Dedicated to -aexhaled for the cover above! thank youuu💗
Chapter Thirteen: "English Isn't The Default Language of The World, Idiot."
WHERE THE HELL IS Angie? I couldn't help but think. I brushed my ponytail over my shoulder, glancing at Krystal. When I voiced the question on my mind, Krystal checked her phone. "Angie says she'll be here in three."
"Two, one, I'm here." I heard Angie say. She wore a striped jumpsuit and a pair of black heels. Krystal, on the other hand, was wearing a dark blue romper, her hair pressed into curls.
"Took you long enough." Krystal exaggerated, getting out of her car and handing the keys to the valet.
I threw my gaze over to the extremely nice house we were in front of, people talking outside of it. The one thing I was grateful for was that it was eleven o'clock and the sun was gone by now, the stars donning the sky above. Looking down at my shadow reflected by the lights of the house, the hoop earrings I was wearing dangled with the breeze, but I was warm. Slightly antsy but I was warm nevertheless.
I held onto my little strap purse that matched the color of my black dress that hugged my figure. I immediately straightened my posture at the thought of one of the reasons I was here. "Well, shall we?"
Krystal and Angie led the way, making conversation quickly with people who were on the porch before we headed inside. "Octavia!" I heard someone say.
A smile came to my face some familiar faces of actors, directors, people I had worked within the past. The world could be too small sometimes. In the background, the music playing wasn't anything special but merely reflected the scene before me. Everyone was dressed in almost business casual yet semi-formal.
I kissed one of my friend's cheeks, "Flo, how are you?"
"I'm good, I've been good." I linked my arms with her, her blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders, and smiled at other faces I recognized.
She had a drink in her hand and I pointed down at it. "Where'd you get that?"
"There's a little makeshift bar outside in the back."
"What's in that?" I pointed to her drink.
She shrugged. "It's just wine."
Wine, the best kind of drunk vibes. Just what I needed.
Angie nudged me. "Want to go get drinks?"
"Yes, please." We made our way outside to the back and I saw the makeshift bar, almost racing for it.
Taking a seat under the little hut, my eyes flickered over the bottles laid out in display on the rack. I was about to order when my eyes fell upon someone. My lips parted slightly at the sight of a familiar body, rolling the sleeves of his dress shirt up as his brown eyes scanned the area, searching for someone.
And that ladies and gentlemen was exactly how to enter an area. Looking like that.
I bit my lip, not helping myself by taking him in. Angie was ordering her drink, but my eyes were stuck on the man himself. He didn't notice either of us yet, so I patted the table, gaining Angie's attention.
"You brought Caleb?" I asked Angie.
"Yeah," Angie looked at the writer like every woman and some men were. "He looks good, doesn't he?"
Yes, he does.
Caleb was wearing a button-up and dress pants. His hair looked different than it usually was almost as if he had just washed it recently and didn't run his fingers through it because it was curlier. But he looked very good.
"Caleb!" Angie called out and Caleb turned his head, heading on over to me and Angie.
Angie gave him a quick hug. "Hello, Angel." He said, looking down at her. "Great, you went with the jumpsuit I suggested."
Angel. That's a new one, I thought to myself as I watched their banter.
"You didn't suggest this one, you said the ugly one."
"They both looked great and I didn't have a preference."
"Your preference was the ugly one," Angie said and gestured for him to take a sip of her drink.
He shook his head. "I'm okay for the night." Caleb slid his eyes over to me, just then I could see his mood shift and that look in his eyes got to their usual mischievousness. Jesus. "Octavia."
"Caleb," I crossed one leg over the other. 'I didn't know you were coming."
"I'm here to support Angie as she talks her way up."
"Who are you going to be talking to?" I asked Angie, finally taking my eyes off Caleb.
"I'm going to suck up to that couple over there," Angie pointed discreetly after taking her drink. "They look like rich people. Rich people, big money."
"You think they need a stylist?"
Angie gave me a look. "Unless they're a stylist themselves, everyone needs a stylist. That's what I'm here for." She squeezed my hand and whisked herself away.
