Antonella's POV
I was just about to get in the shower when I heard the buzzer and I quickly ran from the bathroom to the door.
I opened the door after seeing it was a delivery guy.
"Hi," I smiled at him.
"Antonella?" He asked.
"Yeah," I nodded and took the package and flowers from him. "Are you sure it's for Antonella? Not Eva."
"That's what the card says, ma'am," the young guy spoke.
"Well, thank you," I smiled at him once again before shutting the door and walking into my bedroom with the package and flowers.
I spot the note that the guy was talking about on the black box that I leave on my bed. I first walk over to the kitchen to put the roses in a vase. I looked for a note in them, but there wasn't any.
I brought the vase to my room and put the flowers by my window, then I walked back over to my bed to read the note on the box.
The front had my name written in script, nothing on the back. I opened up the card and read the note aloud.
"To my lottery winner on our third date. I'll pick you up tomorrow night at four. Love, Juan."
I look at the black box one last time before opening it excitedly.
I throw the cover onto the floor to reveal a draped red dress. I pull it out of the box and notice that it's a short one, super cute.
I'm amazed by the whole gesture and start to squeal.
"No fucking way!" I start to laugh and jump.
I notice the the price tag hanging on the side before I start laughing even more.
Two hundred fifty dollars.
○○○
It was four and I was anxiously waiting for Juan to arrive.
Eva wasn't home, which was great, I didn't want her to see me like this. All dressed up to go on a mystery date with Juan.
Five minutes later and the door bell rung.
I took a deep breath before walking to the door to open it.
I smiled as soon as I saw him.
"Wow," he could barely speak. "You look... absolutely beautiful."
"Thank you," I smiled at him. "Thanks for the dress. I was so-"
"You deserve it," Juan spoke.
"So, where are we going?" I inquire.
"It's a surprise," he smiles before putting his arm out for me to loop mine around. "Let's get out of here."
○○○
The whole car ride there, we were having a laugh. About half an hour later, we finally arrived at a luxury hotel.
Juan gave his car keys to the valet and headed inside, guiding me the entire time.
I thought we were going to have dinner at some rooftop restaurant, until we reached the ballroom.
"Mr. and Mrs. Faltings," I read the sign aloud.
"Surprise," Juan looked at me with an unsure smile.
"This is gonna be..." I took my time and tortured him a little. "So much fun!" I turned up the excitement immediately and he started laughing at me as I jumped a little.
"I read the menu already," he put his hand on my waist. "It's gonna be great."
When we finally make it inside, we reach the middle of the seats and sit on the grooms side of the ceremony. Before we sit, Juan introduces me to some of his friends and their girlfriends and boyfriends. They were all shocked to see him with a date, it made me feel super special to say the least.
○○○
"You should've seen this guy," Juan's friend, Ernesto, starts to exclaim at the table over the music and I chuckle. "He was the best midfielder in the whole competition. Come finals, the other team didn't know what to do! It was hilarious, they played scrub teams all the way to the end. When they reached us, they were so scared!"
"Juan scored a hat trick," his other friend, Sara, continued the story. "We beat them six-zero. It was so embarrassing."
"Sara scored," Juan points out.
"How much fun was that team?" I ask and we all laugh.
"I was absolutely awful," Sara throws her head back. "I wasn't allowed in the locker room too. It was a miracle that I actually scored that day. Worst player on the team."
"All the intramural teams were forced to have at least one female player," Ernesto explains.
"Yeah, lucky enough," Sara's husband, Dominic, takes her hand in his. "I got to ask my future wife to play for the team."
"That's the only way I was going to talk to him," Sara adds and we all laugh at the couple.
"The other team had one of the girls that was on the soccer team, though," Juan points out and I look over at him.
"Yeah, yeah," someone else from Juan's college class begins to point. "The blonde one, she was built like a linebacker."
"No she wasn't," Dominic furrows his eyebrows at the classmate.
"Tell me she wasn't," the other one tries to argue.
"You're wrong," Juan starts to laugh. "She was the daintiest thing."
