I felt a soft hand stroking my face and running through my hair.
"Martina, it's time to wake up." A voice whispered.
I opened my eyes slowly and a blurry figure appeared sitting down on the bed I was lying. My vision became clear and I recognized Ace, characteristically biting the corner of his mouth, trying to hide a smile.
"I'd pay for you to welcome me like this everytime I got home." He said amused.
I felt the cold sheets against my naked body. Wait.
"What time is it?" I asked sitting up. "Got home?" I repeated his words. "Where did you go?"
"Shh, calm down." He said placing his hands on my shoulders and pushing me down again. "It's 11.30."
"At night." I said firmly, my eyes bored into him.
"In the morning." He corrected amused.
I sat up again, covering myself with the sheets and hit him on the chest with a frown on my face. "Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked searching his eyes frantically.
He rubbed the place where I hit him. "Because you were sleeping like a baby, you needed it, you were exhausted."
"But I was gonna go buy the dr-" I stopped and put my hand over my mouth. "Oh my god, how was your exam?"
He laughed. He was happy, that was a good sign, right?
"It went great." He said grinning.
"Really?" My lips curling up into a smile.
"Yes. And I wanted to thank you." He stood up and began to walk.
"Where are you going?" I asked confused. He went to open the curtains and then walked towards his bag and began looking for something. I didn't mind being naked around him, but only if the two of us actually were, so I took a t-shirt that was somewhere around the sheets. It was big and smelled like him.
When my head popped out of the collar, I saw he was already sitting next to me, a box in his hands. He handed it to me. I hesitated before taking it.
"Ay no, Ace. You shouldn't have."
"Open it." He said serious, biting his lower lip.
It was a jewelry box. I opened it and saw a beautiful thin gold chain necklace with a little diamond pendant in the middle. My eyes widened as I stared at it in silence. It was simple, but it was so delicate.
"Ace-"
"Do you like it?" He asked nervously bending down a bit to see my expression.
"I love it." I said glancing up. He gave me a broad smile. One of those that made his eyes wrinkle, one of those that made me want to throw myself at him. I didn't restrain myself this time and closed the box quickly and jumped on top of him, crashing my lips against his, laying him down in the bed.
He laughed against my lips and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled apart for a second and we locked eyes.
"I noticed you only wear gold earrings so that's why I chose a gold one. I also thought you wouldn't like anything too extravagant."
Forme reason I couldn't stop kissing him, not because of the piece of jewelry, but because the time he put on it and that he noticed those little details.
"If I knew you were gonna be this affectionate I would have bought you a necklace from the beginning."
I laughed with his face still between my hands. "It's not the necklace. It's how well you know me, the time you spent thinking about it and the time you spent actually buying it."
I was straddling him, both of my knees on either side of his body, as he sat up still holding my waist. He looked down at my chest. "I knew you were exhausted, that you had to make up for all the time you spent being sick and that you had to do a lot of other things and yet you decided to help me and I really appreciate it." He glanced up at me. "Do you want me to help you put it on?"
"Yes, please."
I grabbed the box and opened it for him. He picked the necklace and I put my hair up in a ponytail supporting it with my hands. He put the necklace around my neck and closed the clasp. He then turned it around to put the little diamond in the center. I let my hair fall and held the gemstone between my fingers.
"Can I wear it tomorrow?" I asked. Although I wasn't planning on taking it off, to be honest.
"What a silly question, you have to wear it tomorrow. Actually, you could go naked and just wear the necklace."
I threw my head back and laughed. "Seeing that I have no dress yet, I wouldn't rule it out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After doing it in the bed, and doing it again in the shower, I decided that it was time to leave. We had lunch together, we were both starving after all the exercise.
I walked out of his front door and I yelped when he grabbed my waist again, turning me around and brushing his lips against mine. I put my heels on the ground again when he let go of me.
"I know we've been at other things but I don't forget we have some talking to do." His eyes lingered on mine.
And at that very right moment, I didn't feel scared. I didn't feel that pressure in my chest. I didn't feel like my heart would crash if I told him about my feelings. It was a different feeling, I felt excited for the unknown. I was happy around him and I was almost sure that he also felt something about me. At least he showed me that and I could feel it, just by the way he was looking at me at this very right moment. I wasn't afraid to put myself out there. I wasn't suffocating anymore, and I needed to stop all those 'what if's.
I gave him my broadest smile. "I know." I turned around and made my way to my car. I opened the door and glanced at him again.
