Chapter 22 :D just for you ;)
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"Fuck you!" I screamed flinging the empty pot of Ben and Jerry's behind my head
"Hey, what did I do?" Nyah asked over the phone rather annoyingly
"I wasn't talking to you, my chocolate brownie ice-cream finished" I said licking the spoon of the lasts of the delicious chocolaty goodness, it was the only good thing in my life.
"Well it wasn't Ben and Jerry's fault that you finished the ice cream"
"Well screw you too!" I yelled over the speaker even though what she said was embarrassingly true.
"Geez mother nature decided to give you an extra special present today" Nyah stated sarcastically which was followed by a low groan from me whilst I folded my arms over my stomach.
Periods. Every girl has them. Most girls loath them and most of the time they are the biggest bitches of the month.
Yeah that's a good definition of the menstrual cycle: Bitches of the month
It's like Mother Nature's way of saying Yeah, you're not pregnant, here's some blood to celebrate
"How is it that the one day I miss school you're finally in?" I asked lying in flopping on to my bed.
"Because I try my best to avoid you, duhh"
"Hey!"
"Love you" she commented cheekily but I wasn't in the mood to laugh. My parents allowed me to stay at home just for today whilst I rolled around in pain. My mother understood whereas my brother and father shy-ed away from the whole conversation, my dad stating that he had to get Diego to school and leaving promptly.
"Valentino was asking around for you this morning" Nyah said which made me dismiss thinking about the pain in my lower abdomen and reply "What did you say?"
"Just that you called telling me you were taking a sick day, he seemed pretty worried"
I begun to fiddle with my charm bracelet "Really?"
"Yeah he told me to tell you to get well soon"
It was a small gesture but it was nice that he cared. Nevertheless it was a pretty over used and poor comment from him that it almost made me angry.
I hear a faint ringing bell in the background of Nyah's whereabouts "Gotta go, class is starting, I'll call you tonight yeah?"
"Bye" I said hanging up the phone
I placed my phone on my bedside table and flopped on tho my bed with a hot water bottle laying on my stomach.
I laid down for about half an hour before realizing just how bored I was and sloppily made my way downstairs with my blanket and water bottle. Maybe some America's Next Top Model will cheer me up.
Seating my butt on the sofa and flicking on the channel I began to watch a ANTM marathon.
WHY can't I be that pretty? I droned gulping down my last bit of apple juice before carelessly throwing the can away. And why does everything have to finish on me?
Pain once again started to appear in my lower stomach but I repressed a groan and tried to pay attention to the newly received TyraMail however when the pain begun to become worse I left the couch and hobbled over the kitchen and started to search for some Tylenol but when the medicine still hadn't been found I started searching more frantically. Where the fuck was the bloody pain relief?
Wow, I curse a lot when I'm in pain.
I opened up the last draw and when there was still no sign of the capsules, I slammed the last draw shut and sunk down to the floor. I could feel heat and my throat clenching as I struggled to suppress the soft crys that were attempting to escape up my trachea. All I wanted was some stupid tablets.
Ding dong
The sound of the door forced me to abandon my current sulking session and get up. Who the hell is stupid enough to think that someone who be home at this time of a weekday?
I slowly made my way to the door making no rush to open it. Whoever was there would just have to be patient. I eventually opened the door and shielded my eyes from the sun which surprisingly wasn't doing the job God had intended for it to do. It was still freezing outside and the once white, pure and beautiful snow had turned to grey slush.
"Are you okay?" a voice said. I removed my hand from head and looked up to my visitor.
Oh great
My eyes begun to adjust to the figure before me and I cringed just seeing creased eyebrows looking at me.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked completely miffed
"Nyah told me how you were feeling a little off today so I decided to come and see if you were alright" Valentino replied "Can I come in?"
A warmth filled me but was soon teared apart by a stabbing sensation in stomach. Not again.
Valentino attempted to set a foot inside the house but I quickly set in front of him.
"NO!" I said slightly louder than I intended to "You need to go back to school you're missing your fifth period or something?"
Valentino squinted slightly "I think you're a little bit more important than the health class I'm missing" he said trying to add some humor to his words. Usually that would have earned him a short 'ha' but right now I really wasn't feeling it. When the sharp pain came back again I arched forwards roughly grabbing my stomach. I almost lost my balance and grabbed onto my door pane to balance myself. These were just getting worse by the minute.
"Cassie, seriously what's wrong?" he asked worryingly suddenly whilst placing a hand on my lower back and bending forwards to try and get on the same level as me. Him being close muddled with the pain in my lower abdomen and I pushed him away.