Caleb glanced back to me. "No Jordan shoes this time?"
"Not for this dress," I told him.
His eyes stayed on my footwear. "Yellow is a nice color on you. Black dress, yellow nails."
"Well," I flipped my ponytail over my shoulder. "I try."
He laughed as Angie called his name and started backing away. "I'll catch you in a bit."
"Alright." I watched him go towards Angie. He slid a comforting hand on her back as she spoke to that rich couple and I watched as she leaned into him. They're a cute couple more than anything. And it made sense. With Caleb random tendencies and Angie's mindset, they had the potential of being a perfect pair.
A smile came to her face as Caleb said something that had all of them laughing. If they could be like that for the rest of their life then they'd be perfect.
Not everything's perfect though. I thought to myself, my eyes spotting the sight of another person already staring at me. Giulio headed over, his expression unreadable.
I shifted on the stool I was sitting on to look at him head-on as he stood in front of me. "O," he pointed to the rack at the bartender at a drink and it seemed as if the bartender already knew what he had wanted, handing him a filled glass.
"Hey," I said to him.
"What are you doing here?" He didn't look mad that I was here. No, he seemed as if he had expected it.
I froze with realization at what Giulio was doing. For a man that acted in movies, he sucked at faking his emotions in real-life situations.
He wanted me here.
He knew I would be annoyed that he was avoiding me. So, he told Angie and Krystal about the party, knowing that I was going to tag along. Because of course, why would you tell my friends something, friends I live with, without having the knowledge that I would find out?
I decided to play dumb, but Giulio knew me better than that. "Angie told me of a networking opportunity, I didn't think you would be here."
"I invited her. And Krystal."
"That's nice of you," I said, glancing down at my yellow painted nails. "They invited me. Is that a problem?"
He chuckled lightly against his glass, taking a sip of whatever, he was drinking before putting the glass down. "Not at all. How have you been?"
I decided then not to play stupid. "Why have you been avoiding me?"
He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head. "Who said I was avoiding you?"
The smile slipped off my face. "Giulio, I want you to remember that I am not stupid."
"I never thought you were, O." He said sincerely.
"Then answer my question." I leaned back on the table when I realized someone was watching us. My eyes moved past Giulio to catch Caleb's as he stood Angie as she spoke to another person energetically.
He was staring at the two of us, confusion was written all over his face.
Everything okay? He mouthed, and I hated that my eyes went to his lips and stayed there longer than they should have.
I shot him a slight thumbs up and a faint smile before turning back to Giulio and wiping it away. "I didn't hear anything," I told him, a bit of my attitude in my tone.
"I didn't say anything." He teased, and my fingers subconsciously started tapping against the counter. If this was a month ago, I'd have grabbed him by the hand and found the most discreet room here. But it wasn't a month ago and no matter how badly one would want to jump Giulio Bianchi's bones, I held back.
At this point, it wasn't as hard to hold back as it was weeks ago.
"You think this is a game?"
"No, O. I don't."
I took a step closer to him. "Just because I ended things, didn't mean I ended our friendship. There was no intention of that."
"I feel like if we were in a different setting, you'd say something different."
And he was right. If this wasn't a fancy type of party and was the ones we were used to, the atmosphere would have made me second guess my words, pull away from any thoughts I had originally of pushing Giulio away sexually in the first place.
But we weren't there, and my mind was clear.
Fück, I needed a drink.
I sighed. "Well, we're not in a different setting. And I meant what I said. I'd like to stay friends."
"Just friends?"
"Only friends Giulio," I warned him. "Only friends."
He took a long sip of the drink, downing it in one go before putting it on the table. "Not sure how to just be friends with you."
"How did you survive when Keith and I were dating then?"
"You always came back whenever you two were done. And Marabella too, remember?" He reminded me of his own ex-girlfriend. "We avoided each other until we things ended with a significant other. Or did you forget?" His tone was challenging, and I wasn't having it.
I leaned back, my arms resting on the counter. "I didn't forget."
He made a tsk sound. "But you don't want that anymore."
