Whitney
Ok, so maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to do, but he wouldn't listen to me, he didn't believe that I couldn't care less about what people think. Ok, maybe I did care... a little – I mean, I wasn't about to do a full PDA in front of the whole school, but I couldn't care less if they'd seen us leaving together, or getting into the closet for that matter. I cared more about him than whatever those gossipers may say about me.
Rai was too still, as I made sure our mouths were stuck together. His hands were still tensed on the sides of his body. Great, he probably thought the reason why I shoved us both in the closet was because I was embarrassed, and not because I just wanted some privacy to talk.
His hands came to my torso and I was sure he was gonna shove me away. In fact, his arms came around me, his mouth started to kiss me back, and after that, I didn't give a shit if the entire school was listening outside the door All I cared about was that he was kissing me, all I cared was that my hands could now touch his face, his shoulders, his soft hair and that his were on my back, in my own hair, and on my face.
God... I never felt anything like that! I never felt that shameless. I never once felt like I could die and didn't even care. Until then. As long as his soft and warm lips were locked with mine, I didn't care if WWIII broke out!
His lips backed away but he kept his forehead in touch with mine. Warm brown eyes were staring at me with such naked passion, that I felt my whole body shaking with the feeling.
"Where are your things?" He asked me, in a raspy whisper.
"My locker. Why?" I asked, my hands grasping his shoulders, his in my back, keeping me close to him.
"Let's go" He mumbled, grabbing my hand and taking me with him out of the closet; we looked outside and everything was deserted.
He took me to my locker so I could pick everything I needed – being my purse –, and then walked me to the parking lot, all this holding my hand tight.
"Hop in," He said, after opening the door of his car for me.
"Wait. We have class in less than half an hour!" I said, frowning.
He bent down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.
"Hop in" He repeated, with a crooked smile.
I obeyed and he closed the door. When he started the car and we got out of school, I started to feel nervous. I had no clue what possessed me to do what I'd done! What was I going to say to him?!
I tried shooting him a look, and he was smiling as he drove. He looked pleased and... calm. He saw me staring and winked at me, grabbed one of my hands and kissed each fingertip.
"You're nervous." He assured me, and I swallowed hard, nodding "Don't be. Not gonna bite you. Only if you want me to."
"Nice, Rai," I said, rolling my eyes, but I smiled; he was his teasing self again.
"I'm serious!" He assured me, and nibbled on my fingertips, making me giggle with the tickles it sent.
"C'mon, stop and focus on the road" I chuckled.
He parked the car when we got to Central Square. It was a nice Monday lunchtime, so it was normal for people to be all around the fountain, in the restaurants and cafes, eating. That reminded me, I didn't eat at all.
"Let's have lunch." He said as he held the door for me to go out "You didn't eat anythin', did you?"
"Not much" I had to admit.
"Yeah, I saw." He smiled and lowered his arm to my shoulders, so I'd stay on his side, close to his body "So this is date number two. Better not fight with me again, 'cause that will leave a very bad track for us."
We took a seat in a soup house's esplanade, ordered a soap and a sandwich, and when the waiter left, he grabbed my hands in the table, playing with my fingers.
"So that was a surprise." He said, smiling at my fingers "Thought I would have to suffer for years before you came to your senses."
"I couldn't help myself." I admitted, and he smiled at me, pleased "Don't look so cocky. It's the bad boy thing."
"Ah... I see." He chuckled, biting another one of my fingertips "So you're not crazy about me or anythin' like that. It's just a physical thing."
"Well, you are cute." I teased, rolling my eyes, and he chuckled "Rai..."
He looked at me and stopped smiling.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for... you know... being a bitch and... huh... caring about what other people might think about us" I mumbled, feeling my face burn.
"Hey." He whispered, his hand cupped the side of my face and made me look at him "You're no bitch. Believe me, I know many and you'll never be one. And the gossip stuff, you think I don't understand it but I do." He assured me, frowning a little "People are mean. I get why you hide your disease: they would pity you and give you special treatment, even say lies about why your parents got you. So don't worry, it doesn't matter at all. Just you and me, that's all I care about, now. Got it?"
"Yes..." I whispered, squeezing his hand in my face "Yeah... I got it."
"Cool." He smiled, and then leaned in the chair, his fingers playing in the table "So remind me again what did you say about kissin'. Wasn't it somethin' about: I only kiss when I'm in love."
