I wake up and take a glance at my phone. Seeing that it's 7:00 AM, I should probably get up to get my ass ready for school. Not that I necessarily want to go, I just have to. Getting out of bed, I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and grab my stuff to take a shower.
Sitting two towels out, I place them on the counter and turn the water on. Making sure that the water is at a comfortable temperature, I step in and wash my hair with my shampoo and conditioner. Grabbing my loofah, I lather it up and wash my body. Once I've rinsed off, I step out of the shower and dry off with my towels.
Wrapping one around my body, I walk into my closet and pull out some black ripped jeans, pairing them with a tie dyed t-shirt. Sliding on a pair of tie dyed Vans, I head back into the bathroom to deal with my rat nest that I call my hair. I can't wake up and brush my hair - I always have to redo it every single morning. A pain in my ass!
Hearing my phone ping, I look at the message that went through.
💗 Fridays Guy: Good morning beautiful, I hope your day goes as amazing as you are. Stay safe! I have to work today, but maybe you can stop by?
I smile and text him back.
Me: Sure thing, I have school until around 3 PM, when do you get off?
💗 Fridays Guy: I don't get off until 4 PM, but maybe once you're here, we could go do something after work? I just have to shower.
Me: Alright, that works with me. I'll try to be there by 3:30 PM. Any plans for later? Wait. Tell me later.
💗 Fridays Guy: It's a surprise, wouldn't you like to know? Have fun at school, gorgeous. I'll see you after! Much love.
Me: Much love, don't work too hard!!!
Gaining some motivation, I grab my backpack and put my wallet inside before grabbing my phone. I walk out into the living room and mom's on the couch.
"Hey mom, can you drop me off at school? I'm going to see if the girls and I can go to TGI Fridays." Her eyebrows raise.
"Is it to see that handsome, tattooed young man?" I nod slowly. "Yup!"
She gets up and grabs her car keys along with her cup, I quickly fill mine and take it with me. Opening and heading out of the door, I lock it and she gets into the car before starting it. I slide into the passenger seat and unlock my phone as mom cranks up the cars.
Me: Hey bitches, can we go to TGI Fridays after school? You guys can bring Kai and Jaxon if it works out for them.
Asp: Oooh, that sounds so good. Let's go! I'll ask Jaxon now.
Rae: I'll have to ask Kai, but I'll join you ladies! And Jaxon of course if he comes too.
Mom pulls up to the stop light and I wait for a response from the girls.
"They're asking their guys, so I'm waiting to see if I can get a ride with them."
"Alright, do you need me to come pick you up from there? I have to work until 5 or so. But I can make arrangements."
Mom pulls up to the school and my phone vibrates, I take a look at the messages. "No, I should be good, I'll have someone drop me off."
Rae: Kai said he'll join, I'll just hitch a ride with him.
Asp: Jaxon agreed to come along. Do you need a ride? I'm riding with Jax now, so you can just hop in with us.
Me: Alright, that works with me.
"Alrighty mom, thanks for the ride. Don't work too hard, I love you!" I peck her cheek before opening the door.
"Have a great day sweetheart, I love you too! Be safe and have fun!!"
Shutting the door, I make my way up the stairs to head to my first class. Damn, why do I have to have Chemistry first. I hate it.
Sitting down right as the bell rings, I focus my attention on my teacher at the front of the class. He's talking about some shit to do with the periodic table, not that I give a shit. I'm just in this class because it's my last year and I put it off until senior year.
The bell rings, signaling the end of first period. Time for my second class of the day, which is my photography class. I love everything that deals with photography! Quickly walking to class, I plop down and pull out my laptop to edit a few pictures.
"Okay, today we're just going to do a little editing of pictures and prepare for your mid-exam. Just take your time and do what you need! Today can be a lazy day, it's a Monday. And I hate Mondays." Mrs. Hix says. She's an awesome ass teacher.
I pull up some of the pictures I have and click on our editing software, brightening the color of the sunflower petals to make them pop. Running my mouse down the stem of the sunflower, I brighten the green as well and add a little blur to the background, shifting the focus solely onto the beautiful flower. Feeling satisfied, I save it and move on to the next.