"No," I admitted, looking him in the eyes to let him know I was serious. Not when it's clear your feelings are in the way. "No, I don't."
Giulio took a deep breath. "Okay."
"Okay?"
Just like that? Almost as if he didn't go through the whole ordeal of trying to get me to come here in the first place. He was going to accept that term?
Nah. That wasn't Giulio. When he wanted something, he didn't give up.
It was at that moment I knew Giulio and I could never be anything physical ever again.
"Yeah, okay. I'm okay with that."
"Are you really?" I just had to ask even though I already knew the answer. But maybe it was in the tell-tale signs Caleb was talking about the other day. Giulio had those signs when something bothered him. The clear tension in his shoulder, the sudden urge to rub a hand across his jaw. His eyes did that thing for a split second where he stared at the table, thinking of something else before coming to reality.
"Yeah," He grabbed my arm, pulling me in to kiss me lightly on the cheek as if he was talking to any one of his girlfriends. "If you need me I'll be around."
Why the hell did I think that even after our conversation he was still talking about sex?
Giulio and his overwhelming scent moved away from me and I let out a breath I wasn't aware of holding. Fück me. I waved over to the bartender. "Tequila."
Fück the wine.
I downed one glass before making my way over to various people. An hour passed by and one glass of tequila clearly wasn't going to do anything to me. Then again it takes a lot to do something to me.
I was about to order something else at the bar when I felt his presence before even turning. "What's up, Romero?"
"These parties are flashy," Caleb commented, leaning beside me on the counter. A waitress passed by and I watched Caleb give her the look over, a small smile creeping on his face. He inspected the tray she was holding out, taking one of the foods. "You guys don't have mini burgers or something?"
Oh my God. I hovered a hand over my mouth as if that would hide the laugh bubbling up from my throat.
She stared at him confused and he sighed in the realization that she probably didn't speak English. Well, English isn't the default language of the world, idiot. He repeated it in Italian, making my eyes go wide at the sudden change and she shook her head, walking away.
He slouched, putting a hand on his stomach. "Man, what is it going to take to get a good cheeseburger around here, huh?"
The mention of fast food set my stomach growling. I haven't had anything greasy in months. Caleb must have noticed the look on my face because he twisted his body to face me. "Are you hungry? Because I know you can't possibly be getting full of those little things they call food on the platters right now."
"I'm fine, Caleb," I assured him, looking around the room. My friends were all spread out across the room. Krystal was flirting her way up with this Italian actor and Angie was talking to someone not too far on the other end of the room. Even Giulio was sitting on the couch talking to a man and a woman in rapid Italian. They were all so occupied, I sighed, feeling the urge to take my phone out.
If I had to take my phone out in any situation, that's when you know I was-
"Are you bored?" Caleb asked, trying not to smile at how obvious it was. "Because as of like a couple seconds ago, you haven't bothered interacting with anyone but me. And we all know you hate me. Very much."
The fact that he keeps bringing up me hating him is really saying something when I couldn't bother holding myself up properly because I was insanely attracted to him.
I traced my manicured fingers across the counter of the bar, feeling my stomach growl at the previous mention of food. "You know a place that has a good cheeseburger around here?"
Caleb grinned, putting a hand to my arm and scrunching up his nose. "Be right back." I watched him walk over to Angie, shoving a hand through his hair in a hot way as he whispered something in her hair. She nodded, smiling up at him before saying something back. When he came back, he twirled car keys in his fingers, "Are you ready?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So," I started, feeling a lot more energy after sipping the coke. If I was going to be in the same place with this guy as we ate I might as well speak before he said or asked something stupid. "Where'd you learn Italian?"
The top of his button-up was unbuttoned showcasing a couple of his tattoos and I let my eyes linger on his skin while taking a sip before looking at his eyes. "From the years I've spent living here."
We were seated at a fast-food restaurant about five minutes by car from the house we were previously at. I don't know what Caleb said to Angie before we left but I said goodbye to her and Krystal before hopping in Caleb car after taking one more shot of tequila before I left. Besides a middle-aged couple in a corner near the front of the store, we were the only other customers, tucked in a corner away from a window. A part of me was grateful for that because I wasn't in the mood to deal with any paps today.
