Dawn hanged herself from my neck and embraced me warmly, “I’ve never seen you like this. I hope the man she loves is you!”
A wounded chuckle slipped away as I hugged her snugly, “I doubt that, because I’m helping her seduce the man of her dreams.”
The grip of her hug tightened and she began to weep, “Brother.”
“Dawn, why are you like this?” I whispered on her ear.
“I appreciate you, Andrew. Your demonstration of love is so meek and I just can’t understand why you have to go through this.”
“I deserve this, I mean, I treated every single woman wrong and yet, I despised girls like Riley. That’s why she’s not my type.”
After a couple of sniffs and snivels, Dawn took her poised posture and stepped away from my arms, “You’re a coward.”
“What?” I was befuddled by her continuous behavior shifting. Now she was glaring at me without any mercy.
“I said that you’re a coward! How can you let another man take her? She’s the reason you turn down Mexico’s university, isn’t she? Your dream was to go to that college and become a doctor and now you decline that offer—that dream—to stand here and watch her love another man?”
Couldn’t you be more subtle? “I…”
“That’s right! You don’t have anything to say because I’m right!” she turned around and gave me her back, “Get out. I’ll be downstairs after I put makeup on again.”
“Dawn—“
‘Do the dance, the way you move is a mystery,’ my cellphone went off and I answered, “Hello?”
“Andrew? I got some news for ya, pizza hater,” Tony’s voice lagged behind some sort of bad update and I didn’t like it.
“What happened?” I immediately forgot the issue with Dawn and focused myself on the phone call, “Is Riley home? Is she okay?”
“About that… Um, do you know who's Riley’s older sister?”
“Eh, no. Riley never told me about her but I guess she’s Olivia’s mom, am I right?”
“Yeah, you are right. Um, well, turns out that she’s here and let’s say that Riley doesn’t have the best relationship with her sister so—“
“Where’s Riley, Tony?” menace was clearly eminent in the tone of my voice—even Dawn turned around and studied my dialogue. “Did Ayden bring her home?”
Anger slipped into my bones as I thought of Ayden taking Riley up to a hill or a cave and doing things to her that I sincerely wouldn’t like to think about. “Yeah, he brought her home.” His answer relaxed me. “But she left. And all because Alexis is here and well, I don’t know where to find her.”
“Who’s Alexis?”
“Riley’s sister, Andrew. And that blond guy went after Riley, but there’s no news about them both. So I decided to call you. I’m pretty worried about Riley, Andrew. She’s capable of anything if she’s mad.”
“Okay, man. I know where she is. Thanks for calling. Take care of Olivia,” I said it all too fast, and hung up.
“What happened? Where are you going?” Dawn’s cold spectacle was gone and replaced with a sincere worried mien.
“Tell Mom and Dad that I might call them later or tomorrow.” I ignored her interrogation and went to kiss her forehead. “Bye, Dawn. We’ll continue with our ‘talk’ later.”
“Be careful, Andrew.”
Before twisting the doorknob, I glanced back and shot her an apologetic smile, “I should get out through your window.”
“Yeah, you probably should. Don’t worry, I’ll make up something to keep Mom and Dad calm.” She returned the smile with a mischievous smirk. “You owe me.”
“Bye, Dawn. Behave.”
“I can’t promise you that,” she smiled blushingly and waved goodbye as I climbed out of her room’s window.
I hope I don’t fall.
♦♥♦
The pumped engine slowly started to die at the sound of my throbbing pulsations. My eyes ogled the park just around the corner and my heart had never beaten so fast. Thoughts of a crying Riley, of a mad Riley, and of a smirking Ayden kissing her, were awful in every single way. Although the latter was the most frightening and most disturbing of them all.
After parking my car, I jogged to the park’s entry and looked through it for a glimpse of Riley. I even promised myself that if I nailed it—knowing where Riley was—I would probably tell her what I felt.
You know, being called a coward by your little sister is the greatest motivation somebody could have. Ironic, I know.
Though I was feeling like a teenage boy looking for his crush, I was determined to find Riley and be there for her. I had to be there for her. Rapidly, my limps sprinted to the swings sets and my soul prayed for Riley.
But what if she wasn’t there? What if she’s with Ayden right now… and I’m standing here in the middle of the obscurity like a fool in love? What if Ayden is comforting her right now and I’m just wishing to smell her hair and to hug her like that nightfall?
“Andrew?” a delicate voice whirled behind me.
“Riley? What happened?” my eyes squinted almost shut; trying to find her in all the darkness the night brought with it.
After a tear-jerking sniff, Riley whispered, “I’m here, Boba.”
