Falling For You

Chapter 13: Past and Present

Mateo's POV

After sending Bianca home, I took the long way back, needing the extra time to release some tension. My thoughts wandered to what my father would say about the fight with Aaron when I got home. I arrived to the familiar sight of our house, the warm glow from the windows beckoning me inside.

As I entered, I found my mother and my sister, Arita, lounging in the living room, absorbed in a TV show. The laughter and chatter faded as I stepped in, and I tried to sneak up the stairs to avoid any questions.

“Mateo, come here!” my mother called out, her eyes still glued to the screen.

“Yes, ma?” I said, trying to keep my tone casual.

“Something happened at school today, didn’t it?” she continued, glancing my way as Arita’s attention turned towards me, her curiosity piqued.

I sighed, knowing I couldn't dodge this. “Yeah, it’s about Aaron,” I started, trying to gauge their reactions. “He’s Bianca’s ex-boyfriend. They were together for a while, but he dumped her for some popular girl at school. He was saying some things about Bianca that I didn’t like.”

Arita’s eyes widened at the mention of Bianca. “Who’s Bianca?” she asked, her tone teasing, but with genuine curiosity. “What did he say about her?” I waved her question off, feeling heat rise in my cheeks. “I’ll explain that part later,” I said quickly, shifting my focus back to Mom.

I continued recounting the story, explaining how Aaron had disrespected Bianca, and how I felt compelled to stand up for her. I could see the concern in my mother’s eyes as I described the confrontation.

“Mateo, I’m proud of you for protecting Bianca,” my mom said, her tone turning serious. “But you need to think about how you handle these situations in the future. You don’t want to end up in trouble.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. She then advised me to have a calm conversation with my father about the incident. With a heavy heart, I made my way up the stairs, feeling the tension build in my chest.

Halfway to my father's office, Arita called after me, “You owe me an explanation too!”

“Got it!” I shouted back, rolling my eyes.

Reaching my father’s office door, my heart pounded as I knocked. “Come in,” he called, his voice steady. I opened the door and stepped inside, my legs feeling heavier with each step. My father sat at his desk, surrounded by paperwork.

“Hey, Mateo. What’s up?” he greeted, his demeanor calm, which slightly eased my anxiety.

“Uh, I wanted to talk about what happened at school today,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I understand you want to protect your girlfriend,” he said, interrupting me. The word “girlfriend” made me cringe, but I quickly added, “But Aaron called Bianca a slut. I couldn’t control my anger after that. At first, I just talked back, telling him it was him who loved to gain attention, but then he threw a punch at me.”

After listening to my explanation, my father nodded thoughtfully. “It’s okay to stand up for what’s right, but I need you to promise me not to let things escalate to violence again,” he said firmly.

“I promise,” I replied, relieved. I thanked him and left his office, feeling a mix of satisfaction and lingering unease.

Next, I headed to Arita’s room, knocking lightly before entering. She was sprawled across her bed, a curious look on her face as she waited for my explanation.

“Alright, spill,” she demanded, leaning up on her elbows. I sighed, knowing I couldn't hide anything from her. She had a knack for getting information out of me, no matter how hard I tried to keep my secrets.

I began recounting everything, starting from the moment Bianca had kissed my cheek and announced to everyone at the cafeteria that I was her boyfriend—though it wasn’t true. I told her about our agreement to be in a fake relationship, explaining the rules we’d set, cringing at how ridiculous they sounded as I spoke.

As I described how I’d started to feel comfortable around Bianca, Arita's expression shifted. “Are you moving on from Inara?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.

I sighed deeply. “She hasn’t answered my texts or calls for almost a month now,” I admitted, feeling a pang of nostalgia at the mention of Inara. Thoughts of her drifted through my mind. We had been inseparable as kids, meeting at my mom’s office family day event at a resort when we were eight. Inara was different—her mother had passed away when she was only two, and her father, my mom’s colleague, became a significant part of my childhood.

Inara’s absence was haunting. I had feelings for her that ran deep, and we’d dated for a year before I moved here. I shook my head to dispel the memories and turned back to Arita. “Maybe I’ve moved on. I just… don’t know.”

I could see the concern in Arita’s eyes. “You’re still not over her, are you?”

“Let’s just say things got complicated,” I said evasively, wanting to escape the conversation about Inara.

After chatting with Arita, I made my way back to my room. I quickly took a shower and changed into comfortable clothes—a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt—before collapsing onto my bed.

Thoughts of Bianca lingered, her laughter, and the spark of connection we shared danced in my mind, creating a strange mix of excitement and confusion. I had never intended for things to evolve like this, but now, I was left wondering what the future might hold for us.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I realized that my past with Inara was still there, but so was this new chapter with Bianca beginning to unfold, and I was left navigating both at once.