"Mhm-"
"I'll pick you up at 4. The ceremony starts at 5.30 and I have to be early. I'm the bride's brother." He said tilting up his chin playfully, closing his eyes and putting a hand on his chest.
"Right." I chuckled.
"Ci vediamo domani!"
I laughed and waved at him.
"Yeah! What you just said!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I left Ace's house at four. Yeah, I know we took our time in the shower. To say that I was sore was an understatement. I couldn't even sit on the car properly.
I decided to go home and change my clothes before going to the mall to buy a dress. I knew the owner of one of the boutiques. My mom knew her. She was really nice, a little too much, but nice. She would help me find the right dress. We went there when Sarah and I last went shopping but everything was too elegant for a college party. We tried out a couple of dresses and left empty handed. I hoped today was not the case.
I saw my phone screen lit up and glanced to see who it was. Nathan was calling me.
"Hey cutie pie, I'm driving, you're on speaker."
"Daniel broke up with me."
Boom. I almost stopped the car in the middle of the road when I heard that.
"What?" I asked raising my voice.
"Shocking, right? I didn't expect it either." He was trying to be in a good mood, but I could tell he was struggling not to cry. His voice sounded shaky and too low coming from him. He was one of the loudest people on earth.
"But why? How? When?" I asked quickly shaking my head as I made a right turn.
"I really don't know. Over the phone. Like five minutes ago."
"Shit. Are you okay?" What a silly question, of course he was not.
"Actually, no. Can you come to my house, please?"
"Mhm yeah, sure."
I made another turn and changed my direction. Looked like I wouldn't be visiting the mall today.
I parked outside his house and rang the bell. His father opened the door. He was wearing a baseball cap and a jersey and had a beer on his hand.
"Martina!" He greeted me. I smiled and opened my mouth to speak but he didn't let me. "Come on, come on. Get in. I'm missing the game." He said waving for me to walk inside. I did as he told me and glanced up at him smiling. "As always, make yourself at home, Nathan is upstairs." And he left to keep on watching the game.
"Great talk." I chuckled to myself. I went upstairs and prepared myself for the worst. I didn't know what would I find, so it was better that way. I opened the door of his bedroom slowly, peeking my head behind it.
He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Hey." I said softly.
He glanced at me and I sat down next to him. We stared into eachother's eyes for a few seconds, and all of a sudden he pouted his lips like a little kid and began to cry.
"Oh my god, Nathaaaan." I threw myself at him and hugged him. I saw him crying many times, so I knew what to do.
"He broke up with me over the phone. Over the phone!" He cried. "I know he's shy and all but that's just stooping too low!"
He had his arms wrapped around my waist and I had mine over his shoulders. I gave kisses to the top of his head, while he cried on my shirt, wetting it with his tears.
"Did he give you a reason?" I asked lowly.
"He's leaving to England. He had a great job opportunity there and he didn't even think of me. I mean, I wouldn't have asked him to stay, but you know, I'd consider a long distance relationship!"
"Would you?" I asked knowingly.
"No!" He blew his nose. I knew him too well. "But he should have asked me to consider it! Like a good boyfriend would have done!"
I knew he was no one to take anyone's advices, he just needed to cry and someone to listen to him and support him. He kept on crying for what felt like years until the door burst open.
"I came as soon as I could." Said Sarah running her hands through her hair. She sat down next to us. "How are you?"
"Better now. I needed to cry my lungs out." He pulled apart and went to hug Sarah. She wrapped him in her arms. "Oh my god, what a difference. Martina, you're the worst hugger in the world."
I drove my hand to my chest and tilted my neck backwards, looking highly offended. "Well, you're the ugliest crier I've ever seen."
He glanced at me for a moment, still wrapped in Sarah's arms and then he broke out laughing. I began to laugh too. We laughed so hard that it didn't even make sense. Sarah looked at us shaking her head, laughing a little bit too.
"You guys are impossible."
"Why are you wearing a guy's shirt?" Asked Nathan.
After I woke up, Ace told me that Sarah called him last night to ask where I was, so he told her I was sleeping with him. But I haven't told Nathan.
"I spent the night at Ace's."
"Where do you guys stand?"
"Do you really wanna talk about this?" I asked Nathan.
"Yeah, I need a distraction and I am an emotional masochist." Sarah and Nathan both sat down with their backs against the wall and I sat down cross-legged in front of them.