"Really?"
"Yeah," He said, opening a ketchup packet. "I lived here after I graduated high school but not in Milan. Then I moved to England to be around friends for a couple of years then I moved back two years ago."
"Damn," I remember how scared I was moving to LA when I was seventeen. Excited but nervous. Caleb, however, literally packed his stuff up and moved to a whole other continent, a whole other country where he didn't speak the dominant language.
"When I first came here all I knew were swear words," He chuckled, eating a fry. "Crazy how much has changed since then."
"So, you speak English and Italian?"
"No, I speak Spanish too," I could have dropped right then and there with that information. "I was taught it when I was younger, and my Tia never let me, and my brother forget a single word of it. So, when we get home we usually start speaking it again."
"Your aunt, right?" I asked, opening one ketchup packet and starting to put it on the side.
"Yeah," Caleb grabbed a fry and my dismay, he put placed ketchup on one fry and plopped it into his mouth. "Usually when someone asks that I say, 'here is my tragic childhood story' but-" He paused, staring at me.
"What?" I asked.
"You put your ketchup on the side?" I was still trying to process what he meant by a tragic childhood story but clearly, the change of topic switched the conversation fast.
I bounced back fast, making a face. "Yeah, you nutjob, you dip your fries not pour the ketchup on top of only one like an idiot."
"I'm the idiot? That's weird."
"How is that weird? You're literally the strangest guy I have ever met," I declared because it was true. "What you're doing is weird"
"I'm just eating my fries." He waved his ketchup packet and I watched it whip out of his hand and onto the table.
"And making a mess, don't touch me with your hands."
"You're such a drama queen," He rolled his eyes and used one of his ketchup covered fries to point at me. "Quit playing and act like a kid for once, messes can be fine."
I cringed, and he laughed at my face. "What? Are you afraid I'll get ketchup from my hands on your pretty dress?" He reached a hand out towards me and I yelped, pushing my seat back.
"Caleb!" He laughed, taking a fry and shoving it in his mouth.
"Relax, I'm only joking with you. I wouldn't be this disgusting in front of any lady but it's just you."
"It's just you." I mocked lowly.
Caleb proceeded to take another ketchup packet, ripping the corner. I thought he would put it on his fries like he had done before but the rat reached out and started putting it on top of my own fries. I wacked the packet out of his hands. "Oh my God, no."
"Live, will you?" He laughed.
"What's next?" I muttered sarcastically.
"Maybe I'll," He dramatically gasped. "Tell you to drink straight out of the cup instead of with a straw." Caleb eyed his large cup filled with Fanta he had gotten. He took the cap straight off and held it up, taking a large gulp straight from the cup. He let out an "ahh" when he was done, raising his eyebrows for me to do the same.
"No."
"What? Do you think you're going to get it on your dress? Are you too scared?" He leaned in close and whispered with that shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "Are you-dare I say it- afraid?"
"Of ketchup?" I questioned.
"Point made," He nodded, leaning back. "Then are you, dare I say it, a coward? All because you won't drink straight out of the cup? Because a straw was offered, you must use it? A plastic straw? Are you trying to contaminate our world? I can see the headlines now, the Octavia- killing our planet, one straw at a time."
I fought the smile creeping on my face at his dramatic tone. "Caleb, shut up."
"Do it then. Don't be a baby."
"No."
"Do it."
I took the cap and straw off, flicking the cap at his face and he is laughing deflecting it. I drank my Coke straight from the cup and put it down. "Happy?"
He grinned, getting up. I watched him go into the bathroom before he came back out, his hands were clean. When he returned, he had another cup and a fork for what I assumed to be for his fries. "Have you ever mixed Fruitopia and Sprite?"
"No."
"Used to do this all the time." I watched him order two drinks and fill them with Sprite and Friutopia. He came back, pouring quantities until we both had the mixture. "Drink."
He waited until I was done before asking, "Not bad?"
"Pretty good, actually."
"I've been known to make legendary drinks."