"She was!" Sara almost shouts. "Juan tried to talk to her once. Oh my God! Do you remember this?"
"Stop talking," Juan shakes his hand at her and leans back in his chair from embarrassment.
A waiter reaches our table and starts taking away the empty plates in front us.
"Yo," Ernesto starts to laugh and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Anto, you would have died if you were there."
"He swore she was staring at him all the time-"
"That girl was crazy tough! She kept fouling and fought with the ref."
"Juan likes them masculine," Dominic adds.
"Hey," I scowl and we all laugh.
I look over at Juan who put his arm around the back of my chair and I smile at him before patting his leg.
"Not true, guys," he begins. "I got her number."
"Yeah, but she blocked you before you could call her," Dominic says and we all laugh.
"Juan was a mess," Sara laughs at him. "I don't think you would have said yes to a date back then, Antonella."
"Yeah, I don't think I would have either," I agree and we laugh some more. "Well," I look over at him. "Maybe after the game when he scored three goals."
"Maybe," Juan looks at me and nods.
○○○
After hanging out with Juan's college friends for a bit more, genuine friends that I liked and Juan seemed to love, the two of us were out on the dance floor getting all red and sweaty with all the good music the DJ was playing.
Juan spun me around and I bumped into the person behind me, making me laugh until I reached his arms again and I told him he needed dance lessons.
"No," he disagreed. "You do. Who finishes a spin like that?"
"Me?" I gawk at him. "Please. You stepped on my toes earlier."
"They're exposed!"
"And?" I laugh. "That's not an invitation for you to attack them!"
"Oh, stop," he smiled down at me while I still had my arms wrapped around his waist.
The DJ started announcing the throwing of the bouquet and I widened my eyes.
"You gonna go for it?" Juan asked.
"That's not a question I need answered," I chuckle and he joins.
"Wanna get out of here?" He lowers his voice.
"Yeah," I nod.
Juan and I walk over to the newly weds to say goodbye, thank you, and wish them all the best after the bouquet got thrown and a bridesmaid caught it eagerly.
We then walked over to the rest of his college friends and Dominic pulled Juan aside.
Juan's POV
"Sara and I are catching the red eye home," Dominic started. "We got a hotel room, but we aren't gonna use it." I look at him with a blank stare. "Take it."
"Oh, no, no," I deny him. "I couldn't."
"Come on! It's gonna be a waste if you don't."
"What am I gonna do with it?" I whisper. "It's just the third date. I'm trying to get to know this girl-"
"I didn't say anything," he starts to laugh at me. "Just take the room, I already checked in. I'd give it to one of the other guys but they're getting rejected by all the girls they approach. You got a catch," he looks over at Antonella. "Treat her to a nice hotel room for the night."
I look over at Antonella who was talking to Sara and I agree.
"Alright," I nod. "Thanks man."
"You're good?" Sara came up to the both of us.
"All good, baby," Dominic replied and I put the key card up for Sara to see.
"Thanks, guys," I smiled at them both. "Have a safe flight, say hi to my godchildren for me. I'll send them a gift soon."
"Bye, Juan," Sara smiled before kissing me on the cheek and giving me a tight hug.
"See you," Dominic said his goodbye and I was left standing with Anto after they said goodbye to her as well.
"Ready?" She asks.
"Let's go," I put my hand out for her to take and we interlock our fingers.
○○○
I start to pull Anto in the opposite direction of the door and to the front desk.
"Juan," she looks up at me and grins. "What's up?"
"Hi," I smiled at the employee and put the key card on the counter. "I was just wondering what exactly was included with our room. Some room service?" I question.
"I'll take a look at that for you, sir," the employee complied and swiped the card. "Yes to the room service," he smiled. "No extra features. Be aware that the pool closes at midnight."
"Pool?" I ask.
"The one on your floor."
"Ah," I smile. "Perfect. Thank you so much."
"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Ortiz."
"Thank you, you were very helpful," I take the key card back and turn to face a confused Antonella.
