Chapter 49: Mints

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Riley planted a hand in her mouth and got up quickly. Great, the thought that we could be together again, made her want to throw up.

If I didn't know she was hungover I would be offended.

"That's the food. She shouldn't be eating today." Ace commented.

I approached Martina's face with a smile of my own and whispered. "We fucked. But we haven't talked yet." I changed my expression into a serious one. "So, I would appreciate if you just shut the fuck up for now."

"You're right, I'm sorry." She laughed, bouncing in her seat happily. "Dios, I'm so happy."

I let Riley a little bit of space but after five minutes, I couldn't just sit there.

"I'm gonna see how she's doing." I knew she was in the bathroom closer to the kitchen so I walked there a little cautious.

"Riley." I knocked on the door. "It's me."

The door opened and she smiled lazily at me. She was crawling, a hand resting on the doorknob.

I tried not to laugh and sat down beside her when she crawled back to the toilet and sat back leaning on the wall. "How are you?"

"I can't stop throwing up." She said tiredly. "I haven't done it for a solid minute but I'm afraid it'll come back."

"Ace said it's better if you don't eat today."

"What?" She opened her eyes a little wider, then kicked the floor like a little girl. "Fucking alcohol."

I laughed and she eyed me, letting out a chuckle too. She covered her eyes with her forearm. "This is so pathetic."

"Hey, it happens sometimes." I licked my lips. "Do I have to remind you that you wanted to get super drunk?"

"Well, I achieved it." She chuckled. "I don't remember a thing. I have like flashes-" She then stared at me. I was unconsciously catching my breath. "I- I mean, I didn't forget what we... you know."

I nodded slowly, eyeing her cautiously. I didn't know If it was the right moment, but I needed to have the conversation. "Do you regret it?"

We stared into each other's eyes for a moment. "No."

I let out a big breath. God, she scared me. "Riley... Those things you said to me yesterday... I know what you were talking about. I know about that feeling. That feeling inside that tells me that you're the one. That I'm not gonna feel this way for anyone else. I have it. I think I always had it." She stared at me with heavy breathing. "When I came back from France, I was determined to win you back, that's what I told you how I felt about you. I still feel the same way, I've always felt that way." She bit her lips and I dragged my ass to where she was, sitting down beside her against the wall. My fingers brushing hers on the floor.

"I'm in love with you, Riley. And I learnt that no distance, time or person is gonna change that. I love you." I whispered slowly, my other hand coming to meet her cheek, brushing her hairs out of her face.

She smiled and averted my gaze, looking down before staring up at me again. "I'm in love with you, too." She slightly frowned and pursed her lips. "I just don't wanna get hurt again, Luca. A big part of myself tells me to let go and be with you, and let you have my heart... But another big part tells me to protect myself." She twisted her mouth and looked down again. "I don't think I can be as I was before with you. I will need time."

"I know." I nodded quickly. "And we have all the time in the world to figure it out." My thumb brushing along her cheekbone.

She chuckled. "You're tireless, aren't you?"

"Yep." I laughed.

"Look at us, sitting in a bathroom floor pouring our hearts out."

"That's so us, don't you think?" I laughed.

She shook her head as she laughed and I approached my face to her. "You're so beautiful."

"Don't you dare." She pulled apart quickly, letting my hand fall.

"What?"

"Don't kiss me! I just threw up!" She exclaimed in horror.

"I don't mind!"

"I do!" She laughed, opening her eyes wide. "Come on, we should get up."

"Want me to bring you home? I should watch you, I'm pretty sure if I leave you alone, you'll be snacking and throwing up all day." I muttered helping her get up after me.

"Yes, daddy." She said mockingly.

I stepped closer to her again and rested my hand on her hips, pulling her towards me. "Call me that again, it's been a while."

She laughed. "Oh my god, shut up."



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Days passed by; I couldn't see Riley since I was busy at work. The season had already started and players were working hard. I dropped her off at home that day but she spent the whole day sleeping. I left her in the morning.

We didn't talk about our relationship; we didn't talk about how this were gonna go... We just knew we were in love with one another. Was that enough? Or should we have the talk? We didn't let things were clear the other day in the bathroom. She needed time, yeah. But what did that mean? She wanted a little bit of space? She wanted a break before she could be with anyone else?

My thoughts were driving me crazy when Linda hit me with a pool noodle. We didn't have any pool activities today, but it was hot so we both decided to crash into the swimming pool.

"Ouch!"

Linda frowned and put on one of her 'I'm an angry mama bear' looks. "You're thinking about her again!"

"Of course I'm thinking about her!" I opened my eyes a little wider. "I'm not suddenly trying to find the meaning in life."

"You should, because your life is now a joke." She chuckled, getting out of the pool.

"Why?" I asked, getting out after her. If she thought my life was a joke now, she should've seen me just a few months back. Yeah, that time in my life when I wouldn't stop jerking off to that porn actress that looked so much like Riley. Not really sure if I should tell this to anyone. Maybe start seeing a therapist?

She handed me a towel.

"You're in love with a girl who is in love with you too, and you don't go and talk to her because you're a fucking coward who thinks she's gonna reject him after all she had been through and all she said after and, even though you broke her heart."

"I should go, right?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Yes, thank me later." She pushed me towards the door. "Go, go."

And there I was, two hours later, all showered and dressed up in a dress shirt and all, going to see Riley. My hands were clammy and my leg wouldn't stop bouncing in the car ride over her apartment, but other than that and the nervous tic I had on my eyebrow, everything was good.

The music in the car stopped when a phone call decided to cut it off. To be honest, I was glad it stopped since it was a little too energetic to calm my nerves.