Before I know it, it's time for lunch. Second period flew by while third dragged on, so much that I fell asleep in the middle of the lecture. Not my fault Shakespeare isn't my top priority, I'm still passing the class, even if the dude gets on my nerves.
Walking to the front of the lunch room, I grab a slice of pizza, tater tots, and some frozen fruit dessert thing. Not the best combination, but also not the worst. As I walk by the condiment section, I stop to snatch a few packs of ketchup and walk to our usual table. Upon sitting down, I see Kai and Jaxon are both at our table with Aspen and Raelyn talking all animatedly to them.
Sitting down, I sit my bag on the floor beside me and start eating, casually sipping on my tea periodically as the girls continue on. Spacing out, I think about later and seeing Luca again. It's something about him.
Come to think of it, I still haven't heard anything from Alex. Whatever, I'm getting tired of his disappearing shit. He better be prepared to come next week. He knows homecoming is coming up.
"Hey V!" I look over at Aspen. "What?"
She looks at me. "Are you ready for later? I'll be going over to Jax's later so you will have to find another ride."
I roll my eyes. "Yes Aspen, I have it all figured out. Thanks but no thanks." Fucking priorities.
Jaxon looks over at me. "But if you need a ride, I can drop you off. It's no biggie."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine. I can find a ride."
Finishing my slice of pizza, I move on to my tater tots, popping one in my mouth and chewing. My phone vibrates, indicating a message came through.
💗 Fridays Guy: Hey beautiful, just texting to tell you I'll be glad to see you! I miss talking to you already. I hope your day is going well, see you in a couple of hours.
Smiling, I text back.
Me: Hey there, I'm excited to see you too, and I miss talking! It's going as well as it can I guess. See you in a couple hours, don't work too hard!
Starting to pick at the frozen fruit thing, I eat about half and get up to throw my trash away. Coming back to the table, I reach to grab my bag as the bell rings to signal lunch ending. I say bye to the girls and head to my last class of the day: history.
I absolutely love history. Everything about it, the past, the present, and what could happen in the future. I love the aspect of learning what my ancestors had to go through, about the wars that occurred, as well as just learning about the past to try and alter the past events from possibly recurring in the future.
Sitting down at my desk, I take out my notebook and jot down a few notes. Class starts and I listen in, glancing at the clock to see it's almost 2:00. I can't wait until I can see Luca.
The last school bell rings at 3:00 and I jump up excitedly, grabbing my bag and walking out to find Aspen. I see her leaning against Jaxon's car as he's over talking to Kai and the rest of the football team.
"How did your last class go, Asp?"
She looks at me with a bored expression. "It dragged, as per fucking usual. I don't know why I have to sit and learn about useless shit that won't help me in the future. I want to be a fashion designer, not a damn historian."
I chuckle. "I could see you as a historian with some glasses on." She lightly slaps my arm as Jaxon walks over.
"Are we ready ladies?" He unlocks his car and gets in the driver's seat, starting the car as we both get in. Pulling out of the parking lot, we make our way to Fridays. Texting Luca, I let him know I'm almost there.
After pulling into the parking lot, I walk in and let the hostess know that there will be 5 people, but we can sit at a table for 6 instead of a booth. Too many people to squish in one booth, plus I'm sure they'll want to sit together across from one another.
I sit down at a table and wait for the rest of the crew to get inside. They're probably doing God knows what. Luca walks over and a smile appears on his face instantly, I can feel my cheeks hurting from smiling up at him.
"Hi gorgeous, my name is Luca. What can I get you to drink?"
I ponder for a few moments. "I'll go with a coke this time, oh and can I get an order of your honey BBQ wings?"
"Traditional or boneless?"
"Hm... Boneless please, I don't want to get too messy." At this point, Raelyn, Aspen, Kai, and Jaxon walk over and sit. Aspen, Kai, and Jaxon sit on one side while Raelyn sits across from Kai at the end of the table, leaving a spot open next to me. Luca asks what they want and they place their orders.
"I'll be right out with your drinks." He sends a wink my way as he turns to go into the kitchen. Raelyn looks over at me with an eyebrow raised.
"What was that wink about?" I look at her.
"Oh nothing, don't worry. I know him."
Luca comes back with our drinks and sits them down in front of us respectfully.
"Guys, this is Luca. He's the guy I went with the other night. Luca, this is Aspen, Raelyn, and their boys Jaxon and Kai." He waves hello to all of them.
