<completed>Promise (Juliantina)

13

Jul dropped by the swim club booth after her class, after some internal struggling of whether to or not to, she has decided to brave up her courage to learn swimming again. She filled her name and particulars on the form then handed it over to one of the club members who was attending to the booth. Maybe she can finally tell Val what has been keeping her to learn swimming.

At the end of the day, the list was collated and Val saw Jul's name on the list, she was happy but at the same time feel dejected, how come Jul rather signed up for the swim club and not learn swimming from her maybe she has her reason to it. She's still waiting for Jul to tell her why she kept rejecting her offer to teach her on how to swim.

Shortly afterwards, Jul received a text from the president of the swim club that says, 'the first practice will start on next Wednesday from 3-6pm. please bring along your swim suit and googles if necessary.' Jul gets cold feet upon seeing the text but she really wants to overcome her fear, if she can do this, she can start to spend time with Val in the pool.

She brought some groceries back to Val's apartment and nowadays she rarely goes back to her own's so practically her three other roommates get to have the apartment to themselves. She likes spending time with Val, if Val ever asks her to move in, she will agree to it without hesitation. She reached Val's apartment but Val wasn't around perhaps Val is still having classes so she decided to give Lupe a call before making dinner.

Lupe was confused with the layout of the apartment, it was different from the other time she saw it during the house tour that Jul gave her. Jul told her that she is at Val's apartment hence the background looks completely different and much grand. They chatted for like 20 minutes and Lupe asked if anyone has caught Jul's eyes that's when Jul thinks that she should tell Lupe about her and Val. Since Jul and Val has been together for like two months or so, she decided to break the news to Lupe that they are dating.

Lupe didn't take it too well, she asked why Jul wants to do this, maybe Jul is just confused because she didn't have a relationship beforehand and it's just so happened that Val came into her life to make her confused with her own sexuality. Jul repeatedly told Lupe that she is sure of what she wants and how she feels towards Val, she is not confused at all, what she felt for Val is nothing but love. Lupe is in a rage, she told Jul to break up with Val and stop seeing her if she still wants to call her mom. Jul was heartbroken by Lupe's words, she cannot believe her own ears that her mom actually said this to her. Lupe told Jul that Val has motive, she is a toxic predator aiming for girls like Jul, alone and naive.

It's now Jul's turn to get pissed, she told Lupe that she has no rights to talk about Val, it's her own choice and freedom and nobody forces her to like Val, she let nature takes it course. They would have been together in Mexico but they decided to give each other space before they reconnect again in Australia so no matter what they will still be together. Lupe warns Jul to break things off with Val, she cannot accept the fact that her daughter is dating a girl and with that, she hung up the call. Tears start to form at the corner of Jul's eyes, she didn't expect her mom will react this way, her friends are all so open-minded about it and she never once doubt her love towards Val. She is certainly not confused, she loves someone and that someone is Valentina Carjaval. She threw her phone across the living room and started crying over the fact that Lupe is selfish and hateful.

Just then, Val came home and saw a bawling Jul on the couch. She hurriedly ran towards Jul whose head is down, legs up to her chest and both arms wrapped around her legs. Jul didn't hear Val over her own sobbing until Val's hand was on her shoulder, she got a shock and quickly wiped the tears off from her face. She recomposes herself, pretends that nothing happen and still asks what Val wants for dinner.

V: "Hey babe, did something happened to you? I never seen you cry like this before, did someone bully you? You know you can tell me anything."

J: "I just had this bad cramp which hurts like hell, that's why i'm crying. Nothing happens, don't worry about me, i just need to sleep it off and I will be fine."

V: "Are you sure? It seems like it's more than just a bad cramp, why don't you go to bed first, I will make you some soup and then you can tell me what really happened when you are feeling better? Here, let me help you to the bed. Poor baby, you are shaking."

Val puts Jul to bed, she pulls the blanket over her body and then kisses her forehead before going to the kitchen to make soup for Jul. Jul still has tears in her eyes, whenever she closes her eyes, the scene of her mom's expression when she was told that her and Val were dating kept replaying in her mind, she cannot get over the fact that her mom is a homophobic.

(to be continued) xxxx