"Let's go, Mrs. Ortiz," I say loud enough for the employee to hear and put my hand on Anto's back to guide her to the elevator bank.
○○○
"So," Antonella takes in the hotel room on the twentieth floor. "Mr. Ortiz. What did you want to accomplish with this hotel room?"
"Nothing extreme," I begin to take my tie off completely as I look at the beautiful girl up and down.
"Don't get too undressed now," Anto almost scolds me as she takes her heels off.
"Back at you," I nod as she unzips her dress.
I start to take my pants off and she almost yells at me.
"Juan!"
"Anto," I laugh. "Let's go to the pool."
"I don't have a bathing suit," she raises an eyebrow.
"Neither do I," I smirk.
○○○
We were racing down the hall to the indoor pool and Antonella beat me to it.
"It's okay," she speaks. "Maybe you'll beat me when we race in the pool."
I only laugh at her as she opens the door to the place and we see no one else in sight.
"It's all ours," I say.
"Perfect," she replies and drops her towel.
I can't help but stare at her from behind, she then turns around and smirks at me.
"Don't girls just match their underwear and bras when they think they're gonna get some?" I comment on her lace.
"Do boys forget how to act around half naked girls?"
"Yes," I respond and we laugh.
Anto walks over to the pool and dives in, swimming all the way to the other end while I sit on the edge of the end she started at.
"Too cold for you?"
I hop into the pool right after she said that and walk on over to her.
Anto splashes some water at me and I wipe my face with a smile still on it.
"Watch the hair," I joke and she laughs at me.
When I finally reach her I look at her body through the water.
"Question," I start.
"Go ahead," she wraps her arms over my shoulders.
"What's your tattoo say?" I refer to the one near her hip bone that was half exposed.
"Ah," she looks down and covers it better. "That's not for you to see yet."
"Yet?" I raise an eyebrow and she laughs.
I put my hands on her waist and spin her around in the water.
"See, I can complete a spin," I mock her.
"Tell me about these," she runs her hand from my pec down my arm.
"The king, the lion," I point. "Gotta be that strong. The wise owl," I point again.
"Gotta be that wise," she finishes my sentence and chuckles. "Magia," she reads.
"Life's full of it," I start to lean in to try to kiss her, she then turns her head and starts swimming away.
"Juan," she calls out after me when she reaches the edge of the pool. "I gotta say, I love your friends."
"They're great aren't they," I chuckle.
"Not gonna lie, I thought you were a loner," she admits.
"Wow," I pretend to be offended.
"Felipe really isn't a good guy," she shrugs. "I always thought you were too good for him."
"Thank you," I say before finally dipping in the pool and swimming over to her.
When I reach Anto she starts backing away from me.
"What are you doing, Anto?"
"I'm trying to have a conversation with you," she smirks. "Dump the grimy Felipe."
"Did you not hear? We're all trying to be friends again."
"Says who?"
"Eva," I say.
"No," she furrows her eyebrows. "I haven't heard."
"She apologized to me."
"About what?"
"About the whole cheating and wedding mishap," I half lie. "She said she and Felipe are finally happy and they just want us to be happy for them. Want us all to be friends again."
"I don't buy it," she shakes her head. "Did you ask why they were fighting?"
"No," I admit. "I forgot about that."
"Eva's not a good person," Anto states.
"I've heard that before," I start to get a bit defensive. "Why are you friends with her if that's the case?"
"I've started to distance myself," Anto walks toward me. "It's taken me long enough-"
"Why are you roommates with her? Why were you ever friends to begin with then?"
"I'm paying tuition, Juan," she begins to explain. "I have no other choice but to have a roommate. And I told you, I was just being nice and I guess it passed its limits and I became a friend-"
"There are a ton of other people that could have been your roommate, a random person even."
"I ran out of time," she says. "I hope you didn't accept her apology."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because she's manipulative and vindictive."
"You think so? Because of her sleeping around? You think that makes her-"
"You called her evil yesterday!"