"Well, I don't know, really. I've been helping him study as you already know," I said that quickly, "and he bought me a necklace-"
"He bought you what?!" Nathan asked making Sarah and me jump on our seats. "Let me see."
I approached them and picked the necklace that was underneath the shirt.
"Now that's expensive." Exclaimed Nathan.
"It's beautiful." Said Sarah in awe.
I sat back on my place and continued. "Yeah." I sighed hiding it under the shirt again, the hint of a smile on my lips. "And tomorrow is the wedding and I'm fucking nervous, 'cause all his family is going to be there and I don't know who he's gonna say I am."
"Well, he is not your boyfriend," began Sarah making a face, "but you're not friends either."
"Yeah, you're more than that." Added Nathan.
"I know, but you just can't say: hi grandpa, this is the girl I fuck." I scoffed.
"That would be hilarious." Chuckled Nathan.
"So, have you already talked about it?"
I shook my head. "He told me before we've been busy and stuff, but he doesn't forget that we have to talk."
"I'm living for that conversation. I've never seen you like this, and I can't imagine what it would be. I need him to tell you his feelings so that you could live happily ever after." Said Nathan.
I looked down and played with my shoes' strands. "What if he doesn't?"
"Then you tell him." Said Sarah.
"I know, and now I know that I can't keep on my life with this feeling in my chest, but I just can't get out of my head all these bad thoughts." I glanced up at them. "What if he just wants to tell me that it's better if we're friends? When I'm with him everything seems just fine. You know when you stare into someone's eyes and you just know?" They nodded quietly. "But then I leave him, and I'm afraid again, and those doubts are eating me alive.
"Martina, I highly doubt he'll tell you that, that boy is clearly in love with you." I blushed at Sarah's words. I've never thought about the word love. I've never considered that feeling. "But, if it all turns out the wrong way-"
"Then you'll have us." They both said at the same time. They looked at eachother their jaws on the floor.
I laughed. "Yeah, I know I'll always have you." I smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we arrived to our apartment, Sarah stopped at her bedroom door and turned around to face me.
"What are you gonna wear tomorrow?"
I let out a deep breath. "I still don't know."
"You don't know?" She frowned.
"I was gonna buy a dress today, but you know... I'll go tomorrow."
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"Yes, please. I'll need help."
I went to my bedroom, threw my phone on the bed, and just when I was about to lie down, I saw the screen lighting up. It seemed as if Ace had a camera in my room and he watched me or something.
"Hello?"
"My sister just cancelled the whole wedding."
"What?" I asked widening my eyes. Ace then burst out laughing. Asshole. I lay down on my bed, relaxing after knowing it was a joke.
"I think my mom would kill her if she does." He chuckled. "I was just calling to know how good you'll look tomorrow."
"Well, I wouldn't know, I haven't bought the dress yet." My stomach made a weird sound. I didn't have dinner, so I stood up and made my way to the kitchen.
"Why?"
"Because I had a little emergency. Nathan's boyfriend broke up with him."
"Oh, shit. Is he gonna be alright?"
"I think so." I said shrugging and scanning inside the fridge. "They hadn't been that long together. But he dumped him overnight." I took some leftovers and a fork, and made my way to the couch.
"That's why I think communication is key. People need to talk about their feelings so they don't surprise you."
Ironic he's telling me all that right now.
"Ace, I'm hanging up."
"Why?" He asked raising his voice.
"Cause this is getting too deep and I'm about to have dinner."
"So what? You can still talk."
"I'm tired."
"You slept like 13 hours, you can't be tired."
"Fuck you, you can't tell me how tired I am." I said faking anger. "And besides, because of what we did afterwards, is why I'm tired."
"Do you want me to come over?"
"What? No!" I said quickly.
"Then stop talking about what we did earlier if I can't go see you so we can do it again."
I let out a little laugh and sighed. "Shame. I'm wearing new lingerie and I'm all alone in-"
"Martina, stop. I'm grabbing my car keys."
I burst out laughing. "I hope you have a good night in the company of your hand, Ace." I chuckled.
"Martina-"
Beep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ci vediamo domani!: see you tomorrow!
How cute was Ace giving Martina that necklace?
Thoughts about what can happen at the wedding? They need to have that talk ASAP.
Also, what a dick move to break up over the phone.
Okay! That was it for today's chapter let me know what you think in the comments and don't forget to vote!
Thanks for reading ❤️