I Wish (Sergio Ramos)

I Wish (Sergio Ramos) #9

Annabelle tries to contain her laughter when she stares at Sergio with a big frown on his face. Currently the two were seated atop his bed sheets in his house. It's only a few hours after the game, sadly ending with a loss, and they decided on a sleep over. A much needed one. Sergio was being humiliated by his friend, having her laugh at him at his miserable goal earlier that day. "You kicked that thing into Mars!" Sergio sarcastically laughs, smacking the hand that reached for the bowl of popcorn between them. He wasn't in the mood for joking around anymore. He wanted to know everything about her illness now. It was peaking midnight and he still had to get up early the next day. Annabelle's laughter died down, setting the buttery snack aside on his table. She knew exactly what Sergio was waiting for and her hands began feeling clammy. How could she possibly explain something like this? He waited patiently as the minutes passed: five minutes, ten minutes. Annabelle just couldn't seem to just blurt it out. She was thankful Sergio was willing to give her as much time as she needed but she could tell he was ready to snap at her to spill. Every time she was close to speaking up, an image of her mother's face appeared in her head. Then she would silence herself not wanting anyone to grieve her possible death the way people had with her mother. Annabelle looks up into Sergio's pleading eyes. "I guess it's hereditary." She shrugs her shoulders, lowering her hands to her hands. "My mother had it, now I do." Sergio frowns, remembering just how hard it was for her family to cope with the loss of her mother. It was the day of her mother's anniversary had he found out the real cause of her death. Beforehand, he's always thought she had passed away in a tragic car accident, but cancer was worse. Knowing there was no possible way to save her, spending everyday with her until God knows when... it was slow torture. "I felt a lump-" She indicated her left breast ignoring the tears that began to well up. "- I didn't know if this was serious or not but I went to get checked up anyway." She scoffed at how pricy the mammogram alone was. She was about to make a comment on it, but chose to shut her mouth, not wanting Sergio to offer his cash to her. "Got positive. And I wanted to hide it until I found a way to get rid of it, but clearly not." Her voice cracked. "It's still pretty early for me so if I get chemotherapy I might be able to survive this, but it's so god damn expensive." She chokes out as she remembers the prices along for one. Her budget didn't pay for that. Insurance want enough, besides she used most- if not all- when she got her mammogram. She wouldn't forgive herself if she took anyone else's money. What she wanted most was another job to help pay for what she needed.

Sergio wraps his arms around her, knowing she was going to break any second now. There was a certain limit that people had, Annabelle's stretched pretty far but for her to be near crying in front of Sergio told him just how badly this was for her. "Let me help you." He whispers in her ear softly, earning a shake of the head. "I don't care what it takes please. Let me." He needed her permission, he couldn't do anything if she didn't say the word. It was a pact they made when they were younger. One they valued. The day they made it was the day Annabelle was being harassed by a guy one night while they were hanging out. Sergio knew she wasn't all for violence, but she couldn't stand the way that guy had been treating her. With her permission of course Sergio punched him in the face. Since that night, whenever they needed each other's help in a serious matter, they asked for permission. There were days when they said no to each other, like when Annabelle asked for permission to slap one of Sergio's angry ex girlfriends for treating him wrongly. It wasn't like Annabelle couldn't defend herself, he just didn't want her to get hurt so he said no. Point of the matter was, until she said yes to letting him help, he couldn't do anything about it. "Annabelle. You mean the world to me. If you were to die and I didn't do anything to even try to-" He shook that thought out of his best friend dying. "Just say the words." He begs her, neither was he going to stop until she said yes. He hoped she would cave in soon enough. Annabelle shakes her head again and Sergio pushes her back. She say confused as she stared at the now angry faced Sergio. "You aren't being fair to me Annabelle Miglionico. You can't fucking expect me to sit here and watch you die when I can help you!" His voice raises louder with each syllable leaving his mouth. She keeps her mouth shut, knowing she deserved this as much. She really wasn't being fair. Sergio had the money, he would be willing to pay for it, as he is always willing to help. But even so she couldn't take the money. She felt terrible about it. "Don't you get that I love you!" He emphasizes the second to last word. "And what, you want me to let you die off without even experiencing your life to its fullest potential?" A glare makes her cringe at him. "Before knowing what having your own child is like? Remember Annabelle you want that! You have big dreams for yourself Annabelle: wanting a career in dance," That hit her harder than it should have. No one else has known of that dream other than her father. Not even Fernando, her second most trusted friend, or Claudio, in her life. Dancing was something that she fancied a lot. Her mother had done it when she was younger, guess the dancing genes passed down. To this day Annabelle feels connected with her mother through dance that's why she's been practicing it when she could. Lately it hasn't been much time to get on her feet the way she wants. She wanted to teach it to younger children, much like her mother did. "wanting to find a husband, be married and have kids together with a dog on the side named Fexximar." Sergio was more than willing to be that husband. He calms down after a few deep breathes, knowing yelling at her wasn't going to help. "Before understanding how badly I love you, and giving me a chance?"

Annabelle didn't know what came over her. Maybe it was the heat of the moment. Maybe she's loved him all along. Maybe it only took those words to comprehend that there would be no better man out there than him. Whatever it was, she acted upon it. The second the last word came out of Sergio's mouth after his little lecture, she rose to her feet and pressed her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, crashing her lips against his. Sergio was surprised by the sudden action from his friend, the one who ran away from him when he declared his love for her. He didn't expect that she of all the people would be kissing him. But he wasn't complaining. It took a minute for him to finally register he was being kissed by the woman be loves before he encircled his arms around her waist. The kiss was warm, passionate yet delicate, not sloppy. As sappy as it sounded, Sergio felt tears brimming from his eyes. All he's wanted for this one kiss, it could change it all. She pulls back briefly to catch her ragged breath. Her eyes peek open to see Sergio's still closed and she smiled. It felt right to have kissed him, when her lips met his the first time she couldn't help but feel a small, satisfying shock. She's kissed other men before but none of it even felt close to the way Sergio had kissed her. As of he would die without her, as if they were never to see each other again, like he needed to be with her. Annabelle's never experienced such emotions in one kiss, but she just knew: Sergio was the one. That he's always has been and she's been so blinded by no seeing this. She leans up again for another kiss, this time more lightly. He presses his lips against hers lightly over and over again, sending her heart into a fit of palpitations. "Yes Sergio, yes." Annabelle pulls away, sliding her hands to his shoulders and pinching at the fabric of his shirt. Sergio stares into her eyes, looking for signs of falsehood. None. "Yes." She whispers one more time, hugging him around the waist, like he with her, and resting her head against his chest. To her amusement it was beating just as hard, possibly harder, than hers. He knew that's all she needed to say for not only Annabelle to finally be his, but to help save her life.