A Love Lost

Ana

The next couple of weeks went by fast. Each day I became more and more adjusted to this new way of living. I spent more time with Nicole than I probably did at the house. Nicholas must have had some sixth sense because he became even more invested in my life as the days went on. To be completely honest, all of the boys, except for one, seemed interested in my life. They each took their turns to introduce me to people. Out of all of them, I preferred Francisco's friends the best. I found myself particularly drawn to one in particular. His name was Sebastian. He was tall, tan, brunette, brown eyes, and a genuinely nice guy.

We started to go places together. Places like the beach club, the cinemas, and restaurants. We hadn't officially come out, but we would have to soon. His family gave him a sailing trip for two to Menorca. He offered me to come with him. I accepted.

It had been a month and a half since I arrived, and a month since Sebastian and I started hanging out. His family and my family arranged a dinner at the beach club. We thought it best that we inform them of our relationship. Make it official. That way we could be more direct about things and we could go on vacation together.

That evening as I was getting ready, I heard a knock on the door. I turned around to see Gabriel and Nicholas, standing in the doorway. Gabriel was dressed in black dress pants and a white shirt, unbuttoned halfway, the outfit that he knew I used to like. Nicholas wore an almost peacock blue shirt with white dress pants. They looked good, but I no longer was into either of them. Or so I forced myself to believe.

"What do you boys want?" I asked, my voice was a bit harsh.

"We came to let you know that you will be driving with us to the club," Gabriel informed me. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, leaving a slight burning sensation in its wake.

"Okay. I'll be down in a couple of minutes."

"Nicholas. Why don't you pull the car around." Gabriel ordered, tossing his brother the keys.

Nicholas left, leaving just Gabriel and me with a suffocating tension in the air.

There was still something there. Something that, for my life to go right, had to be ignored. Gabriel came further into the room.

"Could you zip me up?" I asked him. I turned around and lifted my hair over my shoulder.

I felt the cold touch of the zipper as it moved up my spine. The dress became a second skin as he finished fastening it. When he finished, he moved my hair back to its former position and whispered in my ear.

"You look breathtaking, little sister." I heard footsteps recede after that.

What was he doing? He knew nothing could happen. Nothing would happen. I was happy with someone else.

Gabriel made me sit in the front seat with him on the way to the beach club. A thick cloud of tension hung in the car. Thankfully, Nicholas kept up a radio-like stream of conversation throughout the entire journey.

When we arrived, I saw Sebastian waiting at the top of the staircase that led to the entrance of the club. My parents and his had already gone inside. He was waiting for me.

As I exited the car, Gabriel came around to help me out. I lightly shoved him off. Sebastian came down the stairs and met me halfway.

"You boys go on in. I will be there in a minute."

"Hey, Sebastian. It's good to see you." Gabriel and Nicholas said in turn, patting him on the back as they went inside.

"You ready?" Sebastian came and took my arm.

"As ready as I will ever be." I smiled.

"You look absolutely beautiful. As always," he said before kissing my cheek.

We made our way inside. The club's restaurant was filled with people. In the far right corner, we saw our families seated around a long table, parallel to a row of sea-view windows. On the side facing the windows, there were two seats left. We sat down together. He was on my right and of course, Gabriel had to be on my left. It was going to be an awkward night. All I had to do was survive telling our parents. Easy right?

Throughout the entire meal, I felt Gabriel staring at me out of the corner of his eye. Sebastian and I kept one hand holding the other's under the table the entire time. Halfway through the meal, Antonio asked us how Sebastian and I knew each other. It was time. We looked at each other and squeezed each other's hands. I explained how we met. Then, it finally came time to come out.

"Mom. Antonio. Mr. and Mrs. Moreno. Sebastian and I, as of almost a month ago, are dating." I did it. I bit the bullet. As I said this, I heard Gabriel choke on his food.

"What?" Mrs. Moreno asked.

"Mom, it's okay." Sebastian tried to calm his mother down.

"Is it? She is an American! Not just any American either." Shit. Not another person who had seen the scandalous magazine covers I did when I was thirteen. Not another person who knew about what my father and manager did.

She turned to her husband and then to my mother. "She is Anastasia White. No way am I going to have you, my son, tied up with her."

Everyone looked at me then my mother then at me again.

I hadn't told Sebastian about this part of my life. I didn't plan on it now either.

"That part of my life is long gone. I'm a different person. I would never damage your family's reputation or drag your son into that filth." I explained to her before turning to her son. "I'm sorry, Sebastian. I hoped that you didn't know. It was better that you didn't. I am a completely different person now. I would never have started something with you if I was the same person I was when I was thirteen years old."

"I knew who you were. Everyone here does. I believe that you are not the same person." He meant it. I could tell.

He turned to face his mother, "Mother. If I am happy, that is all you should care about. After I get back from Menorca with Ana, the four of us will spend some time together so you can get to know her. Now." He put his mother in her place. While doing so, he revealed information that no one knew. We never told anyone that I was the one going with him on the sailing trip.

"You and Ana are going to Menorca?" My mother and Antonio asked together.

"Yes." I said. "Sebastian was given a sailing trip for two as a birthday present a couple of weeks ago. He asked me if I wanted to go with him and I said yes."

"Wow. That's big." my mother smiled. She wasn't mad. She was happy to see me happy.

"When do you leave?" Nicholas asked.

"Well. We leave in two days. We will be gone for two months, arriving just as school starts." It was a long time for a trip at the start of a relationship, but if we were long-term, this would test everything. It would give me the opportunity to tell Sebastian everything.

Just then, the server came with the bill. Antonio paid in cash. As everyone left, Sebastian and I kissed each other. Our first public display of affection. Then, we went off to our separate homes. I had to pack for eight weeks in less than forty-eight hours.