"Don't touch me! Just go away Valentino" I said with tears streaming from my eyes. Oh so now I start crying, great! I straightened out my back and tried to maintain my correct posture. Shit, I was in pain.
"Cassie" Valentino tilted my chin so I was looked at him. His eyes melted into mine, a tint concern clouding his face and I quickly turned my head to the side to avoid myself from doing something stupid again.
"Please just GO Away!" I demanded bringing my hand up to brush his hand away from my face
"Cass-"
"Go, please" I said another salty hot tear falling from my eye.
Valentino sighed a look of hurt covering his face for a split second before I returned to normal and he turned walking down the porch steps. He didn't turn to see whether I was still watching as he disappeared around the turn but just carried on walking with his hands in his pockets. As soon as he left my sight I closed my door and took a seat on the lower step inside.
I quickly wiped my cowardly tears and returned back to the couch. I knew that he was only trying to help but I really just couldn't deal with him right now. I don't think I can deal with anything right now.
I placed the hot water bottle back onto my stomach but sooner than later realized it had finally gone cold. Why is nothing going my way today?
I slowly walked over to the kitchen and put pan of hot water to heat and then sat at the kitchen isle waiting to see it boil. Ten minutes later I had poured the water into the bottle and went back to the sofa to finish off Top Model.
I found myself not paying attention to the photo-shoot but instead back to the day when I kissed Valentino. I've been trying so hard to forget it but it was almost impossible. I hope that one day we can maybe get past it and go back to normal
Well that better happen soon, the competition is on Saturday
The competition! How could I have forgotten about the competition? If we were gonna dance together we sure would have to be on good terms. Damn bad timing.
I mean it's not like I couldn't maybe turn off my feelings for one dance. I mean actors have to do that all the time for their movies, kissing someone in their movies who they have no romantic feelings for outside of the set and making it seem like there is on screen then turning it off when the scene had finished.
Maybe I could just do that but the other way around?
I will be able to get over this crush soon, I mean my feelings are completely unrequited and plus what's the point of having a relationship which have to end in a year and a half because of college. Yeah, I can do great without him!
Ding dong
Who in the world is it now? I went to the door to open the door for the second time today. It better be the last too.
"What?!" I said opening the door. I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously Valentino, again?" I said almost closing the door on him
"Wait." He commanded, wedging a foot between the door and the pane. "I know that you don't want me here and I know why"
"I doubt it"
"No, no I do" He relpied smirking "Is it someone's time of the month?"
My jaw dropped and my eyes grew to saucers. My cheeks started to burn incredibly red "N-no it isn't"
How the fuck did he know this?
"Yes it is"
"Isn't"
"Is"
"Isn't" Were we really having an argument over this?
"Is". I guess we are.
"Isn't"
"Is"
"Okay fine at this moment in time there's blood streaming down my cervix, happy? Okay ¡Hasta la vista! " I said trying to again close the door on him which was no use.
"Come on Cassie I'm sorry I just I'm not..." Valentino sighed reaching into a blue bag. "Here" He said pulling out several cases. Which just so happened to be the Twilight saga movies
"I remembered last time when I was in your room I saw a poster of Taylor Lautner and I just guessed that maybe you'd like these. I rented them at that shop down the street. Oh and I also bought some Ben and Jerry's I didn't know which flavor you liked so I bought three, Cookie dough, Chocolate brownie and baked Alaska. I even bought some chocolate because I heard it helps oh and some dippin' donuts because you know every one likes them. Some Advil to get rid of you pain and well some err" he said pulling out one more thing, which happened to be tampons "Blood absorbers? You know just in case..."
I stared at him confused as...something that was very confused. However that confusion soon turned to realization and although I was slightly mortified at the fact that he had bought me Tampax realization soon turned into a smile which transformed into a full out grin.
I grabbed on to the front of his shirt and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him. "You didn't have to do that for me" I laughed stepping away from him.
"Yeah I didn't have to, I wanted to. Nothing is worth seeing you cry plus I get an entertaining afternoon out of it so what do you say?" he asked me expectantly
I shook my head but my smile still hadn't ceased to disappear "I'll go get the spoons"
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"I just don't understand how you can choose a living-dead vampire whose whole family is dying to suck your blood as opposed to a werewolf who has always been there for you and is much more buff too"
I turned to Valentino with my eyebrows completely furrowed "Did you just call Jacob buff?"
When Valentino nodded with no embarrassment covering it and I raised an eyebrow "Is there something you wanna tell me? Maybe about your sexuality orientation?"
Valentino tore his eyes from the TV and rolled his eyes at me "Do you think that Beyoncé is hot?"
