I Don't Like Your Boyfriend

“Do you ever think what we’ll name our babies?” Sterling asked me out of nowhere during the middle of the movie.

I looked away from the screen and into his brown eyes and furrowed my eyebrows at him.

“Babies?” I asked.

“Yeah, I like the name Daniela, it’s simple but not uncommon,” he said.

“We’re seventeen and you’re thinking about babies? I’m barely thinking about tomorrow and how deep shit I am,” I said.

“Right, your aunt is going to be mad,” Sterling chuckled. “But was it worth it?” He whispered in my ear and I giggled.

“Every second,” I said.

“What time is it?” Sterling asked.

I took the remote and pressed the button that told the time.

“It’s five in the afternoon… and I should be at work,” I said as I got out of bed.

Sterling took my wrist and pulled me back to him and kissed me. I groaned.

“What?” he asked.

“Your kisses are lethal, makes my brain scramble,” I said.

“I can say the same thing,” he said.

When I got to the shop in the same clothes as yesterday my aunt was mad. She said she was disappointed in me and that she needed to talk to Sterling. I remained quiet as she spoke. When she was done and apologized that she raised her voice. I chuckled, she was always like that. When she was done she went out of the shop and left me and Antonio in charge.

Antonio walked to the front of the shop and he seemed pissed.

“Hey,” I greeted him cheerfully.

“Hey,” he mumbled.

“You okay?” I asked.

He nods, “Ecstatic,” he said.

“You’re mad at me?” I asked.

“Why would I be mad at you, Eddy? You have a boyfriend and normally I would stay away from girls who are taken, but there is something about you that doesn’t let me let go of you,” he shouted at me.

I didn’t know what to say so I remained silent.

“Do you think I enjoy being in love you with, Eddy when you’re in love with someone else?” he continued to shout.

“Love?” I asked.

“Yes, love, I’ve thought about it for days why is it that I like you so much and it’s because I love so many things about you! You’re funny, you’re smart and kind. You’re just… you and you are the most wonderful girl I’ve met,” he finished with a deep sigh.

He put me in awkward position. He was never this blunt about how he felt about me. I knew he liked me but not that he loved me.

“What do you want me to say, Antonio? I love Sterling and I can’t end a nine month relationship because of something I MIGHT feel as well,” I said.

Antonio looked into my eyes and his sparkled.

“So there is hope,” he said.

“Don’t twist my words,” I said.

“Twisting? You said ‘Something I MIGHT feel as well’”

He had me there, I did say that.

“I’ve told you before, you’re off limits because you are with Lora and even after you break up with her you’ll be off limits.”

“Not after I kiss you,” he said.

“There won’t be any kissing,” I assured.

Antonio smiled, “When you’re less guarded.”

When I got home my Uncle was there and we talked about sports for a little while until it was time for dinner. Havel wasn’t there because she went to Cruella’s place. My aunt reminded me that she needed to speak to Sterling and I told her I understood.

After dinner I went to my room and thought about Antonio. He was so sure Sterling and I were going to break up. I had no intentions of ending anything with Sterling. But I still had my doubts of Sterling which meant I had to confront him about it because otherwise it would eat me up.

The next morning I woke up early because my aunt and I had to go to the city again and go to the ballroom and meet Mrs. Bulrush for the first time. My aunt and I arrived at the hotel on time and Ms. T was on the phone once again.

My aunt and I went over the sketch that was done for us about the place. When we were over the whole place and how we wanted it, it was time to meet Mrs. Bulrush. She was tall. The same height as my aunt. She had brown hair and the dress she wore looked worth more than what me and my aunt had combined. You could just sense the authority in the way she presented herself. I didn’t need Ms. T telling me that that was Mrs. Bulrush.

“Mrs. Bulrush, the florists are here,” Ms. T said.

Her dark brown eyes came on my aunt and I. I licked my lips. I was wearing a simple dress again, well it was one of my favorites. I also brushed my hair down in case I had any baby hairs out or something.

Mrs. Bulrush gave us a smile that to me seemed fake but I returned it with a real one.

“Hello, how do you do?” she said in a very kept and polite tone.

“Very well, thank you,” My aunt said.

“I’m sorry about being away last week but I’m here now, why don’t I tell you what I want this place to look like?”

|Later|

“That woman thinks we have a hundred people employed or something,” I muttered as I opened the door to the car and got inside.

My aunt nods, “But she’s paying very well so we have to make it perfect, I’ve ordered more poppies because I knew she would’ve wanted more than we had.”

“When are they arriving?” I asked.

“Today, that’s why we’re going to shop, call Antonio to meet us there,” she said.

I took out my phone and dialed his number, his home phone number. It rang about four times before someone answered.

“Hello?” Jean’s voice said.

“Jean?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s Eddy, is Antonio there?”

“Uh, yeah, I think he’s taking a shower, though,” she said.

“Can you tell him that he has to go to the flowershop?”

“Is that a secret code for a secret place to meet to make out?” Jean giggled.

I chuckled, “Yeah, sure, please tell him.”

“No problemo, my friend, see ya,” Jean said and we hung up.

“He’s going to meet us there when his sister tells him,” I said.

“Would you mind calling Sterling and the others? We’re going to need all the human power to unload those pots,” my aunt said.

I dialed Sterling’s but it went straight to voicemail so I left a message. Lora couldn’t because she just go a manicure, but Luke was going to meet us there. Uncle Val was going to be there as well.

When we got to the store I saw Luke and my Uncle outside of the store. We got out of the car and I waved to my Uncle and he waved back. I went to Luke and he had a smile on his face as he looked at me up and down.

I twirled for him and popped my leg a bit and giggled.

“Like it?” I asked.

“Love it, you look… very you in it,” he said.

“Thanks, is Antonio here?”

Luke shook his head. The truck arrived with the flowers. I was the one coordinating because I was wearing a dress and my aunt was making sure there was what she ordered.

Half an hour later Antonio finally arrived, he apologized because his sister didn’t tell him until after he showered and he takes long showers. Antonio was the one who had to carry the pots where I told him to.

In an hour we were done and my aunt signed for the flowers. My Uncle left because he had to go back to work. Luke had to go finish the Government essay which he told me was due Monday. I told him to e-mail me the prompt he said he would after I begged for a little while.

Antonio and I were left to re-count the pots.

“I have a surprise for you,” Antonio said as I counted the pots.

“What?” I asked.

“You have to come over my place,” he said.

“Can’t, I’m going to therapy later,” I said absently.

“You can still come at night, it’s something from me and my mom,” he said. “When’s your birthday?”

“Uh, April 29th, why?”

“Damn, that’s too far away, I don’t think I could keep the present for that long and not give it to you,” he grinned as he walked next to me.

“You could just tell me,” I said.

“But then it wouldn’t be a surprise, genius,” he chuckled.

I chuckled too and then he made a move to kiss my lips but I moved my face to the side and he kissed my cheek. After that I stepped away from him.

“Damn, almost had you,” Antonio laughed.

I narrowed my eyes, “Jerk-face.”

He shrugged.

“Edalene,” Sterling’s voice said.