𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 • Miguel Cazarez Mora

XIV: OPEN UP

Miguel and Tatum pulled away from each other as fast as they could, looking up to see Brady in the doorway. Tatum was fully expecting to see Tristan or Mason, but no, it was Brady.

"I was gonna ask what the yelling was, but it seems like it already been resolved," Brady said. "Guess I should have trusted Tristan and Mason."

"Don't say anything, please," Tatum said.

"Wasn't planning on it. Tristan would probably give Miguel some sort of dad-style lecture. Just be prepared for that when you tell him. I'll tell them you were practising your lines," Brady said as he walked out the door.

Tatum laughed, "He's not wrong."

"Not wrong about what? Us practicing your lines?" Miguel asked, stepping close to Tatum again.

"No, about Tristan. He likes you, obviously, but he's still gonna give you the whole 'don't hurt my best friend, grrr' thing."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Miguel whispered, leaning in and kissing Tatum again. She felt butterflies in my stomach, and heat rising in her cheeks as she kissed back. It felt better when they had no interruptions, and when they hadn't just been fighting.

They pulled apart. "What does this make us?" Miguel asked.

"Enemies to lovers?" Tatum replied. They laughed, flopping onto the bed. "You know, I've never been in love before."

Miguel seemed shocked, scared almost. "Would you say you're in love now?"

"Maybe not quite yet, but I think I will be soon if you don't fuck me over."

"Yeah, me too. Just so you know, I'd never fuck you over. I really like you, Tay. I think I have for a while, I just didn't realise it until we became friends. You were so nice to me, and I hated seeing you with other guys."

"Well, the jealousy better die down now. You know I'm yours," Tatum said, rolling over to cuddle into Miguel.

"You know, you've never really opened up to me," Miguel said.

"Do you want me to?" Tatum asked.

"I mean, you're my girlfriend now, right?"

"Yeah, girlfriend."

"So, open up," Miguel thought for a second, then backtracked, "Or don't, it's up to you. But I'd like it."

"Don't worry about it, I want to. I guess I've always been pretty closed off. I don't know why. I think I'm afraid of getting hurt again."

"Again?"

"My dad. He wasn't exactly a nice guy. I wouldn't say he was abusive or anything, just kind of, absent. He never really acted like a dad. He sometimes gave me and my mom money to go out, but when we came back he'd be gone. We never actually found out why, but my mum thinks he had a mistress, which was probably right."

"Then what changed?"

"He died."

"Holy shit, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. No one else knows about him except Tristan, and I didn't really give him the details. It was a typical boating accident. Me and him were finally building some sort of bond together. There was this little lake by my old house, with fish, and we have a motor boat. The motor was on and my dad fell in, I think you can figure out the rest. That's why I'm so scared of blood. Seeing it earlier, all mixed in with the water, it's the worst I've been. It's so terrifying to me."

Tatum was crying. Miguel didn't say anything. In that situation, there's nothing you can say to someone, especially someone so young, to make them feel better. Instead, he pulled her into him, closer than they already were (if that was even possible) and kissed her on the forehead until she fell asleep.

She looked angelic. So peaceful. As if her mind had been cleared of any negative thoughts. He wiped the tears from her face, that has almost dried up. He couldn't believe that this was his girlfriend. So beautiful, and so kind despite everything that had happened to her. Miguel eventually drifted off to sleep with her, a smile on his face.

Since he realised he liked Tatum, he'd been stressed out. He only realised a few days before she went to the airport to film. Two months away from someone after realising you like them isn't great. He thought that it would maybe help him get over it, but being apart only made it worse. He was glad Tatum liked him back. He finally felt peaceful for once. No stress of her rejecting him, no worry that a new boy is gonna come into the picture. He could sleep at night without worrying what she'd think of him if she knew. Because now, she did know.

Tatum Kennedy and Miguel Cazarez Mora we're boyfriend and girlfriend. Everyone had seen it coming apart from them. And they finally felt loved.

author speaks
ik this is a short chapter but i wanted it to focus on miguel and tatum's relationship and also a bit of tatum's backstory.