"Well yeah of course she's probably one of the sexist women in the world, how does that have anything to do with anything?"
"You just said that Beyoncé was hot and are you gay?" he asked rhetorically "Exactly you're not, it's just the truth" he said turning back to the the Twilight sequel.
Wow, I never thought about it like that. Maybe it was possible that I read a lot of things wrong...
I turned back to Valentino intensely watching the screen and smirked "I never knew you were into Twilight"
He scoffed "I'm not I just like the fighting scenes" At the precise moment one of the vampires necks snapped making me tense "No offence but I don't understand why chic- girls enjoy watching this kind of thing" he corrected himself which made me smile. I had kind of trained him to stop referring to the opposite gender as 'chicks' whenever he did I would flick his head. His reactions were priceless.
"I mean come on 'I like watching you sleep, I find it fascinating'" Valentino said mimicking Robert Pattinson in the movie with a squint in his eyes that made me roll on my back and burst into laughter. "I mean come on that's just fucking creepy" he mentioned laughing along with me
"'About three things I was absolutely positive.'" I started, mimicking Bella in a hushed tone "'First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him-and I didn't know how potent that part might be-that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.'" I said sickly lovingly, making it Valentino's turn to crack up.
It was true, Twilight was probably one of the most cliche-y lovey dovey and creepy romances I had ever seen. I mean Jacob falling in love with a baby is just so damn perverted. Yet I still loved it.
"Thank you" I said making Valentino turn to me again. He paused the television and raise an eyebrow. "Thank you?"
"For coming here today whilst I was being a moody bitch, skipping class for me, bringing some of my favorite food and well just being a good friend"
Valentino smile "Aww best friends forever" he said with a high-pitched overly extended girl voice. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm serious" I said playfully pushing his shoulder "No one would have done this for me, not Bluu, Sophie, Aaron, Carlos, Talia or even Nyah have ever skipped school for me while I was sick. I just really appreciate it. Plus no one ever buys me food so you're definitly in my good books" I said making Valentino smile broadly.
"OH my gosh and I completely forgot" I added pulling up my arm and letting the bracelet fall lower down my arm "This" I said pointing to the charm bracelet "How?.." I didn't know how I wanted to finish that question. How did you get it in my house? How did you choose it? How did you know I'd love it?
Valentino laughed and began to fiddle around with the bracelet on my wrist. "Remember that day we went sledging?" When I nodded he continued "Well before I revealed I was there I hid it under your tree. I hid it in quite skillfully if I may add".
"But why?" I asked
"Why? Because I don't know. I saw it when I was at the mall, I mean I saw one of the charms and then another. I didn't know that they all fitted on a bracelet but then when I went to the jewelers they said that you could collect them to make up a charm bracelet. I just thought that you'd like it you know."
I smiled "It's probably one of the best presents I've gotten. But I didn't get anything for you..."
Valentino laughed and played the frozen movie "That was the point, if I told you I was getting something for you, you would have gotten something for me. I just wanted to get you something that you would remember me by"
I gave him an unsure smile "How could I ever forget you you idiot" I pushed him playfully
"You'd be surprised at what people can forget"
For some reason I felt like that was somehow directed to me. Had I forgotten something? Oh my gosh did I forget his birthday? Oh no wait that was all the was in September. I'm probably just being paranoid.
"Well I love it so thank you" I said giving him a quick hug before pulling back. I bent forwards and popped out a capsule and put it between my lips before wandering to the other side of the room to the kitchen to fill a tall glass up with some tap water.
Valentino soon followed me into the open plan kitchen "Is umm...are your pains back again?" I could tell that he was right behind me when I felt his body heat slightly radiate off me. It kind of reminded me of Jacob the werewolf when he has to cuddle with Bella to keep her warm in the cold wilderness.
Cassie you better turn off before you get too turned on, way too easily.
I grabbed a bottle of cranberry juice and hovered around Valentino. "No but it's better that I take some before it comes back" I mumbled before pressing the glass of water to my lips and swallowing down the tablet before drinking some juice
"Just one question, that I'll probably regret asking after I have but" I said sitting up on the kitchen desktop
"But?" he questioned
"How did you know..?"
"How did I know what?" Valentino asked
"You know, what was wrong with me...today"
"Umm what?"
I face palmed myself, not being blunt was getting me no where
"How did you know I was on my period Valentino?" I said flat out
The light blush that coated his cheeks made me smile in adoration. I actually didn't know he was capable of blushing. It was so fricking cute!
"I well" he started, clearing my throat "by the fact you went directly from being angry to upset which is completely out of your character and but the way you screwed your face up in pain I could guess. You also swore a lot more than you usually do and I've got a sister remember and I live with a woman too"
I tensed up at his mention of Kristen. His fiancé.