"Okay, okay," I realize and try to get Anto to lower her voice. "She did one evil thing, but after her apology I get where she's coming from."
"No you don't," Anto laughed at me and we stood there in silence. "You wanna know why I'm back in school?"
"Why?"
"It was my third year at the place we work at," she begins. "I was up for a promotion and it was set in stone that it was mine. Eva had different plans. The weekend before I was set to get my promotion, Eva slept with our boss-"
"Are you serious?"
"And," Anto nods before continuing. "Come Monday, she got the promotion. This was all word of mouth, sure. But the icing on the cake that spelled out my name had to be wiped off with a knife before we cut the cake for Eva. I was told it was because I didn't qualify because of my educational background. That if I had a master's I could've gotten the promotion, this after it was practically promised to me. So, I got my ass back in school, and not because of Eva and the lie about my promotion, but so I could get a better job at a better place where employers don't sleep with their employees. Mind you, Eva had been working there for just two years and has no master's either."
"I'm sorry," I say sincerely. "That really sucks."
"And life goes on," she shrugs. "I'm a couple of months away from that degree and then I'll come out on top."
"You definitely will," I agree. "Because you deserve it. Your boss is such an asshole."
"He's married too," she laughs and I try not laughing.
"Stop," I tell her and we both burst into laughter.
"Even with all this, I try to see the good in her," Anto gets serious again. "I really do. I dismiss everything she says or does. This Felipe thing I can't get over, though."
"Or her apology," I point out.
"I get touchy when it comes to you."
"And why is that?"
"Because I really like you too," she looks up at me and I smile.
"Can I kiss you now?" I ask.
"No," she says. "Because you asked," she shakes her head before splashing water on me and beginning to walk away.
I quickly grab her by the waist and bring her into me, causing her to scream and we start splashing around laughing.
Anto manages to turn around and face me in the water, wrapping her legs around me in the process while we both laugh.
"Could've drowned me," she says as she looks into my eyes.
I push the wet strands of hair she had on her face off with one hand while still looking at her and taking in how beautiful she was.
"You look gorgeous," I whisper and she smiles.
We start leaning into each other and our lips finally meet for the first time.
The greatest kiss I've ever had.
○○○
"You would've tripped in that dress," I laugh at Antonella as we talk about the wedding that could've been while we lie in bed, white robes on while our hair soaks the pillows were each had under our heads.
"Those were awful dresses," Anto joins my laughter. "The tuxes looked good though."
"You mean I looked good," I say cockily.
"Yeah," she nods. "Literally just you. Everyone else looked sub-par."
"Felipe didn't look that bad," I say still smiling, while her smile fades.
We stay silent for a second and I remember something she said earlier.
"Hey," I change my tone of voice. "Why'd you call Felipe grimy earlier? Did he do something to you?"
"He made a pass at me once or twice," Anto admits and looks up at the ceiling. "Got a little too touchy this one time he was drunk."
"Are you okay?" I try to calm down.
"He cornered me," she continues and I sit up. "But I hit the shit out of him," she laughs and I roll my eyes.
"You never cease to amaze me, Anto," I say.
"I've heard that before," she props herself up on her elbows.
"What are we gonna do about Felipe and Eva?"
"What about them?"
"Do we just pretend everything is fine and we're all friends like they want us to?"
"I vote yes," she nods. "I don't wanna talk or think about them anymore, though."
Antonella sits up and we face each other, cross-legged on the bed.
"You're right," I say as we start playing with each others hands. "I'm having, quite possibly, the greatest night of my life and I'm out here talking about shitty friends."
"So, you admit they're shitty," Anto mocks me and we chuckle some more. "I wish we could stay in this room forever."
"Me too," I hold her hand.
She leans in and kisses me again on the lips.
"This was a great third date."
"Oh," I start. "Just wait for the fourth," we laugh.
"I can't believe it's almost one," she looks at the clock on the nightstand behind me.
"I'm not even tired," I say.
"Me either. So," Anto lies back down. "Tell me about your family."