Behind Her Smile

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen: Tango Talking

The phone rings and Ro groans as he covers his head with a couch pillow. Or he thought was a couch pillow, but actually it is a Chinese takeout box. Ro grimaces when he feels rice in his hair and throws the box away from him, then he grabs a real couch pillow

But that doesn't work to dull out the sound.

Ro lifts his head up and squints against the bright light filtered through the windows. What time is it?

He grabs his still ringing phone and he answers without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" He croaks. Ro winces at the rough sound.

"Roman, is that you? Or is that a bear who just woke up from hibernation?"

Ro sits up as he recognizes the voice. "What do you want, Venus?"

"So grumpy," she mutters. "Cant I just call you to catch up or do I need your permission first? Huh?"

Ro groans and rubs the back of his hand to the front of his closed eyes. "You're right. I'm sorry. Let me try again." Ro clears his throat, before starting again. "Why hello, Venus. To what do I owe the pleasure of speaking to you."

Venus burst out laughing. "You...haha...sound like the  Queen...ha...of England when you try to do a British accent. Please for the sake of all Brits, don't do that again. Haha."

Ro frowns. "I was trying to sound polite," he defends.

Venus just burst out laughing again.

Ro's frown deepens. "Okay, I'm hanging up."

"No wait! Ro, come on. I was just teasing. I just wanted to cheer you up. You sound sad. What’s wrong?"

Ro is quiet for a moment. He didn't want to tell her about his falling out with Dex. Because then she will blabber to mom and dad about it and the whole family loves Dex, it'll break their heart to know they are no longer best friends. (Ro had brought her to visit his hometown once during a break because she couldn't go to her home and mom made no secret that she wanted Ro and Dex to be a couple. She even tried to make them share a room, claiming both of the other spare bedrooms had 'too much dust to sleep in'. Suffice to say, Ro is not bringing Dex back there anytime soon. He couldn't suffer the embarrassment.

Instead of telling her anything, he decided on saying, "I don't want to talk about it."

If Venus is a good sister she would respond. "Ok, Roman. I respect your wishes and I wont intrude on your personal life because you are the best-est brother I have."

But unfortunately for Ro, Venus is a nosy and manipulative sister who doesn't care about his wishes. "Roman Marsh! If you don't tell me what’s bothering you, I will tell mom and you know she will get it out of you."

Ro scoffs. "Go ahead and call her. I am a grown man. I am not afraid of mom."

"Fine, then. MOM!"

Ro pales. Ok maybe he was still afraid of mom. "Venus! Shut up," he hisses.

"Not until you tell me what’s wrong." She says and Ro stills. "You better hurry, she’s coming up the stairs."

Ro curses silently. "Fine. Fine. Ill tell you. Just promise you wont tell mom and dad."

"Yup," She says popping the p.

Ro sighs. Better tell her now. "You remember Dex?"

"Your future wife?"

Ro blushes and he coughs awkwardly. "No...why would you say that?? She...is not my...future wife, Venus. She’s my friend...and only my friend. Not a girlfriend....just a friend. Who happens to be of the female variety. Got it? Friiieeeend." he stresses the word friend, just so it was clear to her. In case she didn't get it the other times.