"You mixed two drinks together, my guy, I don't think it's that legendary," I muttered, and he scoffed. "You know what's good?"
"What?"
I had an idea and got up, leaving him in confusion. When I came back, I put a bunch of cups on the table, filled with different drinks. I took an empty cup, pouring different drinks inside until I filled it to the brim, sliding it over to Caleb while chewing on a fry. "Here you go."
"What is it?" He stared down at the cup.
"The Octavia."
"You just made that up." He accused.
"Says who," I gestured towards it. "Go drink, coward."
"I'm the coward?" He questioned, eyes wide.
"Just drink it."
Caleb took it and without even preparing himself took a sip and almost spewed. My jaw dropped as he put the drink down so fast it almost tilted over, and he held a hand to his face, his expression the sourest I have ever seen it. He started wiggling his tongue, grabbing a napkin and trying to rub his tongue against it as if that would get the taste out. "Ew, ew, ew, ew."
I pushed myself against the table, leaning forward to catch my breath as I laughed. I pretended to wipe tears from my eyes, letting out a sigh. "I needed that."
Caleb coughed, his face a slight red. "I don't know what the fuck was in that. I'm convinced you even put some next drink in there because that was some tangy shït."
I laughed even harder, taking my phone out to get a picture of him taking deep breaths but still having that look on his face. "Disgusting." He muttered just as the click sounded.
He let out a soft laugh, taking another napkin to wipe his mouth. "Just so you know, the Octavia taste like ass."
I leaned my chin against my hand as I propped my elbow on the table. "Very few can handle it."
"What did you put in that? A taste of literal death?"
I almost snorted at his words. "As I said, very few can handle that. Granted, I'm better at mixing alcohol then pop drinks."
"I'll have to try that."
"You sure about that?"
"I have a feeling if I get drunk with you it'll be very interesting."
"How interesting?"
"I'll get fücked." He muttered, still trying to get rid of the taste in his mouth when I froze.
Not that kind of fücked, idiot, I told myself. The 'I'm about to get pissed drunk type of fucked'. Sexual thoughts were going to be the death of me when it came to Caleb Henderson.
I shook my head slightly, tapping my yellow nails against the table. I leaned in. "Want to know a secret?"
Caleb paused, interested. Interested as in his hands were against the table now and he was close. "What is it?"
"Well." I trailed off, looking around.
"Well." He repeated, mocking my posture with a great big smile on her face.
I moved forward until my lips were a fraction away from his ear. Until I was a fraction away from his overwhelming scent, his overwhelming presence I could have grasped when I whispered, "There's mustard in that drink."
Caleb jerked back, grabbing a napkin against and rubbing it against his tongue vigorously. "For fuck's sake."
I laughed even harder and he playfully glared at me. "You're a demon."
I flicked my ponytail as I had done an hour ago. "I try."
He glanced at the time on his phone. "What time do you have to be home?"
"Ten o'clock," I deadpanned, knowing that it was a little after midnight. "I'm not fourteen Caleb."
He laughed. "Didn't think you had a curfew but you're usually busy. I had to ask."
"Tomorrow is Sunday so nowhere. I'm high off coke right now so I'm not in the mood to go sleep."
"I'm high off of life so I say we go out."
I took a sip of my drink. "Where?"
He shrugged, leaning back. "Anywhere. I have a car. A full tank of gas. Let's go."
"You serious?"
"As long as you don't make me another Octavia ever again then yes," I had to laugh, grinning at him and he smiled back. I almost frowned realizing how contagious his smile was. And he smiled a lot. "Forget the car, let's go for a walk."
"I want to go on a swing," I told him as he started packing up the garbage.
He raised an eyebrow before slapping the table lightly. "Then we'll find a park." He picked up a drink before realizing it was the one, I had given him. "Never want to see this nasty crusty mustard-"
I laughed loudly at the string of curse words before quieting down when I saw that the couple in the corner was staring at us. I threw my cheeseburger and fries in a separate bag before grabbing my drink. "Let's go?"
He grinned, throwing the garbage in the trash before holding the door open for me. "We love classic October and Caleb times."