To Love You Again | c.v

03

03 - NINA

"He didn't come home yesterday." Nina shakily mumbled with quivering lips. "What if something happened?"

"Did you try calling?" Joel asked before popping a grape into his mouth.

"Of course I did, Joel. That's the only thing I've been doing this whole morning."

"Have you heard anything, Zabdiel?"

Zabdiel absentmindedly hummed as he scrolled through his messages until he found Christopher's. He had a bad feeling about the whole situation and if what he was thinking of happened, Christopher wasn't going to hear the end of it.

"I'll text him."

Nina gratefully smiled at him, feeling a little more at ease since Zabdiel always had his ways of reaching her fiancée. She was very worried since it was the first time it has happened. Christopher, no matter how late, would always be by her side the next morning.

"No work today, Nina?" Joel asked with a stuffed face, aimlessly scrolling through Instagram.

"I actually called in to say I wasn't going in today."

"Because of Chris?"

"Yeah..., guys, do you think we should call the police?" The girl said as she nervously gnawed on her thumb.

"No," Zabdiel whispered. "El idiota is at Richard's."

"Richard's?" Nina incredulously repeated, now irritated with everything. "Why the hell is he there? And why hasn't he contacted me? I've been worried sick!"

Blind with her anger, Nina missed the look Joel threw at Zabdiel. They all knew that Christopher didn't go to Richard's anymore ever since the Yashua incident but Zabdiel forgot about that and slipped up. Zabdiel felt guilty for lying and Joel's look wasn't helping.

"Oh sorry, I meant he's with Richard at Erick's. They invited him over for a little and he crashed there. He had his phone off all night."

As if on cue, Nina's phone dinged and her hand immediately reached for the phone.

amor 😻
Hola cariño, sorry about yesterday it was very idiotic of me... please don't be too mad. I'll make it up to you, I promise ❤️

"Make it up to me," Nina grinned, recalling all the times Chris had repaid his faults. "I like that."

"Ew," curly-hair said wincing at the thought. "We don't wanna know that."

Swatting her friend on the arm, Nina typed away smiling like the Cheshire Cat. It had happened before in their relationship, where something would separate them for a while but things eventually would fall back into place. That was what Nina was expecting; go back to normal.

"Is he on his way?" Joel asked Zabdiel, finally placing his phone down.

Zabdiel's scowl was pretty obvious but Nina was too occupied thinking of her fiancée's promise that she completely passed it.

"No," Zabdiel grumbled. "El pendejo has to go back to work. He can't miss a day but I told him I wanted to meet up for lunch so I'll see if he can do something about his "hectic," schedule."

"Oh..." Nina mumbled, her lips pushing out in a pout. "I assumed he'd call it a day off but I guess not."

Nina tried to smile if off but the return of that unsettling feeling struck her again. She wanted to believe things would go back to normal but something in her told her that things would be different. Sadly this time, that different wasn't giving her a good feeling.

"Oye," Zabdiel jabbed the girl softy at the side of her stomach. "Don't worry, ok? I'll make sure he comes home earlier to spend time with you."

"We'll kick his ass if he doesn't." Joel offered with a kind smile.

Again, Nina wanted to believe. She told herself to believe as always but this time her body pumped with insecurity. She didn't want to be overdramatic, this only happened one time. Christopher wouldn't do it again. Plus, he was with friends and there was no harm in that. That familiar sense of insecurity she used to receive back when they just started dating was overwhelming her after so many years. She didn't understand why she was fussing so much, it was one time and one time only. It's not like he'll make a habit out of it, he couldn't because he knows she'll worry. She wanted out of it, she had to trust Chris

"Thank you, boys, and sorry for my anxiousness." The petite girl grinned shyly. "It's a bit overbearing."

"It's okay," Joel said, waving her off with a small smile. "Chris is basically a child, all worry is needed at all times."

Cracking a smile, Nina felt her muscles release some of that tension she felt in her shoulders. "That is very true. You know one time he got this craving for ice cream at like around midnight so he woke me up?"

"He did that to you too?" Joel laughed. "He did that to me too except it was noon. He dragged me out of bed, drove me to the parlor and got himself an ice cream cone. Funny part, on our way back he was making a left turn with the cone in his hand and he dropped it on him!"

"He's so -"

Impeding their casual conversation, Zabdiel cleared his throat before standing up with a mustering up a smile. "Sorry. There's been a change of plans so I will be going to see Chris right now."

"I'll go with you." Joel offered once more, genuinely wanting to know what was happening.

"Mejor no hermano," The blonde grimaced as he gave Joel a knowing look. "Stay with Nina; keep her company. I'll be back."

In Nina's heart, she hoped that the sooner Zabdiel met up with Chris, the sooner her fiancée would be back with her. She eagerly waited, constantly checking the time and the windows near the driveway. Joel stayed with her in attempt to keep her spirits up as well. The two baked, Nina's idea, Christopher's favorite brownies, and Nutella cookies all through the day. She couldn't wait to see him after a literal whole day separating the two of them, she truly had missed him.

But things fell apart.

Because five o'clock came but he didn't.

Six and seven o'clock rolled by but he didn't.

Eight and nine o'clock arrived but still he didn't.

By midnight, Nina was in bed with no one by her side but her soaked pillow that she hugged until she fell asleep.