"How is Kristen anyway?"
Valentino pulled out a root beer from the fridge and closed it "Really this again?"
"Hey who said you could take drinks without permission?" I pointed to the drink in his hand
"Cassie may I pretty please have some of you fine un-alcoholic beer?" he asked pressing the glass bottle on to his lips and gulping it down.
"Sure" I said sarcastically "I mean of course having the courtesy to ask still counts after you've practically finished it"
He smirked "What is your interest with Kristen anyway? Do you have a crush on her?"
I rolled my eyes "No it's just I just wanted to know about the girl you like"
"Err what?"
"You know you and Kristen seem pretty close. I would be surprised if you two were a secret item"
Valentino began chocking on the beer placing the glass on the desk. When he started to calm down he gave me the most baffled look he could probably muster. "What the heck are you talking about?"
I didn't know if it was right to tell him I knew everything but I found myself unable to quit "I know about you and Kirsten, you know what you're planning to do with her I the foreseeable future".
Valentino looked at me with a lot of interest now leaning his arms on the desktop and giving me his full undivided attention. "And what exactly are we planning to do?"
"Do you love her?"
"Wha-"
"Do you love Kristen?" I repeated. I know I was coming off as the jealous type but I just felt like I needed him to tell me himself his feelings towards her.
It took a while but he finally admitted "Yeah yeah I do"
I shifted uncomfortably on my butt. I have not idea why I asked that if I already knew the answer.
"But not in the way you're implying I do" he interrupted my thoughts "I love her like a sister or mother not in a girlfriend kind of way"
I gave him a look which doubted all of what he said "I don't remember it being usual for you to marry within a family". There I said it, it was now out in the open.
"Come again?"
I rolled my eyes for the second time "Oh Valentino don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about. I heard you".
"And what exactly did you hear?"
"Well I was on my way to our salsa practice and I heard you and Enrique, not that I was spying or anything, talking about her proposing to you first and you buying a ring. It didn't take long to join the dots together and realize you were talking about proposing to Kristen. I know it's none of my business but I think it's a really bad idea. I mean you haven't even left high school yet and you already want to settle down? And also do you know how much a wedding costs? Yeah a fricking shitload! Plus Kristen is what four or five years older than you so she could get into a lot of trouble. I mean by all means get hitched at the age of seventeen but it might cause you a lot of problems. Did you know that people who get married as teens-" I babbling was cut off from a scream of laughter coming from my left side.
Valentino collapsed on the ground holding his arm to his stomach laughing like it was the last time he even could whilst I looked at him completely puzzled.
Three minutes later when he began to sober up and get back on to his feet but was still occasionally laughing and shaking his head
"What?" I asked completely confused. I didn't understand what was so funny.
Valentino, still wearing a large smile answered. "My coach"
"Your coach?"
"Yeah my coach, she's the one that proposed not Kristen"
I probably shouldn't have guessed before. "Soo you're getting married to your coach?"
This set him off again and I waited impatiently for him to answer the question
"No Cassie. There is no marriage happening"
I creased my eyebrows confused as ever "But you said that your coach proposed"
"Yeah she did" he knew he had to carry on to help me with my puzzled mind "My coach proposed that our gym should get a ring. A boxing ring. The old one is pretty banged up and I thought it would be nice to get one for the new year. It didn't come till boxing day which for some reason everyone found funny. The fact that we were getting the boxing ring on boxing day". He explained walking towards me.
I don't think I've ever been more mortified in my life.
"You- You aren't getting married?" I asked rhetorically
Valentino laughed "No princesa, I'm not getting married, not any time soon anyway"
"And you and Kristen?"
"Are and forever will be just friends" he assured me
I let my head fall in my hands "I. Am such an idiot"
"Yeah you are" he agreed not sugar coating it at all "How could you think I'd keep a secret girlfriend, no, secret fiancé from you and everyone? I wouldn't lie to you"
"I know I'm sorry I just. I don't know what's wrong with me. I should have figured... I'm sorry. I guess there's-"
"-A lot of things about me you don't know". he finished my sentence, copying one of my most used lines.
I lifted my head from my fingers "Okay yeah you're right. It's my turn to reveal myself to you. My full name is Cassandra Castello Rivera Grace Geraldé. I'm sixteen years old and my mind sometimes makes me do stupid, in the moment things like miss reading situations which get me in a lot of trouble, kind of like That's so Raven and-"
"Kissing people with no warning?" Valentino smirked
I widened my eyes and turned away. My heart rate increased in speed and I found myself unable to realize that that moment was far from forgotten "Can we not not talk about that please?" I said attempting to slide away from him but was stopped when he held my knees in place in front of him
"Cassie, we need to talk about this" he said looking for me to look back at him.
