MEANT TO BE SOLELY MINE

CHAPTER 4 (Part 2)

Now, Esmeralda couldn't fathom what she had just heard. She had never seen Jessica as that kind of person. As far as she knew, Jessica had only been in two relationships. The first had ended because Van was a self-absorbed prick who only cared about himself; that relationship hadn't lasted long at all. The second was a budding romance with Josh, a sweet guy who treated her well.

In contrast, Esmeralda had been through countless relationships that fizzled out quickly. The men she met seemed more obsessed with her looks than anything meaningful, and those flings typically lasted just a day or two before ending. The longest she had ever had a relationship last was a week. It seemed she was perpetually unlucky in love.

"Please, don't think differently of me, Esmeralda. I had to do what I had to do back then. I needed money to send my mum to the hospital, and Mr. Gabriel was threatening to fire me at that time. I had no other option," Jessica said when she noticed her friend was lost in thought.

Yeah, right! Esmeralda thought, remembering that Jessica's mother had been diagnosed with kidney disease. For the past three months, she had been in and out of the hospital undergoing dialysis. Jessica was terrified that if she left her mother at home, something bad might happen, so her mother had practically moved into the hospital. Being best friends, Esmeralda often visited Jessica's mom, who had grown very fond of her since their first meeting.

Then a troubling thought crossed her mind. "Was he the one who took your...your..." Esmeralda struggled to complete her sentence, fearing her suspicions might be true.

"Of course not! It was that fool, Van," Jessica quickly clarified.

Esmeralda breathed a sigh of relief at this revelation. "But you could have asked me for help, and I could have-"

Jessica cut her off, "You didn't have a penny then! You had sent the little money you had to your family when I got the news, so I didn't want to bother you. I'm sorry I kept it a secret."

Esmeralda felt a wave of pity for her best friend. Instead of blaming her, all she wanted to do was give her a tight hug, and that's exactly what she did.

Once they had calmed down, Jessica asked, "So what is your next move now?"

"I have no choice but to go back to Mexico since there is nothing left for me here," Esmeralda said, standing up and heading toward the wardrobe.

"Mexico?" Jessica asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. The major problem is that I don't have money for a plane ticket, and I also don't have anywhere to sleep," Esmeralda sighed. "I had better start packing before Mr. Gabriel's lackeys return."

"I don't think going back to Mexico is the best option," Jessica said, trying to reason with her. She felt a wave of panic at the thought of losing her best friend. What is she going to do if she insist on going back home?

"Even if I find a job, Jess, I won't have enough to pay for rent, so going back home is my only option. I have already told my dad I'm coming back." Esmeralda paused, looking down as she added, "Plus, Mr. Gabriel won't take it lightly if he sets his sights on me again. It isn't safe here."

Jessica stared at her best friend, tears welling in her eyes as she struggled to find the right words. She walked over, wanting to say something comforting, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she just stood there, watching as Esmeralda began packing her clothes.

Esmeralda stopped and turned to face her. "I know what you are going to say, Jess. I'm going to miss you too." She pulled Jessica into a tight hug, and Jessica felt tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry; we will still communicate through the phone," Esmeralda said, trying to cheer up her best friend. She couldn't believe she wouldn't get to see Jessica after today.

Jessica nodded, breaking the hug. "I know the solution to both problems."

A smile spread across her face as she said, "You can stay in my boyfriend's apartment for now since he is away on a business trip. And once I get my salary today, I will add it up with the money I saved up and lend it to you for your plane ticket."

"But your relationship is still new. I wouldn't want to ruin it, and how can I take your salary? You need it for your mom's treatment. I can't, Jess," Esmeralda strongly refused.

"Don't worry about Josh; he will totally understand when I explain it to him. And as for the money, you can pay me back once you settle down in Mexico," Jessica insisted. "Besides, it's the least I can do since you're leaving."

Esmeralda felt a rush of gratitude for having such a good friend. "Thank you, Jess."

Jessica helped her pack her bags. Once they were done, she wrote down Josh's address and handed Esmeralda the keys to his apartment. Unfortunately, she couldn't go with her friend since her shift at the club was about to start. They agreed that Esmeralda would return the keys to Jessica at the club on her way to the airport.

After a final embrace, Jessica saw Esmeralda off to the bus stop before heading back to prepare for her night shift