Smile

• Chapter 8 •

Nuria POV

Once I have finished my meal, I go straight to my room. Mesut was still eating when I left. So I have a bit of time before he goes back to his room. I stay lying on my bed for several minutes, thinking about what I'm going to tell him when I hear voices coming from the hallway. The voices come close and I recognize Sergio's and Mesut's ones. Then, the voices become silent and I hear doors closing. I take a deep breath, get up and out of my room. I knock on Mesut's door, but nobody answers. Maybe he did not hear me. I wait a few seconds before knocking again. Still no answers. Or maybe he is in the bedroom of Sergio. I hope he is not. It will be hard enough to talk to him if he is alone, I don't want someone else to be here. I decide to knock a third time. And a moment later, the door opens. And I am again in front of a shirtless Mesut.

-Oh! Nuria? Uh ... Come in.

He closes the door behind me before asking :

- What do you want? If this is about what happened at the pool, again, I'm really sorry.
- Actually ... It's ... It 's me who would like to apologize. I shouldn't have left like that. I'm sorry. I don't know why I was upset. Sorry.
- You are not mad at me? he asks, surprised.
- No! No! I hasten to answer.

A smile appears on his face when I told him that. I can't help but smile myself. Suddenly I realize I'm staring at him.

- I ... I'm gonna let you, I said embarrassed.

But while I was getting the handle of the door, he blocks my way.

- Wait. Maybe you could stay a little. We could talk. We didn't talk much since you arrived.
- Uh... Okay.

So I turn around. He sits on his bed and invited me to do the same. So I sit next to him. Not knowing what to say, I expect him to speak first. But he said nothing. He only looked at me with a slight smile on his lips. It becomes annoying and I finally asked him blushing :

- What? Why are you looking at me like that?
-Oh! Uh ... Nothing.

He looks away, blushing too. Then finally, he said:

-Why are you sad?

I really didn't expect this kind of question.

- I am not sad.
- You look like you are. You almost never smile. At least not since we got here.
- Really? I didn't pay attention. But I can assure you I'm perfectly fine.

I smile to try to prove that I say the truth.

- So much better then.

I'm rather glad he did not insist. In fact, he is not the first person to say I m looking sad. My dad always thinks I'm sad when I'm not. I'm just someone who doesn't smile a lot. But that doesn't mean I'm not happy.

- And why don't you talk to anyone?