Unable to escape his grip and get off of sitting on the table top I hesitantly looked back at him "No we really don't. We can just forget it ever happened and just go back to our daily lives. It's obvious that you were completely not happy about it and you defiantly don't like me that way. I just wish it never-"
Before I could even tell what he was about to do he crashed his lips to mine.
With just a gentle touch of his lips, he took my breath away, awakening the butterflies that had woke up from hibernation in the pit of my stomach. At first I didn't know what to do I was completely caught off guard and didn't respond until a few seconds later cupping his cheeks and pulling his head closer to me thus deepening the kiss.
Our lips moved perfectly in sync as chills raced up my legs, then all throughout my body. Valentino's lips were deliciously warm and so fricking soft making them all the more addicting.
Our breaths mingled in the air and yes I don't like my space being invaded but with Valentino he could never be too close to me. I wanted more. I grabbed a hand full of his shirt and pulled him in to me until there was no space left between us. I wrapped my hands around his neck, feeling my body buzz with adrenaline and want, it was pure overwhelming ecstasy.
He grabbed on to the back of my knees and suddenly pulled me closer to him stepping between my legs kissing me at a slightly quicker pace than in the beginning. I automatically wrapped my legs around his waist in the hope to get closer to him.
This was not how I had imagined it
Because the reality was so much better
It was fast but yet full of such emotion, which I could not decipher. But all I knew was that I didn't want this kiss to end. And with a single thought I realized that the more he kissed me the more I craved for his touch.
However when the need to breath finally came I quickly pulled away. What should have been a silent atmosphere was filled with our quick pants. I think that was a lot further than I have ever been in a first kiss. I needed to stop it before I ran past first base.
When I opened my eyes I saw that his were still closed. It was the perfect time to allow myself to finally be honest "Valentino, I like you" I said unwrapping my hands from his neck "I've kind have liked you for a while and I kissed you a few days ago because in the moment we were there and I don't know I guess I could help myself"
Valentino tensed and stepped away from me opening his eyes. Although I should stop miss judging everything I think his moves made his thoughts about me clear. No reply, no smile.
All the signs that the guy doesn't like you back
"And from the looks of things I guess that the feeling isn't mutual"
"No" he answered "I mean I-"
Ding Dong
Was probably the worst timing the door has ever rung. I held a gaze with Valentino for a few more seconds before jumping off the table and walking towards the door before collecting my thoughts and opening the door
I plastered a big fake smile on my face "Hello Miss Cravendale and what can I do for you today?"
Miss Cravendale was one of my neighbors that lived a few doors down. She was in her late seventies; was about five foot tall and always wore were lips in a straight line despite her non- cranky attitude.
"Hello Callie-" Oh yeah and she never got my name right "- I was just wondering if you could shovel the snow out of my backyard, I'm scared that the fishes in the pond will die and two of my cats have already slipped on the ice" she asked already knowing the answer.
My mom was very close to her daughter and made me promise to always help her out whether it being mowing he lawn or cleaning out her basement. I have never seen so many spiders in my life.
"Yeah sure let me just get my coat and shoes on and I'll be right out" I said closing the door on her and going to the kitchen.
"I'm sorry you have to leave my neighbor needs help with something" I said to Valentino going over to un-hook one of my coats
"But I-"
"I'm sorry, I don't have a choice, I'll get in trouble If I don't" I added avoiding allowing any emotion to show through my words. Being rejected by him still really cut deep and the awkwardness was close to intolerable.
After a few seconds Valentino followed my demands and went over to the door to slip his shoes and jacket on. I opened the door and let him through before slipping on some snow boots and following behind him.
"Thanks for everything today I 'm really grateful, I'll see you at school tomorrow" I cut the goodbye short, walked down the porch stairs and headed over to my neighbor's house.
I think I heard him say goodbye but I didn't acknowledge it nor turn around. Previously I thought Valentino didn't like me because he already had a girlfriend only to find out I was completely wrong. The question of why he kissed me still was in my mind. Maybe he felt sorry for me, I don't know. But what I do know is that any hopes I had of Valentino and I being together were completely crushed.
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Aww how sad :'(
How do you think things are now going to be like with Valentino and Cassie?
I guess you'll have to wait and see.
Sorry about any errors I'll go through the chapter and correct them later. I'm not sure whether I have the correct American spelling of neighbors right because here it's spelt neighbours just tell me if it's wrong and I'll change it.
Thanks for reading :D :D
αντίο!