I dug out my cellphone and with its light, my sight found an empty swing next to her. “Riley,” I whispered as I sat next to her, hearing every sniff she breathed. She was crying and that broke the shattered muscle that once was essential for me and that now is wholly hers.
“Who called you?” she choked out words that were fairly understandable, but thankfully I did comprehend them—although not her emotions.
“Tony. He’s worried about you—I’m worried about you, Butch. Tell me what happened.”
She rocked her feet and the sound of the crushing boot digging its sole into the sand was a reaffirmation. “Have you ever envied somebody because of his looks and for his good luck?”
Oh boy, have I. “Um, yes,” I stated with memories of my childhood with Ayden embodied on my mind.
“I have too. She was so pretty and had so many boyfriends it hard not to. There was a time I even tried to be like her—with makeup and everything,” she confessed with her heart wide open.
I felt so lucky and elated to be the one she chose to open up like this, and I wasn’t going to turn this one in a lifetime opportunity down. “No way,” was the only thing I said in order for her to keep going with her story. I didn't want her to close up on me.
“Yeah way, Boba,” she chuckled and I joined in. “You know when I decided that I should be happy being a tomboy for the rest of my days?”
The answer was more than obvious. “No, Riley. When?”
“When I caught the attention of Alexis’ boyfriend,” her voice cracked and I felt how her despondency peeled a layer of my core with each word. “I was trying to look like her—combing my hair like she did. And one night, he came drunk…”
“Riley,” I couldn’t take it any longer as a unfathomable pain mixed with anger stewed within me.
I stood up and knelt in front of her, seizing her cold hands and kissing them both. “Boba, would you promise not to tell anybody?” That whispered question was like a dagger to my heart. And the throbbing ache I felt was terrible as I nodded—knowing that a part of me dreaded the story she was about to tell.
“One night, he came drunk… he was always drunk after he had a failed attempt at being famous. And I was inside Alexis’ room—it was two years ago. So, he thought Alexis was inside her room, but she was working and Olivia was sleeping soundly on her bed. And-and-and when he..” The grip of our hands unconsciously tightened as she struggled to keep herself strong. “And when he saw me, I think he confused me with Alexis and-and started to… touch me.”
A menacing growl slipped away as I felt a scorching cloth wrapping my heart. “Riley, I’m sorry. You don't have to continue if you don't want to.”
“Oh, he didn’t do anything. Alexis came just in time… but she saw him trying to kiss me and that changed our relationship forever. She started to treat me differently. I guess she thinks I seduced her boyfriend, but I didn’t. That’s why I decided to be as unattractive as possible.”
“Butch,” I whispered, worried that my voice will cut the bond that’s been interlacing this past few minutes.
“Don’t, Boba,” she abruptly stood up and jerked her hands away from mine, “Don’t pity me. I don’t need it! I’m strong and I was able to stand strong… until now.”
“Riley, I don’t pity you. I-I-I can’t pity you, I just can’t. Even though I convinced myself that I pitied you… now I know that I don’t.” I stood up too and sighed at the suden walls around her that could be easily felt.
“Don’t lie. I know you’ve done that for pity.”
“Done what?”
“Paying my bills, buying stuff for Olivia—all of that!”
A loud chuckle invaded the tension as I tried to suppress the laughter. “Flip balls, jerk,” she snarled, “I wasn’t telling a freaking joke.”
“Sorry,” I managed to say between a laugh, “I’m gonna stop.”
“You better, you monkey ass!”
Boom! Again with the stupid insult that tickles my core with flames of annoyance! My grinning face suddenly stiffened into a frown, “You call me a monkey ass one more time, Butch and I’m—“
Suddenly, I was interrupted by her weight that now hung itself on my chest. “Thank you, Boba.”
The frown now disappeared and a smile suddenly appeared. “For what?”
“For listening to me. For being a friend…”
“Riley, I didn’t pay your bills because I pity you.”
Sadly, after I said that, her lovely aroma backed away from my senses, “Then, why?”
I dropped my head, more embarrassed than ashamed for saying: “Because… I admire you. I …” Now Andrew, you can do this. But I couldn’t continue… what if she—
“You admire me?” Another sniff was heard. “Andrew, you’re the best friend a person could ask for. Hearing you say that makes me so …”
“Happy?”
She nodded and sought back for my embrace. And I was in no condition to deny it. “Thank you.”
“Come,” I said, grasping her hand and leading her to my car. “We have to do something before sunrise.”
“Boba! Please, don’t… if it’s what I’m thinking—then don’t.”
I stopped and spun myself around to face her. The dim well-lit the street’s light provided shone against her delicate skin, and as soon as I captured that beauty, I was left thunderstruck. But I wasn’t going to mother her… she needed to confront her sister and that was she was going to do.
