Crushed Underneath the Surface (Complete)

In The Dark

Chapter 2
In the Dark
July, Summer in Bozeman, Montana

Milo woke up on the sofa at the party house. His head was pounding, and he felt disoriented. As the events of the previous night slowly came back to him, the heaviness in his chest increased. He recalled confessing his love to Nia—drunk, vulnerable, and ultimately rejected. Regret filled his body. How could he have done it that way? He cursed himself for saying something so important under those conditions. Maybe Nia just hated the way he confessed his feeling to her.

Milo sighed, pushing his tired body off the sofa, and making his way home. When he stepped through the door, Marisela was already on the couch in cozy sweats, sipping iced coffee, and watching some classic summer romance movie. "You're back," she said, surprised by his sudden appearance. "How was the party?"

"It was fun... the usual." Milo's response was anything but convincing, his reluctance clear in his tone. Marisela put her coffee down and stood up. "I made sopa de huevo right after you left. Let me grab you some." She headed to the kitchen, returning shortly with a steaming bowl. "How did everything go?" she asked cautiously, eyeing him carefully as if she already knew. "Mari... I don't think I did things right." Milo's voice broke, pain etched into his expression. His sister handed him the bowl, then sat down next to him, rubbing his back gently. "Que pasó, conejito?" she asked softly. (What happened, bunny?)

Milo's face crumpled, and tears flowed down his cheeks. "I told her I loved her... We were both drunk, but she didn't even want to listen to me." His shoulders shook as the memory of Nia's rejection hit him hard. "Mari, I don't know what to do."

"I'm so sorry, conejito... it sucks, but I have faith everything will work itself out," Marisela whispered, pulling him into a tight hug, moving the soup aside. "Pase lo que pase," she said gently, wiping his tears with her hand. (Whatever happens happens)
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A few hours later, Milo stood behind the bar at work, trying to focus on cleaning glasses, though his mind kept drifting back to the awkward silence between him and Nia. Daniel, who was restocking bottles behind the counter, noticed Milo's distracted expression. "What's up, baby girl," Daniel teased with a grin, "you look like a lost puppy." Milo rolled his eyes, chuckling a little despite himself. "I kinda am one... actually." Daniel's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "What? Did Nia finally realize she's too cool to be friends with you?"

Milo sighed and set the glass down with more force than intended. "No... I told her I loved her last night." Daniel stared at him for a second, then burst into laughter. "No way! You picked last night at that party, to drop the big 'I love you' bomb?" Milo winced, his lips twitching into a half-smile realizing how stupid it sounded out loud. "Yeah, we were both drunk. Not my best moment." Daniel shook his head, still grinning. "Man, you've got the worst timing."

Milo leaned against the counter, crossing his arms as his expression softened into something more serious. "She didn't want to hear it and now she's avoiding me... she won't answer my calls or texts." Daniel's playful smirk faded as he looked at his best friend more sympathetically. "Damn, that's rough."

"Yeah," Milo replied, his voice quiet. "I just feel like I messed everything up."

Daniel reached over and nudged Milo's shoulder. "Nah, don't start crying on me now. You know how girls are—they need time to think things through. Besides, maybe she's not into you like that, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care about you." Milo gave him a skeptical look. "You think so?"

Daniel shrugged, flashing a reassuring smile. "She probably just needs a minute to figure out her own stuff. If you're real friends, she'll come around eventually. You're too annoying to ignore forever." Milo let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Thanks, cutie."

Daniel grinned and leaned in closer. "And hey if she doesn't? I'm always here for you, baby girl. You know I'm the one you should've confessed your love to, right? I'm prettier anyway." Milo snorted, pushing Daniel away with a smirk. "Keep dreaming. You're not my type."

Daniel winked at a group of nearby customers, who were watching their exchange with amusement. "Don't listen to him, ladies—he's just playing hard to get. He's usually more submissive when we're alone."

The customers chuckled, and the lighthearted banter made Milo feel a little better, lifting the weight that had been sitting on his chest all day. He focused on work, making drinks and joking with the patrons, trying to push his problems to the back of his mind.

Later that evening, Milo returned home. The smell of something delicious wafted through the air, and his stomach growled. Marisela was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner. She glanced up at him with a soft smile. "Perfect timing," she said, setting the plates on the table. "I made your favorite—enchiladas." Milo's face brightened as he took a seat. "You spoil me."

"I try," she teased, pouring them both some horchata before sitting down. "How was work? Did you feel any better after getting out of the house?" Milo shrugged as he started eating. "Yeah... a little. Daniel's an idiot, but he made me laugh." Marisela smiled warmly, glad to see her little brother in better spirits. "That's good. You need more distractions."

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the sound of forks scraping against plates the only noise. After dinner, Marisela grabbed the remote and plopped down on the couch. "Come on," she said, patting the seat next to her. "Let's watch something cheesy and mind-numbing." Milo rolled his eyes, but he couldn't resist her invitation. "What's it gonna be? Another Hallmark rom com?"

"You know it," Marisela grinned, scrolling through the options. "It's what you need right now."

They settled in, the glow from the TV flickering as the predictable but oddly comforting romance movie played. Marisela curled up under a blanket, sipping on her horchata, while Milo lay sprawled out on the couch, his head resting on the armrest. For the first time in days, he felt a sense of calm.

As the movie played, the two of them exchanged occasional comments—Marisela swooning at the romantic moments and Milo rolling his eyes, pretending not to enjoy it as much as he secretly did.

By the time the credits rolled, the weight of the day had started to creep back in, but it felt a little lighter now. He glanced over at Marisela, who had fallen asleep mid-movie, her chest rising and falling gently.

Milo smiled to himself, then quietly got up and headed to his room. As he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind wandered back to Nia. He wished he could fix things between them, but for now, he would have to wait. He closed his eyes, letting the peaceful quiet of the summer night wash over him.