Can I be your favorite?

Chapter 13: The Truth is Overrated

Anikas POV

Relief courses through my body after hearing Nikki's words. If this was a 'temper tantrum' like she claimed, then I was worrying over nothing. It would also mean the end of Ricardo; I'd bury him deep in shit then pull him out once he apologizes for his dumb nonsense that has me tossing and turning at night. If Nikki was right, our problems didn't lie with this secret but with me. Although this should make me feel awful, for some reason it makes me nervous and happy at the same time. Perhaps I would finally have a course of action, a little control. I could take measures to make amends.

"Wait! What does this mean? Do I go confront him immediately or wait for him to confess?" I ask, suddenly feeling frantic.

"I say let him sweat, he's an asshole for making you feel like this. Let him stew in his guilt and misery and when he finally pulls his head out of his ass you can be all like, 'yeah, so?' then walk away as explosions take place in the background" Veronica fantasizes, overdramatically.

"That does sound like what I would usually do... What do you think Nikki?" I ask her, hoping to get advice from our resident relationship expert. My actions so far have only been damaging to my relationship.

"I agree. While there are problems in your relationship the way Ricardo came at it was completely childish and plain wrong. So, as the 'empress' said, let him suffer"

Veronica and I look at her, slightly stunned. She looks at us sheepishly, feeling uneasy "what?"

I shake my head laughing, "nothing. Just wasn't expecting you to agree so quickly"

"I didn't expect her to agree at all. What happened to the nice and peace-loving Nikki I know?"

Nikki rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue. We laugh, just as the bill arrives. We each pay for our meal and stand up to leave.

Only when Veronica is standing up am I able to appreciate her entire ensemble that has men falling at her feet. Her usual short stature, in two-inch-tall gold heels brought her to the same height as me. She looked like an ethereal empress, an enchantress of the night. Like an evil queen. She owned the look. She looked like what she was inside: strong and confident. Compared to her, Nikki and I looked comically underdressed.

Ric's POV

Standing outside the stadium with my friends, I watch the crowd leave. The opposing team's fans pass by silently, dejected by their loss, while the home teams fanbase were taking their celebrations to the streets. I can't remember which teams' side I'm on, unable to feel any emotion. The only reason I'm here is because my friends dragged my ass out of my apartment.

"Fucker number four was on fire tonight!! What was his name again? He might just lead us to the championship this year" Alex, one of best friends, says, getting swept away by the energy in the lot. Asher laughs mockingly, "don't be delusional. Even if every team on the roster lost their best player, we wouldn't even make it to the playoffs"

"Ashers right. Let's just enjoy the wins while we can. But I got to admit, number four literally carried his team to victory. That guy was a powerhouse tonight! I wouldn't be surprised if he got drafted into the NFL soon. I think his name was Carson?" Simon, the football geek, asks me.

I deadpan, "you know I don't give a flying fuck about football or its players"

The assholes laugh, "hey at least you had fun, right?"

I shrug my shoulders, neither denying nor agreeing. They make loud noises, teasing me. The smile I try hard to hide brakes free, earning me playful punches. I did have fun but there is no way I would admit it to these hooligans. They'd torment me for the rest of my life. However, I must admit it felt good to leave my home and just turn off my emotions. Screaming words at strangers was cathartic.