Open Up My Eager Eyes

Chapter 26

“Kelly!” For the fourth time, I tried to catch her attention. The color in her face suddenly dispersed, as if she was dreading to hear that question her entire life.

“Hey, let’s talk outside for a minute, yeah?” Vic whispered next to me as he stood up and tightened his grip on my hand, dragging me outside with him. I glanced back to my stunned sister, she was still unmoving, frozen into her place, unsteady breaths exiting her slightly agape mouth as Hayley tried her best to coo her.

“Well?” I asked once we stopped at the deserted side of the diner, Vic pushing me against the brick wall with him standing a foot in front of me. Although I was hoping for him to pin me against the red wall, I had more problems weighing up my spiraling mind.

“Before you could come up with anything else, I just want you to know that, honestly, none of us really knows who Sam is cheating on you with.” He said as he laid a hand on my shoulder, somewhat sensing that I might once again freak out or breakdown. The simple gesture worked though. I calmed down instantly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, I asked Kelly the same question before but she never really gave me a solid answer. She would either purposely dodge the question or she would tell me that I would eventually find out.” He said with a sigh. “There came a point where it actually became a little bothersome, to be honest. I thought that maybe she was just lying and trying to ruin your relationship on purpose. I tried to ask Hayley if she knew but just like what I told you, Kelly never slipped a single name.” He explained truthfully. “Maybe you should just give her a little more time. She’d tell you eventually, I’m sure.”

Yeah, maybe my sister just didn’t trust them enough and did not see a need to tell them about this mystery person. Maybe I had to personally ask her once we go back to the apartment.
I seriously didn’t know what to do as my mind drifted off elsewhere, my hinds mindlessly playing with the hem of my shirt that I didn’t even noticed Vic stepping forward, leaving a tiny gap between us. He tilted my head up, both of his hands finding their places on both sides of my head. He stared at me for a moment before placing a warm kiss on my forehead. It was sweet and it lasted for a good couple of seconds. My cheeks heated up and I couldn’t help but to look back down to the concrete beneath us as he let go of me.

“I hate that habit of yours.” He spoke, making me look up at him.

“Hm?”

“Every time you’d get all nervous and shy, you would drop your gaze to the ground.” He said as he pouted at me like a little kid. I playfully punched his arm, letting out a giggle. “And then you try to hide your obviously blushing cheeks. Adorable.” He muttered, making my head spin and my guts contort with his simple words.

“Stop flirting with me.” I said as I tucked a few strands of hair behind my ear. I was acting like a girl, whatever. If you have Vic Fuentes standing in front of you, whispering every little complements that he could come up with, you would get why I acted in such manner.

“I would never stop.” He said and I swear, I could hear his smile growing wider through his own words. Damn it, I hate him so much right then and there. “I would be a total fool if I’d stop.”

“I hate you.” I muttered and subconsciously kicked the little rock resting near my shoe.

“The more you hate, the more you love, babe.” He said and he ever so lovingly kissed my forehead once again.

“Whatever. I’m exhausted.” I announced as a small yawn escaped my lips. “You want to go back to my apartment?” I asked him without even thinking through. I mentally slapped myself. What if he took it as something else? What if he thinks that.. Oh my god. I was so embarrassed and he looked too amused at my sudden panic. I swiftly grabbed his hand and pulled him with me anyways.

“Eager, are we?” He said with a chuckle.

“Fine. Stay there.” I said in a mock-hate kind of voice, acting all stubborn but a smile was still etched on my face as I detached my hand from his, walking a little faster away from him.

“Oh, come on, babe!” He shouted as he caught up with me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist from behind, making me yelp from the sudden attack.

“Ugh, let me go. I’m supposed to hate you.” I said as I laughed a little. We earned a few attentions from the bystanders near us but I didn’t care. I was too happy and was deeply enjoying Vic’s arms wrapped around me like that.

“But babe, you can’t hate me. That’s the thing.” He said as he pecked my cheek repeatedly as I fake-struggled to wiggle off from his grip. He did soon let go of me though and I crossed my arms in front of me, looking at him intently.

“You could stay here by yourself or you could go back to the apartment with me. Your choice.” I said, and impatiently waited for a response.

“I would love to go with you but your girlfriend’s still in there, right?” He said as-a-matter-of-factly and raised an eyebrow at me.

“Oh, sh.it. I forgot.” I said as I dropped my playful demeanor and tapped my chin with my finger.

“So..” His playful voice changed and he soon found his way, once again, a few inches in front of me with his arms snaking their way to my waist. “What are you going to do with, um, your-“

“Sam?” I cut him off, not wanting to hear that ‘girlfriend’ word again. “I – I haven’t thought about it yet, actually.. Not until now.” I warily spoke. I didn’t know where I stood in both Vic’s and Sam’s line of relationship, actually. I needed to sort my sh.it out as soon as possible. I couldn’t keep on being so naïve in front of Sam and maybe, just maybe, there had been a certain Mexican that had been occupying a greater space in my mind lately.

“Well, if you needed time to think, that’s alright, I guess.” He said as he detached himself from me. I looked at him in confusion, my eyebrows kitting together. “I mean, I wouldn’t pressure you or anything.”

“What?” I asked, and I swear, I couldn’t contain the smile that was tugging at both ends of my lips. I stared at Vic in pure awe, taking mental notes of his entire feature; his entire being. I liked the way that whenever he’s serious, his eyes held this pure and genuine emotions. That whenever I am trying to explain something, he would listen to me intently, his eyes travelling nowhere but to my eyes. The way his eye brows would meet at the center whenever he’s confused. The way his nose ring would show off this perfect glimmer for whenever the sun’s ray would voluntarily hit his perfect face. His scent, that all-too-familiar scent that I could easily compare to the 5 am air and my 6 am cup of coffee that even when I was extremely mad at him, I couldn’t help but to remember him as I took cautious sips from my mug. Remarkable. I didn’t need constant reminding about how much I adored Vic because I knew to myself that to me, he was cautiously and perfectly sculpted from the heavens.

He just smiled back at me, not daring to spill a single word from his perfectly sculpted lips. I knew that he wanted to say something; we both knew that he wanted to say something. Instead, for the third time that day, he planted his lips to my forehead and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment as he inhaled deeply still, his lips attached on my forehead.

The moment was shortly lived as he took a step backwards, separating himself away from me.

“So, uh, I should go back to the girls now, see if they’re doing fine.” He said as he jabbed his hands to his pockets. I nodded, looking down to my shoes. “Kellin?” He added, making me look up at him. “Nothing. I just wanted to have a clear view of your face before we part ways.” He said sweetly which just made me blush. Then again, was there ever anything that he said that haven’t made me blush? Hell, I could even blush even if we’re having an argument.

“I- I guess I have to sort something out now.” I said rather sadly because I had to leave Vic. I didn’t want to seem clingy but I knew that I had to settle everything between me and Sam. Vic just nodded at me, a small and weak smile appearing on his lips. “I’ll see you soon?” I added the last part, hopeful.

“That would be up to you.” He said as he gave me one last wave and walked past me leaving me there, watching him re-enter the diner. Whatever that simple sentence meant, I knew it meant something awfully meaningful and I’d have to uncover it myself.