Book 1: Valentina

Chapter 26

Marco pov

"Hey, Artura. Got a minute?" I jogged to her rushing off the float.

I noticed her staring at me during the parade and I wouldn't deny that I was staring at her when she looked away. It was like she was a completely different person but still the same person at the same time, like her hair was different and  she didn't wear her brown  contacts anymore like she'd grown more confidence than she'd had before she left.

She stopped and turned halfway facing me, giving Nate and Danny a gesture to go ahead. I approached her with every once of my body screaming for me to just kiss her, but I couldn't , there was a little space in my mind that was saying it wasn't right, reminding me that Naomi was out here  somewhere, and that Naomi was my girlfriend and not Artura. But I wanted Artura not Naomi.

"Hey, uh about what happened before the parade?" I said scratching my neck.

"Look, it's fine spur of the moment, I understand, I'll keep quiet about it. Really it's forgotten." she replied waing her hand as if she'd magically forget everything I said .

"What? No I meant what I said, Artura. I'm not folding on it." I said.

She didn't look like she was even going to try to buy it, but she never looked away from me and that's enough.

"Just give me a chance to explain, meet me at my mom's cabin later on tonight." I said.

She looked away and stuffed her hands in her jacket, looking at her feet, like she was going decline but I couldn't let her do that.

"At least consider it, I just really want to have a chance to tell you everything and to hear everything from you." I said.

"Alright, I'll  consider it. What time do you want to meet? You know if I do decide to come." She said.

"How about 8?" I asked.

"Alright." She said and she turned and walked to Nate and Danny, who were both now staring at me, watching her walk away smiling like a child.

I turned and walked across the parking lot to my car and I had to admit that I was happy, I was excited. Where was all the anger that I had just a month ago, towards her? Right now I didn't care, I just finally wanted to do something right with my feelings towards Artura.

As I approached my car I saw the yellow dress through the window and then her head came up, from the slouched position that she was using her phone, she looked at me and a smile spread across her face.

"Hey babe, big favor." She said approaching me.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and stood on her toes to kiss me but I turned my head and pretended to cough.

"I think I'm getting a cold or something." I said coughing again.

"Oh. Well, that sucks." She frowned.

"Yeah, hey listen I need to-"

"Can you take me home? My car wouldn't start so I had to get it towed to that repair shop a few blocks away." She interrupted.

"Sure."

The entire fifteen minutes ride to Naomi's home, there was no talking the radio played but she just hummed along to the tunes.

I parked in front of her house and just as she was about to grab her things to leave, I stopped her.

"We need to talk Naomi." I said.

She frowned a little and turned full body to me, giving me all of her attention.

"What's wrong baby?" She asked.