"Huh..." Oh shit! "I was kidding. I only said that so I didn't have to kiss you."
"Really?" He asked, one of his dark eyebrows went up "Why am I smellin' the shit?"
"What do you mean?" I mumbled.
"You're lyin'. You do only kiss when you're in love, don't you?" He asked, softly this time, and his smile was so cute, sweet and tender that I felt my lip quiver.
"Don't be a jackass" I muttered, folding my arms on my torso.
"Hey..." He called me, and I looked up at him; his hands were on the table, waiting for me to entwine mine with his, which I did "You afraid of me?"
"It's not that I'm afraid of you. I'm just afraid you... You know...! Hurt me."
"I see." He mumbled, and squeezed our hands together, looking at them "You trust me?"
That was easier to answer.
"You know I do."
"Then trust me on this, too: I don't want to hurt you, ever. Lo entiendes?"
I nodded, and he sighed.
"Te quiero. A lot." He whispered, and I felt my belly tighten with happiness "The guy from the Cuervos isn't the same that's here. Here, with you, it's just me, just Rai."
"I just can't help thinking you got this... ulterior motive" I admitted, and he frowned.
"Because of me bein' a Cuervo?"
"That too. But it's more because you're a guy." I admitted, and he gave me a sour look "Sorry, but I do..."
"Whitney, what hidden agenda could I have with you?" He asked me, and I blinked.
"Well... there's the... you know... sex." I whispered, and he chuckled, shaking his head "And there's... the revenge part."
"What revenge?" He asked, looking sincerely dumbfounded.
"You know... for me being a... pain in the ass," I said, shrugging.
"Cariño, don't you think I have better stuff to do than take revenge on teen girls?" He asked, chuckling.
"Well, don't make fun of me!" I groaned, and he made a wicked smile "Fine. So, it's not for revenge. You... want me... for what?"
"For what?" He asked, stunned, and then let out a shaky laugh "Whit, haven't you been payin' attention? I see what's under the perfect girl image you try to portrait. I get you. I get your sense of humor, I love the way you try to protect your friends and family. And the way you get mood swings every two seconds fucks me up."
He sighed in the end and chuckled again.
"You're the most confusin' woman I've ever met. You're also the cutest and the most infuriatin' girl ever to cross my way." He laughed low, his eyes glaring into mine "I'm crazy about you, cariño mio."
Oh, God... He was making me melt into a stupid poodle of teen girl remains.
"Ok. That's much better than mamacita" I said, and he laughed louder.
We ate our lunch and Rai asked me all about my family. How my parents met, how they came to adopt us, and how is Carlie doing. He's sweet. He actually cares, which is scary. If he just had a secret agenda, it would be easier. 'Cause... he caring makes me feel uneasy an unsure of myself.
"And how are you?" He asked, taking the tomato from his sandwich and letting it slide to my plate; I loved tomato and he already knew it.
"I'm fine, Rai" I rolled my eyes, smiling.
"You would tell me if you weren't?" He asked, one of his eyebrows going up.
"Probably not." I had to admit, and he made a face "Sorry. It's true..."
"Will you tell me? From now on?" He asked, all serious.
"Don't you have... you know... tougher problems to deal with?" I asked, remembering the money issues with his family, and the fact that his brother would be out of jail soon.
"You're not a problem, Copper Girl." He said, his hand reaching over the table and touching my chin with such care and sweetness that I had to smile "Don't even say that."
"Fine. Then... you'll tell me when you have issues too?"
"What kind of issues?"
"Huh... family issues..." I tried, and he looked angry "It's only fair, right?"
"I've told you before I don't want your money."
"I'm not offering you money." I assured him, pressing my lips together "All I'm saying is for you to reconsider working for us. You know, we do need to clean the lawn, and God forbid me or Carlie to do it and get sick."
He sighed.
"I'm just trying to help you the only way I know." I whispered, swallowing hard "I'm not gonna tell you to drop the Cuervos. It's not my place to do it. But yeah, I would like for you to be all I know you can be. You're smart, Rai. Real smart. I saw you reading that book for English, and I know for a fact that you had an A in that paperwork. You don't get better grades just 'cause you work for the gang."
He said nothing, still looking at me.
"Just... think about it. We have some stuff that needs a fix at home. So... if you're still interested... tell me" I asked him, trying to get some patience and calm from the bottom of my body.
"You just want to see me without a shirt on, right?" He teased, and I laughed.