Pimentel Princess #wattys2018

Chapter 3 | Meeting Tobias

It's been a few years since Christopher died. 5 to be exact. Yet, everyday people ask about him, or "say sorry for your loss" and it just all comes flooding back.

You can never run away from the truth. No amount of therapy sessions change the truth. But I've learn to accept, he's not coming back.

My room had become my comfort zone. It's covered in my mess, but I can't find the energy to clean it. I always trip over clothes, cursing but doesn't motivate me to clean it up. It's got at least 14 mugs rotting away on my bedside oak table, 14 pairs of jeans, some washed some not. Can't tell the difference anymore. Everyday is a chore.

Nevertheless, I get up, shower and squeeze into white jeans and a blue hood.
The words "daydreamer" across it in calligraphic writing. I tie my hair in a high pony and push my feet into my superstars and run downstairs. Grabbing my jean jacket and a tub of Pringles.

It's time to get some fresh air. Hopefully I get round to tidying my room, even if I tell myself that everyday.

The summer breeze hitting my face, I smile at the sun as it does at me. Finally, things are going to change.

My phone has a mini seizure in my hand as they're tucked away in my pockets. I whip out my phone and swipe to answer before even seeing who the caller is.

"Heya gorgeous." The familiar sound of my best friend, Sinead, travels down the phone making my lips turn into a smile.

"Hey girl" I say, through a genuine smile. The first in ages actually.
"Wow, you sound happy today. I thought seen as I'm in town... we could meet up?" She says unsure to my reaction.

"Sounds good. Where exactly?" I ask "Do you even need to ask?" She chuckles.

"Okay see ya there in about 10 mins." I say before hanging up.

I made my way to Millie's Cookies and  plonk myself down on a tall, cookie shaped stool. My hand playing with some cash in my pockets as I wait for Sinead.

Sinead makes her way in laughing with a man on her side. The man has long eye lashes, small almond shaped eyes and plump lips. He's handsome, but not in a model way like movies. He's handsome in a more realistic way. He's tanned and his wavy hair flows over a grey bandana.

"Hey gorgeous, this is my cousin Tobias. He begged to come, so I let him. Tobes, this is Laila. My bestfriend." She points at me with a proud grin.

"And play nice" she said whilst scowling at him slapping him on the arm as he holds his hands up surrendering.

"I'm Tobes but you can call me, bae." He winks at me. "What did you say?" My eyes widening as I shout, causing everyone to stare including a 5 year old who's celebrating her party with 4 other children.

He hold his hand out for me to shake and I shake my hand free from all the things it clenched in my pockets.

Could I get anymore awkward?! He sends me a warm smile which comforts me. "You two converse. I'm going to order." She walks off wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"So uh, what movies do you like?" He says captivating me inside his chocolate colour eyes, slowly blinking. His eyelashes are long and every time he blinks it's like a Venus Flytrap but catching women.

"Um, big hero 6?" Sounding like a question more than an answer, hoping he doesn't judge me.

His eyes widen and his lips twitch excitedly.
"Yessss!" He leans in, his minty breath leaving his mouth. "Don't tell Sinead or she'll bully me but I cried at the part when Tadashi died. Then again when Baymax died." He says chuckling, revealing his white teeth.

He seems like a nice guy and all but isn't he a bit close? I shuffle back slightly, praying he doesn't notice.

"So you don't watch big girl movies, like The Notebook? Coz Ryan Gosling is hot." He says, sounding like a fangirl and I bursted out laughing.

"Did you just-" But I'm interrupted, "Having fun?" Sinead questions smirking, looking back and forth between us.

"Yeah. He just said something stupid." I winked at him. And he blushed. No no not like that... as in his secrets safe with me. Well, I hope he got that idea and that he's blushing out of embarrassment.

"So are you going to share...?"
"De nada." He says, before I could say anything.
"Tu parle espagñol Mais tu parle français?"
"Oui je parle français"
"So how does that work? Spanish and french?" I ask curiously.

"I'm Spanish, but I learnt french in school too. So yeah." I look at Sinead my eyes decreasing into tiny slits, as I poke them at her. Her head down as if she's guilty.
"Wow. That's actually a co-incidence... because same." I turn back to him, confidently.

I was pretty angry at this point. It was such a co-incidence that he spoke french and Spanish same as me. Such a co-incidence that he came out when she wanted to meet me. Looks more like a set-up.

No wonder she didn't want to stay whilst we talked. She set up this date!

"I'm sorry. Tobes, It was nice meeting you but I gotta go feed my dog."

"You don't have a-" Sinead says but I slam the door behind me on my way out. I run as fast as I could, to my apartment and kick off my shoes.