La Tienda (Joel Pimentel)

35

My opens flutter open and I groan as I take in the light around me.
"Joel?" I call.

He shifts in the bed next to me, "hmm?"
He throws his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him.

"What happened last night?" I ask.
"Nothing too embarrassing don't worry" he mutters.

"Are you sure?" I ask. He nods.
"O-Okay" I say.

"There's an Advil on the nightstand" he says. "Gracias mi amor" I reply.

I reach over and take the medication, hoping it'd work immediately. Of course it doesn't work like that though.

Ugh.

I stare at the ceiling until I eventually drift back to sleep.

—

"Mi amor wake up" Joel whispers in my ear. I shift in bed while slowly opening my eyes.

Joel is looking at me with a smile on his face. "What happened?" I ask.
"It's 1 o'clock in the afternoon" he says.

"Ay Dios mío we slept the day away" I whine. He chuckles, "no te preocupes we can still do something. It's not over yet."

"I suppose you're right" I reply. He hums, "want to go swimming?"

I immediately jump out of bed, "YES!"
Joel throws his head back in laughter.
I run to the bathroom and turn the shower on.

"No fair" Joel yells from the room.
"You snooze you lose" I yell back.

——
"Stop splashing me!" Joel exclaims. "I can't tell if you're upset or not" I say.

Joel shrugs, "I'm not upset.. just don't want chlorine in my eyes."
"My bad" I say.

He smiles, "it's alright babe."

"Joel?" a girl says, swimming over to us.
Wait..

"Lina?" he asks.
"It is you!" she says.

She throws her arms around him and hugs him.
"Anitta you're still here?" she asks.
"Uh yeah" I reply.

"Hey girl" she says, pulling me in for a hug too.
"...hi" I reply.

"What are you doing here?" Joel asks. "My boyfriend and I are on vacation, you guys?" she asks.

"We're on vacation too" Joel replies. "How cool! We end up in the same place after all these years.." she says.

"Yeah tan raro" I say. "So how's it going?" she asks.
"Fine" I reply.

"Married yet?" she asks. "Sadly no" Joel replies.
"But its a possibility?" she asks. "Un día" Joel says.

"Oh so you told her then?" Lina asks looking over at Joel.
"Told me what?" I ask.

"Nothing" Joel says through gritted teeth. "Told me what?" I repeat, becoming upset.

"That he was the one who sent me those pictures to leak of you and Zabdiel" she says.

My head begins spinning and I feel like I'm going to pass out.
"Y-you what?" I ask.

"Babe I'm sor-"
"No cállate I- I can't believe you weren't going to tell me this" I say.

"Whoops" Lina says, shrugging.

"How do you expect me to marry you one day if you can't even be honest with me?" I ask.
"I don-"

"I gave you so many chances Joel.. SO many" I say.
"I know I'm so sorry" he says.

"I am too. I-I.. here just take this I'm done" I say, slipping the promise ring off my finger. 
"Just like that?" he asks.

"I need a break okay? I don't know how to trust you Joel" I say.
"Please" he begs.

I huff and swim towards the steps to get out the pool.
"Don't follow me" I scream. Everyone looks at me before going back to doing what they're doing.

Still he does this. He continues to be like this.

I grab a towel and carefully run to the elevator.
When I reach our floor I knock on the door next to mine.

Erick opens it, "hola estás bien?"
"Zabdiel está aquí?" I ask.
He nods and points to his room.

I walk over to the room and open the door. Zabdiel is sitting on the bed listening to music.

"Linda qué pasó?" he asks when he notices my face.
"J-Joel" I say, beginning to cry.

"What did he do now?" Zabdiel asks.
"H-he gave Lina the pictures of us kissing so she could leak them" I say.

He balls his fist together, "es la verdad?"
I nod, "sí."

He sighs, grabs my hand and pulls me toward him. I fall onto his lap and cry into his chest.
He rubs my back and places a kiss on my forehead.

When I look up at him he wipes my tears.
"Zabdi?"
"Yes?"

"Bésame" I say.
"What about Joel?" he asks.
"I told him I need a break" I say.

"Are you sure you want me to do that?" he asks.
"Why wouldn't I?" I ask.
"Because if I kiss you I don't know if I'll be able to stop" he says.

I wrap my arms around his neck and place my lips on his.
He kisses me back roughly. I feel all the tensión slowly fade away.

He begins kissing down my neck and lifting his hands up to the straps of my bathing suit.
"Is this okay?" he asks.

I nod rapidly.
He slides the straps down my shoulders until it's off.

A/n: whoops

I'm upset ugh