"Luca?" I would never get over how different my name sounded in a french accent.

"Nico, my boy!" I exclaimed nervously. "What's up."

"You left the flowers here." Yes, I bought her flowers. Did I forget that I bought her flowers not too long ago? No. Too cliché? Maybe. Did I care? No. But did I have the flowers now? Again, no.

"Shit." I licked my lips nervously and glanced around. No florists around, just the park. What if I-? No, Luca. You know that's not okay. "I'll have to go without them."

"Luca-"

"I know, I know." I sighed. "Thank you. Luck is all I need right now."

A really long silent is what I got for a response. "What?"

"Nothing." I muttered in embarrassment. I really thought he was calling me for some encouragement.

"I was just wondering if you knew anything about figure skating." He said nonchalantly.

"Do I look like I know anything about figure skating?"

"No?"

"You're right." I glanced outside before parking. "I gotta go. I'm here."

"Au revoir." And he hung up.

"That's it, you piece of shit?"

I shook my head as I got out of the car. I decided to make a quick stop in a small store close to Riley's building. For some reason, I couldn't seem to go empty handed. She sounded surprised when she talked to me through the intercom. That's what I needed right now. Surprise. Bam. So that she didn't have a lot of time to think about it, right?

When she opened the door, she looked quite happy, if my eyes and my excitement weren't defeating me. "Hey!"

Okay, she was happy.

"Hi!" I smiled, stepping inside when she let me in. "These are for you." I handed her the packet of mints I bought. "They were supposed to be flowers but you know, who doesn't like mints." Maybe I just shouldn't have told her about the flowers.

She looked at me with a confused smile and let them on the counter. "Thank you. I actually thought they were a joke for the... thing the other day." This time I was the one looking at her confused. "You know? Since I wouldn't kiss you because I had just-"

"Oh my god!" I hit my forehead. "How couldn't I have thought of that? That would've been so much funnier."

"Maybe 'cause you're not thinking about that moment over and over again." She laughed awkwardly sitting down on the couch. I did the same, sitting a little closer that I knew I would've done before. I had decided on the car ride over here that I would be bold and honest with my feelings.

"Trust me, I am." I grabbed her hand. "I can't stop thinking about that moment. About our conversation. About what you must be thinking right now. I can't stop thinking about that rug Ace's parents had in that bathroom that was so fluffy and-"

Riley laughed staring at me, getting comfortable on the couch as she let me play with her fingers.

"What?" I chuckled.

"I'm just so glad I moved in here." She began slowly. Her eyes searching mine. "So glad I met you. So glad I decided to change my life."

I smiled widely. That must be a good sign, right?

"I'm glad I met you, too." I licked my lips and got all serious. "You did change my life. And I mean it."

"I know." She nodded.

"Riley, I came here to talk." I announced.

"I know." She repeated the nod.

I sighed and sat up straight. "Okay. I know I fucked up, I know maybe it is too soon, but I know for a fact I won't hurt you again-"

"You can't promise that."

"No, you're right." I nodded. "But I can make it my mission to make you happy for the time you let me be by your side. I just want you to know if that I ever hurt you, it won't be on purpose. Because I love you with all my heart and you know that. And if you don't know that by now, you're a little slow." I joked.

She laughed and rolled her eyes playfully.

"I remember the day I met you the first thing I said when I saw you was that you were gorgeous. 'Cause you are. You are one of those people who had that impact in others. You almost let me speechless and that's a hard task." I chuckled. The blush was beginning to show on her cheeks. She rested her head on her arm placed on the back of the couch and covered her face.

"Why won't you look at me?" I smiled knowingly.

"Because you make me shy."

I laughed and cupped her cheek with one of my hands, making her look at me. "We're so different, Riley. So different but yet, so similar. We're not like other people." I looked at her determined. She changed her expression and breathed slowly. "We fall in love fast; we fall in love hard. And that's what I like about us the most. We don't play greys. It's white or black for us, that's why I know what we have it's true." I swallowed and stared at her. "Riley, I'm sure about this. About us." I lowered my hand to hold hers with both of mine. "I'm like 90% sure of this."

"90%?" She frowned.

"Yes." I nodded. "Because the other 10% depends on you." She smiled when she saw where I was going. "How are we feeling about this 10%?" I asked her. "Is it firm? Do we have a compromise?" I smirked.

She nodded, trying to fight the big smile that wanted to cover her face. "Solid."

"Good." I smiled widely. "Because 100% sounds about right."

Riley stopped fighting the smile and laughed. We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, our laughter fading into the background. "I wanna kiss you." So straightforward, like the girl she sometimes was. Like the girl who first said 'I love you'. Like the girl who was willing to fight for us in the first place.

"Sure?" I raised an eyebrow. "Want a mint first?"

"Luca!" She hit my chest as she laughed.

"I'm sorry." I chuckled.

"I'm 100% sure." She smiled.

"Then do it."

And that was the kiss what sealed the deal. A good end to a good story.

Or was it the beginning?

THE END

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Started on August 2019. Finished on April 2020.

Hey guys! So that's the final chapter! I hope you liked the story! It's been a hard one for me since I don't really relate with the main character, so yeah. It's been a discovery. It just hit 40k and I couldn't be happier! Just wanted to say thank you to all the people who's been supporting my work.

Stay tuned because I will be starting to work on another story soon. Guess the main characters? I've just given a very big clue 😂

Also, just wanted to tell the story about how I had an accident yesterday in the shower and now I fucked up my knee. I feel like an old lady 😂

Again, thanks so much for reading! ❤️ love you all, stay safe!

Marta xx

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