"Aha, so this is who that secret date was with!" Aspen smiles at me.
"She wouldn't call it a date, it was more so just.. A friendly dinner and movie." The girls look at him.
"A date." He just chuckles and walks away.
Glaring at me, Aspen just stares. "Why didn't you tell us about him? He's gorgeous and the way he looks at you is so cute and adoring."
"How does he look at me? I know he's a gorgeous guy. A sweetheart too." Luca comes and places our appetizers in front of us, lingering and watching me. I smile.
"Want some? I have enough to share." He sits down next to me and I look over at him.
"I just wanted to sit down for a moment. I'm enjoying the view." I glance behind me.
"What view?" He's quiet so I turn back and see he's looking directly at me, causing my cheeks to warm.
I lightly push on his arm. "Oh stopp, it isn't all that great."
His eyebrows furrowed together. "The view is absolutely beautiful, stop saying that."
Looking at my plate, I cut up my wings and picked up a piece, offering it to him. He takes the piece and chews. Taking a sip of my drink, I eat a few pieces and watch Luca stand up.
"I'll be right back with your entrees, and I'll be back for more of those wings too."
In 5 minutes, he strolls over to the table and places the entrees in their respective location. He asks if we need anything, to which we all shake our heads. He sits down and grabs one of my fries. Dipping it in my ketchup, he pops it into his mouth.
"Was it good?" I chuckle.
He nods. "Hell yeah it is."
Looking at my phone, I see it's nearing 5 PM. "Hey Luca, you're off now, right?"
"Yeah, whenever you guys are done haha."
I place my card on the table. "Here, this will cover my stuff. Also, may I get a ride home?" The others place their cards on the table as Luca pulls the checks out of his apron pocket.
He nods. "Of course I'll give you a ride home, wouldn't want you going alone."
Grabbing everyone's cards, he walks over to the register and rings them up. I look at Aspen and Raelyn.
"So, what do you guys think?"
"I think you've got yourself a man." Aspen says.
"I agree." Raelyn agrees.
I smile at them. Luca comes back over and places my check and card in front of me, sitting everyone else's at their respective spots. I tip him $10 because he's an amazing waiter and I know he needs the tips. Sliding my card back into my wallet, I stand up.
"Is there anything you guys need? V, I'll be right out. I just have to go clock out." We all say no as he runs back to clock out.
"Okay V, we're going to head off. I'll text you in the morning!" Aspen walks off, holding onto Jaxon's hand.
"Vera, thanks for inviting Kai and I. I look forward to chilling with your crew now." Jaxon waves bye.
I look over at Raelyn as she looks up at Kai and he has a smile on his face. "I think we're going to go too. Are you safe getting a ride home?" She asks.
I nod. "Yeah, I'm going to just hang out with Luca. He agreed to take me home."
They walk out the door and off to their journey, wherever that may be. Luca walks back over and grins, opening the door for me and unlocking his car. Moving to open the door for me, I thank him and slide in.
I decide to take a glance at my phone as I wait for him to get into the car. Feeling it vibrate, I open it and see a random number has sent a picture with a text. Looking at the picture, Alex is with some random girl and I can see they were grinding on one another as they kissed. The text said..
Look at him now, he doesn't want you. He's mine.
I sit back and think for a moment, texting back.
Okay bitch, you can have him.
I notice eyes on me and see Luca sitting in the driver's seat, looking at me worriedly. I open Alex's messages.
Me: We're done. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't even fucking talk to me. I knew you were a fucking liar and cheater. I'm blocking you, bye bitch.
I block him and remove any contact information as a lone tear falls from my eye. Luca's quick to reach over and wipe it away. "What's wrong V?"
"Oh just my so-called long distance relationship just ended. He's cheating. I knew it, I could sense it. I was just waiting to find actual proof or evidence of it. But it's okay, I wanted to end it because I'm tired of it and I'm starting to realize that maybe there is someone, or something, here close to home." He reaches over and strokes my cheek.
"You deserve better. He doesn't deserve you. Do you want me to take you home?" I look into his eyes and lightly shake my head no.
"Will it be a bother if I stay over? I don't want to intrude on you, but I really don't want to go home."
