Pimentel Princess #wattys2018

Chapter 52 : Cole Sprouse

I sit in the bench swing, staring at the beautiful night sky. I know, I sound like a hopeless romantic from one off those over-cheesy movies but honestly, there's something so soothing about looking at the tiny dots, like diamonds on a midnight blue canvas. The cool wind gushes against my cheeks, calming any anger in me.

I hear heavy breathing and I know I am not alone.

"Little Yoyo," I whisper. The corner of his lips twitch into a smile. "You haven't called me that in a while, you keep calling me Yoan,"
To be fair, I hadn't noticed.

"What you doing here?" Little Yoyo asks, gazing at the stars. "Just clearing my mind," I respond. My eyes trail down till I notice a book between his hands.

"You read?" I nod pointing at the book. He buries the book under his legs, making me chuckle. "No," he says defensively. He scrunches his face as if I had suggested that the moon was really made of cheese.

"What you thinking about?" His eyes, gazing into mine. "N- nothing?" I hesitate. Damn! Now I sound suspicious.

"Yup, sounds like nothing," he smiles. Maybe he could be Richard's biological child because his pearly whites were the only thing I could see. Maybe we should get him to take a DNA test. Joking, joking.

That was kinda annoying, because I kinda, maybe, might have un poco fetish for good teeth. Ah! Stop judging me.

Okay, now Yoan has noticed I'm a crazy fucker, having a conversation in my head, because his eyebrow is raised. "What?" I ask, shrugging as if he was imaging things.

"Can I ask you something?" I suddenly ask. His upper body steers facing me.
"What if I turn out to be, like my mother. My actual biological mother?" He starts to laugh hysterically as if I had told the funniest joke in the world. The whole house is probably awake now!

"You can't catch the psycho genes. Yes, you're crazy, and funny. And annoying, and passive aggressive, but that doesn't make you a psycho. I bet summer was a normal person first, just like us. No ones born a psycho, it's society that drives people to do stupid things, like murder." He suddenly says.

He smiles, no doubt he's had a crazy idea.
"Okay well I'm going to go inside," he leans in contemplating something in his head, then pecks my cheek before walking inside.

After 5 mins I hear the door open again.

Yoan comes out with his beanie hat and scarf, with a coy smile, his hands shoved in the pockets of his black jeans. "Put it on," he motions to the jumper he handed me.

I open it out and wriggle myself into it. My body thanked me for the feeling of the soft cotton inside. The sleeves were long and flopped by my sides.

"See, she was right," he says looking me up and down. "She was right about you, too," I say. We just stare at each other for a brief moment.

I decide to break the silence. "I'm going to see her tommorow," I say. He nods at me, "me too,"

We talked about Hafsa until we were overtaken by slumber.

_________________________

"Oi, damn you guys slept together," Aaliyah shouts startling me.

My head shoots up and I notice a sleepy Yoan on my shoulder. He yawns stretching almost punching my face. "Wouldn't be the first time," he smirks earning a punch to his shoulder.

Uncle Richard's jaw hits the floor. "Damn papi," he says shaking his head. "No we didn't, he's just getting happy," I say defensively.

Instead of apologising he just laughs. They think we did the deed for fuck sakes!

We go inside, eating the eggs and toast Uncle Yoan made. I sigh so loudly. I couldn't really digest the food so half of it remained on my plate. It didn't feel right, breakfast without Hafsa.

I stare at the empty seat, where she sat everyday. From now it will be empty, and the thought of that didn't sit well with me.

I run up the stairs and wriggle into the burgundy jumper Hafsa brought me. I get into Yoan's room and he's staring in the mirror in wearing black winter jacket smiling at something on his phone.

"Ready?" He asks. Putting his phone in his pocket. "Yes," I reply walking closer to him. "But you're not," he looks at me with a blank expression, so I put his hat in for him, wrapping his scarf around his neck. "Better," I smile. He resembles, Jughead from Riverdale, who is played by - wow. Cole sprouse.

I start to laugh. "What?" He asks, looking in the mirror. "It's not you, it's Hafsa. She um. She made you wear that hat to make you look more like Cole Sprouse. She's always thought I had a crush on him, and she wanted us to date. So she thought she'd dress you up like him, so I can like you," he starts to laugh.

"It's like she never went," he says suddenly which just kills the whole atmosphere. The feeling of sadness gradually creeps it's way into the atmosphere.

We leave the house 20 mins after. The car rides were awkward and boring; I guess it was going to be like that for some while.

"You and Yoan can go see Hafsa, me and Laila are going to meet her parents," papa says softly. He was probably trying to delay seeing Hafsa. I know he was just as weak as us but tried not to show it.

I sit crossed-legged infront of Hafsa's tombstone, not caring about the mud soaking my trousers. "Hey gorgeous," I whisper as if she was there infront of me. My tears run down my face, "I Uh," I start of. I couldn't talk. I don't know how I was going to do this for the rest of my life.

"I'm wearing the jumper you brought," I say. Yoan just remained quiet. He hadn't raised his head the whole time. "I Uh," I sniff, my nose became runny, making it hard to speak.

"I made Yoan wear your gifts. And I realise now, you cheeky git, Cole Sprouse, really?" I laugh softly. "Anyway, I just want to let you know, it's hard without you, but I can do this. I'm trying my hardest but like I say, it's really hard," I gulp. "I'm going out with Yoan tommorow, like you said," Yoan's head shoots up and he sends me a small sideways smile.

"Anyway, papa is here to see you, I love you." I finish off, handing over to my dad. I get up shaking the mud off me, and sprint over to the car, to cry.

I couldn't let her see me like this.