I Don't Like Your Boyfriend

I heard the arguing inside of the big mansion. I was outside waiting for the taxi I had called. Helena had been a total bitch. I don’t know why I had expected her to… understand. Maybe because I loved Sterling. I wanted it to work, really, I did, but she made it so difficult.

I shivered as the cold night breeze hit me.

The door behind me opened.

“Sterling, I mean it I’m going home alone!” I hissed and turned and saw Marvin. I blushed even though I felt like I didn’t have blood anymore.

He gave me a very warm smile.

“I’ll feel better if I take you home, Eddy,” he told me. “I called the taxi company. It’s not coming anymore.”

I heard the distant shouting of Sterling and his mother. I felt my eyes sting. I was the cause of that.

I nodded and followed Marvin. There was a car. A very nice car. He opened the car door for me and I got inside of the passenger seat.

Marvin got inside of the driver’s and started the car. The drive was quiet for a really long time. There wasn’t much to say.

“I’m sorry on behalf of my wife, Eddy. She doesn’t want to believe that her son can fall in love,” he said as he looked at me and then back at the road. “You do know he loves you, right? Standing up to his mother like this… well, I thought I’d never see it.”

I looked out the window.

“I love him too, but… what he did… I don’t know.”

“He was only protecting you from her. She’s not that bad, but she has… old beliefs.”

“She doesn’t even know, and yet she judges me? I’m sorry, but I do not have to put up with that. As much as I love Sterling, I love myself more. I will not put myself in an uncomfortable position all of the time I am with her.”

He didn’t say much after my little speech.

I didn’t want to go home and explain everything to my aunt. I decided I’d go to Antonio. I told Marvin to stop in front of Antonio’s house. He didn’t know exactly where I lived so that was good.

“Look,” he said as he turned to me, “Sterling loves you. I can see that and I know you love him, otherwise, you wouldn’t have agreed to meet us. Give Helena some time. Right now she’s in denial, but soon she is going to realize it is you whom makes our son happy. Just think about that.”

I got out of the car and stepped on the sidewalk. Marvin drove away and left me to wallow in my misery.

I stayed outside of Antonio’s house for a while. I just thought about Sterling.

Yes, I still loved him, but it would be so hard to just forgive him. I needed time. If he really loved me, then he would wait as long as he had to in order for me to see change in him. He did the first step and let me meet his REAL parents, even though he knew that his mother would disapprove. He was making change.

Change.

I didn’t want it.

Yet, everything was changing from my comfortable place.

“You’re going to freeze to death,” Antonio’s voice came.

I turned to my right and I felt something on my shoulders. It was a jacket. His jacket. I could smell his cologne.

“You look really pretty, what is up with the dress?” he asked.

I smiled at his compliment, but then I stopped.

“I just met Sterling’s parents…”

His brow furrowed. “And?”

“Well, we didn’t even get through the dinner.”

My phone started to ring. I knew it was Sterling. I closed my eyes and groaned. I took it out of the purse and pressed the red button and then turned off my phone.

“That bad, huh?” he teased and shoved my shoulder lightly.

I laughed. “Bad doesn’t begin to cover it.”

“Let’s go inside and make you some hot cocoa,” he place his arm around my shoulder and moved to his house.

“You or your mom?” I chuckled.

“Hey, I can make hot cocoa!”

“Right,” I extended the word.

He poked my side with his finger. “Look, missy, I’m going to show you.”

“No! You’ll burn down your home! Then where will you live?”

“Ha, ha,” he said sarcastically.

We got inside of his house. His family always welcomed me with open arms. Joseph quickly complimented on how I looked. He said if I was his girlfriend, he would never do what Sterling did. One, because I already knew his only parent and two because I was too hot to pass up.

I laughed good at that. He was so adorable.

Antonio left to make the hot cocoa while I spent some time with his brother, sister, and mom.

Jean asked where I got the dress.

“It was a gift,” I explained as I looked down at it. I no longer had Antonio’s jacket so she could see the whole thing. “It was from Sterling.”

“Wow… I take back on you and Antonio, Sterling sounds like he’s got money.”

Everyone laughed.

“I was just kidding,” she said quickly. “I still want you to be with my brother.”

“Hot cocoa is ready!” Antonio walked in with a tray of five mugs.

All of them had marshmallows and whipped cream. I picked up a mug and then a napkin appeared on my lap. Antonio had placed it there.

He gave me that smile that was only for me. “So your dress won’t get messed up.”

I smiled sweetly. “Thanks.”

Me and his family… were like a family. It was very nice not to be judged. His mother was the sweetest woman, aside from my aunt.

When we finished the hot cocoa, Jean placed in The Nightmare Before Christmas. I was next to Antonio and he had his arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his shoulder.

It was truly… romantic, in a way. Even with his family there.

When Sally’s song came on, Jean started to hum it. She had a nice voice. I hummed it with her.

“No I feel not. It’s never to become. For I am not… the one,” we said together.

“Hey,” a soft voice called me out.

I stirred and opened my eyes. Antonio was smiling at me.

“Did I fall asleep?” I asked with a groggy voice.

He nodded. “I almost didn’t wake you because you looked so beautiful, but… it’s late-ish and I wanted to know if you wanted to go home.”

I looked around. No one was in the living room but us.

“What time is it?”

“Eleven.”

“Hmm…”

“You don’t have to go,” he whispered and his face got closer. “You can stay here.”

“We have school tomorrow.”

His lips brushed mine and I literally gasped.

“We’ll figure something out. I like having you asleep in my arms.”

I almost said yes. Almost.

“I have to go home.”

I saw the twinkle leave his eyes.

“All right.”

I got up from the couch. He did too.

He took my hand and laced our fingers. I smiled. Our hands were perfect for each other. His thumb caressed my skin in little circles. It was very calming.

We walked outside and he walked me home.

My heels were very loud in the night.

He started to hum something. I didn’t really recognize it.

“What are you singing?” I asked.

He smirked. “Our song.”

“We have a song?” I raised a single eyebrow.

He turned the smirk into a grin. “Of course! I think about you all the time when I hear this song, and we even danced to it, remember?”

My brain tried to remember, but then he started to sing it.

“I feel like I've just seen the sun for the first time . You make my life bright cuz you shine. It's me and you baby, it's our time. I'm livin my dream girl cuz you mine.” He got our hands unlaced, and he used it to twirl me around as he continued to sing. “You got me skipping down the street. And singin love songs all outta key. I didn't smoke nothin, but i feel so high.” He turned me around so I was facing him. His arms around me which trapped me. “And i know why
It's a love thang, it's got to be. Your hearts all locked and i got the key. It feels like i just won the lottery. Cuz i got my girl and she got me. You my new obsession, all i want to do, you my new obsession girl.”

He stopped singing. His eyes went down to my lips and then to my eyes for reassurance. I should’ve said no, but I was caught up in the moment.

We kissed.

Boy, did we kiss.

It was like we were a couple and we hadn’t seen each other in so long. It was so full… emotion. It filled me. It made me… whole. Yeah… whole. I literally thought I could never kiss anyone else.

“Oh, wow,” a voice came.

We both stopped kissing so passionately.

We turned to the owner of the voice.

“Lora.”