NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 62

Teo returned a few minutes later and, throwing a wide bath towel over her, led her out of the bathroom into the bedroom.

"Anna, listen," he said quietly, wiping away her tears. "Stop crying. Nothing terrible happened. Nothing is so terrible to be so grieved. Calm down, please. And get it out of your head that I'm some kind of monster. I was just so enjoying the moment. But I had no idea you did not want me as I wanted you!"

"I was not ready!" she retorted through her tears. "You think I do not deserve some time?"

"No, I don't think so. But I think you are clearly overreacting."

"I did not want it!"

"Even though you are hurting me now really bad, I will say nothing to that. I love you, Anna. And you have no idea for how long I have loved you."

"What! Love me? You do not pressure the ones you love!" Anna threw a towel at him and began to dress up quickly.

Teo sighed.

"Let us go out to breathe some air. I feel like my head will explode now. I'll start the car," he said calmly, leaving the room.

"Randall warned me not to trust you!" Anna blurted out, immediately regretting what she'd said.

Teo turned and glared at her.

"Repeat that."

"You heard me..."

"You know, Anna. I swallow everything from you. What Randall told you doesn't surprise me. But seeing you trust this loser who used you just for fun just hurts me. I will tell you once again that—even if I were happy to have a relationship with you—I would never create one through force or against your will.

"However, as I understand, what you just said comes from your conversation with Randall, and I'll tell you what. No matter how bad he makes me look to you, none of this is true. Randall doesn't know what he means by trying to trick you into staying away from me. I have known him for many years, and as lads, we had an aversion to each other. But his hatred is not about competition for the tourists. It goes from the usual envy of my money and position. Randall and I took part in the same musical contest, which gave rise to huge career opportunities.

"He's a great musician if you don't know, but not great enough. Because I won the contest, and I wasn't even really fighting for the award at the time. I was living a sedentary life, dabbling in drugs, sleeping with all sorts of girls. Randall was obsessed with winning because the prize money and the roads that victory opened would have lifted him out of poverty. But I won, Anna.

"That same day, his girlfriend named Lisa quickly ran over to me. Not because, as Randall thinks, she fell in love with me immediately, but because I had a lot of marijuana in the house. She was completely addicted and ended badly, which Randall blames me for, too, although I did nothing except having sex with her, and in general, I was not interested in her more or less than all the other girls I slept with."

"What happened to her?"

"From marijuana, she jumped to heroin. She overdosed but was saved. As I said, I don't know much about her, Anna. She wasn't my girlfriend. Randall can tell you whatever he wants, but I had nothing to do with this story. I'm not responsible for all the girls I've just slept with."

"Randall said nothing to me, Teo... He just warned me to keep aloof from you. But I can see why."

"Can see why? How can you, Anna! I don't care what he told you or what he didn't. I have told you all that your lover may have against me. But you can scarcely see that he speaks out of envy. Everything I do and have now, he wanted to have. But whatever depraved life I lead, I deserved that reward, Anna. I was better than him, and I was appreciated."

"Really, let's go out, please," Anna maintained, and silently finishing dressing up, she left the room.