“Yes, Butch, it is what you’re thinking. You need to face her sooner or later and now is the best time, don’t you think?”
“I take it back, you know. I take it all back! You’re a moron! You’re stupid monkey wiener!”
“Ha, ha! Don’t stop, Butch, keep ‘em coming! Keep ‘em coming!”
♦♥♦
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“I think we should go, Boba. She’s asleep,” Riley tugged my shirt as a signal of ‘dude, let’s leave. I don’t want to do this.’
I shot her a glare and knocked on the door once again until I heard some footsteps. “See? Somebody’s home,” I smiled when Riley cursed under her breath.
“Yeah?” somebody hollered behind the door, so I assumed she was watching me through the peephole.
“Ahem,” I cleared my throat as I leaned closer to the peephole, “it’s Andrew and Riley. I’m Riley’s boyfriend. I came to discuss some… things with you. Alexis, right?”
There was a painful silence until the hinges creaked and door was open. “Yeah, so you’re the lucky guy?” A beautiful—and I'm not kidding with that description—blond, tall supermodel leaned against the doorframe smiling at me.
My eyes were bulging out of their sockets as I admired her beauty. Wow.
“Ahem,” I glanced back at Riley—who was glowering at me—and again at the goddess.
“I guess I am," I said.
“Come on in.” She moved aside and held the door open for us. “Michelle, what happened earlier?”
Riley entered behind me with her gaze plunged at the floor. “Um… I wanted to introduce you to Andrew, A-Alexis.”
“Oh, well, nice to meet you, Andrew.” Alexis winked and smiled cloyingly.
“Urn,” I swallowed all of the thoughts that attacked me. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Take a sit, you guys.” She ushered us to the couch and we all sat simultaneously. “What are those things you wanted to ‘discuss’?”
“It's nothing, Alexis, really,” Riley went ahead of me.
“Actually, I wanted to ask you if you had some sort of problem with your common sense.”
Whoa, that came out wrong.
“Excuse me?” Alexis shot me an affronted look while Riley suddenly began to smile.
“No offense, though. We’re family here, so there’s no need to pretend,” I continued with my serious act, “Alexis, I know what happened two years ago.”
“What?!” She seem startled for a few seconds before smirking all the way to my soul. Proud, pretty much? “What-what are you talking about?”
“As Riley’s boyfriend, I’m here to support her because… I love her,” smilingly, I glimpsed at Riley—knowing I wasn’t lying or pretending—and continued, “I know everything. But that’s not the case. I know Riley wants to tell you some stuff that she has kept inside, so I’m going to let her speak.”
And Riley’s smile was now gone.
“I don’t want to be a bitch, but I do not like where this topic is going. And less coming from a stranger—Michelle, what is it?” Alexis’ tone was confusing me. I mean she sounded calmed and easy but her look in her cold eyes was frightening.
“Eh, Alexis… how’s Ryan?” Riley smiled sheepishly while I shot her a glare.
She shrugged my glare off and avoided Alexis’ intent stares. But brusquely, Alexis snorted, “He’s fine. He says he’s coming in a week. I’m sure you've missed him, right?”
“Alexis, if you think—“
“I don’t have to assume or think, Riley. I saw it with my own eyes! How could you?”
Whoa… Does any Benjamin know what communication means? It’s fair to think that they never talked about this since the day that occurred.
“Alexis, I didn’t do anything! I swear! He was drunk!! He confused me with you!” Riley tried to reason but Alexis was hurt and it was obvious.
“How do you think I feel? Knowing that my own sister could…” Alexis’ voice cracked as she hid her face away from us.
“Alexis, I’m—“
“Riley, just don’t! Get out!” She suddenly jumped on her two feet and yelled us to leave. “Out! Both of you! I don’t want to see you again! Leave!”
Sore subject, I see.
Her crystal blue eyes were shining from the tears that lingered on as she continued to yell like a lunatic. “Out! Now!”
“Fine,” Riley growled as she grabbed my hand and hauled me over to the front door.
“Nice meeting ya, sis. Goodnight! Say hello to Olivia!” I shouted with a smile as Alexis slammed the door closed right in front of my face.
“Now that went well.” I persisted on keeping the humor.
“Shut up, Boba,” Riley scolded me while she took out her cellphone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Tony so I can crash at his apartment,” she answered casually.
What! Riley with Tony… alone inside a flat? A shiver possessed my body as I saw a couple of scenes with Tony and Riley not suitable for children. “No!”
“What?”
“You’re spending the night in my place. And it’s not a request,” I grumbled as I seized her hand and lead her all the way back to my car… again. Totally déjà vu, right?
♦♥♦
“Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!” Riley sang in a drunken matter, “We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot! Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot! Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho!”
