Valentina

7| Jealousy

I MAKE A TSK-ING SOUND, ASTONISHED at how drastically the apartment had changed in the few days that I had been gone. Pink flowers litter the table, the kitchen stacked with dirty plates, and colorful leggings splayed on the arm of the couches.

One thing is for sure, Jake's new girlfriend is no where as tidy as I am. The apartment smells stale, courtesy of the rotting pile of dishes in the sink. I look over at Jake, who is still standing in front of the door, and nudge my head toward our bedroom.

She looks over at Jake, mouthing, "is this her?" and Jake nods curtly in answer. Her mouth turns downward and she makes her way to the living room, increasing the volume of the TV.

He stomps behind me, following me into the bedroom we once shared. He shuts the door, eyeing me suspiciously as I turn to face him. "What do you want, Valentina?"

I pause, unsure how to answer him, deciding instead to ask him a question of mine. "Why did you leave me that day?"

His eyes flicker up to mine, shame enveloping his expression. "I apologize for that, I can't say anything to excuse the way I behaved."

I sighed, his undisputed apology well said. "Thank you–"

"But I wanted us to have a future together Valentina. I wanted kids, waking up to you every single morning, and you rejected my proposal." I can easily distinguish his hurt, and my heart broke.

"I just wasn't ready then, and I'm not ready now. Jake, we had never spoken about our plans for marriage. You sprung it on me unexpectedly, and I can't apologize for saying no," I finish, my heart beating at a million miles per second.

He opens his arms, offering a hug and I comply. My head fits right below his chin, his arms encasing my body and my heart ached again, longing for the happiness we once shared.

I pull away, a tear slipping down my face and I wipe it away stubbornly. "Well, I see you've got company, so I should make my way out."

A loud laugh bursts from Jake, "She's my cousin, Valentina. Cherry."

If I said that I wasn't relieved, I would be lying. I smile a little, "I know." A laugh follows and Jake crumples against the wall. I leave the apartment, saying goodbye to Cherry as she drinks a martini, shoveling popcorn into her mouth.

×××

"How was Jake?" The gravelly voice belonging to Roman reverberates through the house, a hint of annoyance playing in the undercurrent of his tone.

I walk to the kitchen, following his voice as he disappears into the pantry. I stand outside the door, "It went well. I entered, saw, and conquered."

A small laugh echoes out and Roman reappears, my first time seeing him today. My breath hitches, taking in his tousled black hair and sweatshirt with matching pants. His brown eyes bore into mine as he grazes over what I am wearing. My neck becomes hot, and heat rushes up to my face. I quickly look away, afraid to meet his gaze.

"So where are you going to be living?" He asks, walking to stand directly in front of me.

I look up at him, noticing his firm composure. He stands up tall, the only sign of discomfort are his fidgeting hands, rapping against the counter top. "I have no where to go," I say, "I hope you don't mind me staying here a bit longer."

Something in Roman's eyes change. A flicker of excitement? He stretches his arms out, "No problem. I just dropped Rene off at my parents' house. If you want, we can fix one of the guest rooms to your taste."