"Of course you can stay, I don't mind. I can sleep on the couch and you can have my bed, no problem."
I sent a text to my mom, informing her I'll be staying with Luca and promise to give her details tomorrow. She texts back okay and to be safe.
"I can stay, mom doesn't mind. I don't have my bag though, so I don't want to use all of your stuff."
Pulling out of the parking lot, we made our way to his place. He has his one hand on the gear shift as he drives with his left hand, tapping it to the beat of the music playing. I look at him and notice how care-free and at peace he looks. He's a beautiful human being.
Glancing at me, he turns onto a road and we pull up in front of an apartment building. He parks in his parking space and turns the car off, turning and looking at me.
"V, I'm not expecting anything from you. I want you to know that. So don't think you have to give me anything in return, I know you're probably hurting. You're just pretending you're fine so no one asks questions."
I smile at him gratefully. "Thank you for everything, I mean it." He returns the smile and opens his door, walking over and holding mine open for me. I step out and follow him up to the door after he locks his car. He slides a key in and holds the door open, walking inside the building and pushing the elevator button. Following him, we wait for the elevator to come down.
The door dings and opens, we step in and he presses the level 4 button. The elevator creaks to life and takes us to the fourth floor. It slows to a stop and opens, Luca steps off and I follow behind him as he walks to the door at the end of the hall.
"You ready?" He unlocks his apartment door and holds it open, allowing me to walk in as I pause and gaze at the artwork that's all over his walls. His apartment looks like it came out of a magazine of some sort, it's beautiful. There is color everywhere and you can tell a guy lives here because it smells like his cologne. Absolutely delicious.
"Wow. This looks amazing." He has his hands in his pockets and gives me a tour, showing me the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms.
"I have two bedrooms, but if you want, you can sleep in mine and I can take the couch. The one room is a storage room and my area for now. Sorry about that."
"You don't have to sleep on the couch, just sleep beside me." I walk in and lay my wallet on his dresser. He walks in and gets stuff together for a shower.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to take a shower. I'll be right out." He walks into his bathroom and shuts the door. I hear the sound of the water turn on and I can hear him humming a song.
Taking my shoes off, I sit on his bed and look at the pictures in his room. He looks so happy and I can see some of the trophies he won by doing something - maybe football. Smiling, I lay down and close my eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet as the water sound fills the room. I must have dozed off because I was startled awake by the sound of the door opening.
He walks out with a towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his hair, I can feel some drool running down my lip. His tattoos decorate his skin, covering every inch of skin showing from the waist up. I watch some water droplets trickle down his skin and towards his V pointing right down to his- Wiping any drool off quickly, I sit up and slide by him.
"Hey Luca, may I borrow some of your clothes for the night?" He pulls on some pajama pants and stays shirtless. He nods and grabs one of his large t-shirts and a pair of his underwear that hugs his-
"I wasn't all that prepared for someone to stay over. We'll have to get you some stuff so you can leave it here and have it."
I smile at him and shut the bathroom door, sitting the clothes he gave me on the counter and stripping down. Turning the water on, I grab two towels and a washcloth. Stepping into his shower, I use some of his shampoo that smells oh-so-good and wash my hair, reaching to grab my rag and lather it with his soap. Washing every inch of my body, I think back on the events of today and some tears fall. I rinse the soap off and step out, drying myself off with his towels and using his brush to brush my curly hair.
Sticking it up into a bun, I slide his t-shirt over my head and pull on his underwear, letting his shirt cover my body and stopping mid thigh. Opening the bathroom door, I see he's made himself comfortable on the bed. I make my way over and sit my dirty clothes on top of my shoes. Sitting on the bed, I watch him flick through movies on his TV and he pats the empty space on his bed beside him.
I lay down and watch as he clicks on a movie, not sure the title. We get comfortable and I lay my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around me and I snuggle into his side, feeling him place a kiss on my forehead as my eyes close. His thumb rubs circles on my back as I start to doze off.
"Goodnight beautiful, you're safe."
Goodnight handsome, I know.
YOU ARE READING
Built For Failure
Romance"Don't spend all of your time trying to find yourself. Spend your time creating yourself into a person that you'll be proud of." -- Beautiful. Loving. Caring. That's what others see, that's how they describe her. They believe she's got everything fi...
