Behind Her Smile

Prologue

Prologue

“Roman I worry about you.”

“Mom! There is nothing to worry about.”

“You move three states away! Of course I’m going to worry. Maybe I should’ve sent your sister with you.”

“No!” Ro sighs and continues in a softer tone. “I’m fine. I’m eighteen now, so I can do things by myself now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Mom! I don’t need Venus to help me unpack and sign me up for classes.”

“Have you’ve gone to orientation yet?”

Ro glances at his watch and pales at the knowledge that he had less than ten minutes to leave or heˋll definitely be late. He hated being late. 

“Roman?”

He couldn't let her know. Sheˋll only worry even more. “Oh. Uh…I went yesterday, Mom!” He bit his lip at the lie. He was never good at lying.

“That’s great! How was it?”

Ro looks down at his watch again in panic. He swore the time was going twice as fast than what was normal. “Look mom, I got to go. Say hi to Dad. ” He grabs his keys and switches his phone cradles in between his shoulder and jaw to grab his bag. Swiping an apple off the kitchen counter Ro opens the door only to stop in shock of the scene before him.

“Ok Honey. Call me tonight. I love y-“

“What the f-!”

“ROMAN MARSH!” his mother interrupts him.

Ro ignores the scoldings of his mother on the phone. His beautiful car given to him by his grandfather as a graduation present was now…PINK! Pink paint covered the midnight blue gloss of the car and even the windows and wheels weren’t spared the bright pink makeover.

His eyes follows to the pink paint cans laying on the grass to the trail of pink footstep. Ro hung up the phone in the middle of his moth’s rant, which he knew he would hear an earful about later, but the rage he was feeling overpowered that little bit of guilt and, if he was being completely honest, fear, as he march up right to the door it lead to.

He simultaneously begins banging on the door while ringing the doorbell to get the person who ruins his car to open up so he can kill him! Or…her?

The person who opens the door was not a guy as Ro had hoped (so he can hurt him) but a hispanic women who only reaches about half way up his chest. Her long wavy black hair almost reaches her waist and complements her caramel skin perfectly. Ro felt himself feeling flustered and it had nothing to do with his anger.

Her mischievously fiery brown eyes looks him up and down appreciatively. Ro turns red and his gaze falls down to her hands that are…pink?!

Roˋs eyes widen and he points a finger at her, who was looking at him with an amused smile. “YOU!”

She smiles at him innocently, “Hello. You must be my new neighbor. Roman Marsh, right?”

Ro blinks as she holds up her hand. He doesn't make a move to grab a hold of it, instead he yells out, “WHY DID YOU PAINT MY CAR?!” 

She didn't look phased by his outburst, in fact, it just made her smile wider. “Nice name. Unique. Kind of a mouthful though. Do you mind if I call you Ro?”

“NO!”

“No you don’t mind? Great! Nice to meet you. I’m Dex. “

He blinks in shock as he just stares blankly at her extended hand. Which was bright pink! “Dex? What type of name is that? Is that short for Dexter?” 

She just smirks at him in a way that made Ro’s blood boil. “Dexina Domingo actually.”

Ro just states at her for a long moment before taking out his phone. “Forget this. I’m calling the police.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“I will.” Ro retorts hotly.

“911. Whats your emergency?”

“Someone painted my car pink.”

A pause. “Someone painted your car pink.” The speaker repeats slowly.

“Yes! That’s what I said.” Ro replies in irritation. “Dex uh…” Ro puts his hand on the receiver and whispers to Dex. “What’s your name again?”

“Dexina Domingo.” She whispers back.

Ro nods and takes his hand off the receiver. “Dexina Domingo did it. Apartment 3B.”

“Alright. Anything stolen? Broken?”

“No, but…my property was vandalized!”

The policeman is silent for a long while. Ro is almost sure the call got cut off until a hearty laughter fills the receiver causing him to startle in surprise. Was he laughing? Suddenly the phone went silent and the dial tone came on. Ro stares at his phone in shock.

“He hung up on me!”

Dex shrugs. “Welcome to the California.”

Ro was still gobsmacked, so Dex grabs his wrist to peak at his watch. Ro sucks a startled breath in trying not to react embarrassingly to her sudden touch and close proximity. Her hair gave off a slight citrusy scent wafting off it and small tendrils of her hair tease his fingertips as she leans down to read the time.

When she moves away he goes to follow instinctively, then realizes why he is still mad at her and forces himself to stand rooted in place. “Come on, Ro.” She calls out to him like he is a unwilling dog needing to come at her beck and call. The thought made him bristle.

“Don’t call me that! Only my friends call me that, which you are definitely NOT!” Then he finally realizes what she said as Dex starts her car. “Wait! Where are you going? You can’t just leave me here.”

“I’m going to orientation. Do you need a ride?”

“Not from you, thanks.” Ro remarks stubbornly. He of course knew he couldn’t drive his car in the current painted state it was in, but he just didn’t want to spend any more time with the infuriatingly irritating woman than he had to.

“Okie Dokie.” Dex flips her shades on pulling out of her parking spot. “See you later, Ro.”

Ro glances at his car still dripping wet pink pant to his watch to Dex’s car and closes his eyes.

“WAIT!”

Ro jogs over to the passenger side and drops in next to a smirking Dex. ”Not a word.”

She just smirked in response as she turns on the radio. He scowls as he hears Single Ladies come on through the speakers. Ro turns off the radio. 

She glares at him and Ro decided she looks cute when she is mad, "Hey!"

"You ruined my car, I get to control the radio."

She pouts and looks at him again, "But I want to listen to Beyonce." 

"No Beyonce." He says in a firm tone. 

10/7/2017