“Okay, Riley, give me the bottle,” I tried to capture the bottle—I shouldn’t have gave to her—but she jerked it away from my reach.
“Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!” She swayed the bottle to and fro as she shifted her weight on her seat. “Sing with me, Andrew… We’re devils and black sheep, really bad eggs! Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho!”
“Okay, sure, Riley, whatever you say,” I was just about to give up but an idea struck me, “Hey, Butch! Do you know what time it is?”
Her eyes began to shine like a little kid does when she’s excited, “What?”
“Time to give me the bottle!” I feigned excitement and she bought it.
“Yo ho!” she whooped as she gave me the bottle.
“Good, girl,” I said as I hid the bottle.
“Andwew,” she slurred with her green eyes intently staring at mine. I must admit, the way she slurred my name made my joints tremble.
“What, Butch?” I stood up and leaned against the dinning table’s edge, looking down at her body sprawled all over the chair.
“I thought I hated ya, but ya know… the way you said you loved me made me happy, ya know? I want to thank ya for being there for me. Lora is a dumb-dumb-dumb… ugh; I can’t even think of a proper insult for her right now.”
A grin retained my lips as she nodded her head and hiccupped. “What if I tell you that I wasn’t lying?” I said.
“What?” she narrowed her eyes as she hiccupped again, and said, “Stop moving, Boba! Oh—wait! Why are there three of you? Hi, Andrew. Oh, hello there. Oh, you too!”
I chuckled and grabbed her two crazed hands, “Come, Riley. Let’s get you to bed.”
“But, Andwew, I wanna hug you,” she slurred almost seductively, but she looked more like a kid than like a sexy chick.
She raised herself clumsily and wrapped her hands around my neck, “Riley, it’s bedtime, let’s go to sleep.”
“I don’t wanna go to sleep.” She sighed dramatically and childishly.
“Come on, let’s go to bed.” My voice was now demanding. I was getting annoyed by her childish behavior, I won’t deny it.
“Are we going to school tomorrow? I don’t want to go to school.”
“Let’s. Go. To. Bed. Now.”
“I lost Rudolph… Olivia's cuddly toy!”
“Argh, enough already!”
Without prior notice, I tucked my arm under her limps and raised her up. Disconcerted, she began to hum quietly as her claws were dug onto my shirt. Ignoring the pain her grip gave me, I walked upstairs and to my room. It was a good sentiment to feel Riley resting on my arms again. I looked down at her as we moved closer to my room, and the way she fluttered her eyelashes and slowly began to yawn made my heart swell.
When we arrived, I laid her on my bed and tucked her in. She stretched her arms and snuggled inside the warm sheets, making cute gestures just like a little kid. I cocked my head as I captured every single detail I was able to see. I was in awe and madly in love with that tomboy.
“I love you, Riley.”
Finally, I said what I wanted to say. Although she wouldn’t even remember anything because of her state, I accomplished something. And deep inside, I know that she will remember this. Or at least hear a faint voice saying, ‘I love you, Riley.’
“So you were here all this time?”
Squirming, I turned around and rushed to the door. Ayden was standing there with his arms crossed and with an intimidating look stuck on his face. “Ayden.”
“You didn’t answer my calls, Andrew. I was freaking worried about her. Did you even check your phone?”
“No. I was busy! But hey, you didn’t call me to tell me what happened—“
“You were in a freaking funeral!” Anger soaked every single word he uttered. “I was looking for her like a crazy bastard! I went to the shop, to her house, to the freaking airport!”
“Shush, she’s sleeping.” We both glanced at her sleeping form and sighed. “I’m sorry, man.”
“She can sleep in my room, I don’t have a problem.”
My sight snapped upward and shot Ayden a glare, “But I do. She’s sleeping here and that’s final.”
Ayden clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes at me. “You lied to me.”
Not again! “So what?”
“Andrew, I want her.” The way he said it made my blood boil and evaporate from the heat.
“That’s the difference between you and me, Ayden. You want her. I love her.”
His eyes widened and fell to the ground. “Whatever you say, man. I'm just going to pretend that I didn’t hear you say that.”
“Pretend all you want, Ayden. We’ll continue with this tomorrow morning. Now, go to sleep.” I clutched the door’s edge and slowly pushed it.
He gave me a sharp nod and turned around, walking away. As I closed the door, I felt how reality sucked all of my energies. It’s a battle that Ayden already won. If he wants her and she loves him… what do I have to do in the middle of it? Well, whatever that happens, I’ll be waiting for her. Because I know that what I feel ain’t going away.
I grabbed a blanket and swung it all around me as I crumbled on the armchair—that was next to my bed. I snuggled myself to keep me warm. Because I was going to enjoy the cold night if Riley’s beautiful dreams were my dreams as well.