𝐂𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ━━ 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘰

15 - Choices

( Florida, 2015 )

( Miami )

     "FUCK." Jira cursed under her breath as Rafael's voice rang into her head. 'Including the fact that I have feelings for you.' She gulped as she sat at the very tables her eyes had stared at everyday. She aggressively sipped on the strawberry milkshake she whipped up in a panic. Rafael's smooth words had done a lap or two in her head. She bit her lower lip. Her legs shuffled nervously. Her own mind couldn't wrap itself around the concept.

There was no way the titular, rich, and technically married Rafael Solano could've had feelings for the shy, doormat named Hajira. It all appeared as an illusion in her imaginative space. She was unsuccessful, clingy, boring—the opposite of him, and Petra, even. She could barely make a cognitive decision without freaking out about it. She could barely draw. She was a fanatic about crushes and other things. She couldn't have been the woman he had feelings for. . . Right?

Her right hand massaged her temples, her mind and chest being tight. 'I've never felt this type of connection with anyone in my entire life. Not like this.' She gulped. Those words he delicately chose had struck the romantic in her. In any other case, she'd be gushing about how romantically cute it seemed. She gripped her knuckles, shaking her head. Part of her thought it could've been some cruel joke or maybe she misheard, and yet, she couldn't shake the feeling of how it could be real.

"Why did I have to have feelings?!" She whispered under her breath, only to shriek as Adonis quickly appears next to her. "Cheez!" She holds her hands up in defense. He rises an eyebrow at her actions, before sitting beside the troubled woman.

"Why are you wishing you didn't have feelings?"

She blinked, almost blanking on a response. "Uh—Would it be bad if it involved Rafael?"

"As long as liking Jane isn't bad," he darkly chuckled. His tone caused a smile to pop up on her face. She giggled.

"I can't tell if he was being serious but. . ."

"But what?"

"He said he has feelings for me," she muttered.

To say Adonis' jaw dropped, would be an utter understatement. He may as well had left it in Michigan. His eyes opened as if he had been shot, if not with information. "What—What do you mean, you can't tell?!"

". . .He could've been joking or lying! People do it all the time in movies!"

"Well, your life isn't a movie!" He sighed. "What does your romantic self say?"

"What?"

"Your utter romantic side must have some thoughts! You're like a sucker for every romantic thing in existence."

He wasn't wrong. She had watched almost every romantic thing and had been a fan of most lovey-dovey things that appeared on a screen or paper. She rolled her eyes, not thinking the conversation would take this kind of turn. She cleared her throat. Closing her eyes, she looks back on his face. His face had been morphed into one of genuine concern. His face and words weren't of a lie, that much had been clear. His eyes looked like an ocean with a clear focus. His hands had softly grasped hers. He had seemed so gentle and comforting. So. . . Warm, even.

Opening her eyes, Jira stared ahead with a blush. She knew the answer to her friend's question. She could say the words and she could acknowledge them. She was afraid to face that answer. "I. . . Uh—okay." He laughed at her flustered expression. She was an open book with very squeezable cheeks. She put her face into the palms of her hands, knowing she was blushing like a damned tomato. "Oh, shut up!" She shook her head. "Even if he was serious, why would he—why would I. . ."

"'Cause he likes you and you like him back?" He made it sound as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"He's having a kid and he's married and—" She sighed. "Feelings are hard!"

"That's why they suck."

"What about you? Do your feelings suck too?"

"Obviously." He quickly glides the milkshake onto his side, taking a deep sip. She playfully pouts. "And now, I feel like the best friend in a telenovela."

"Don't we all—Wait, why?"

"Michael and Jane broke up and all I can think of is how much I like her and—Fuck, life hates us." He sips on the milkshake. "I'd be an asshole to even try to see if she likes me too. Right?"

"I'm sort of biased, man."

"You're not helping."

"I mean, would you feel bad telling her?"

He blinks without an immediate answer. He liked her for god knows how long. They were like best friends and even better co-workers. They all pretty much disliked Michael. "No."

"Then it's a sign that you wouldn't be an asshole! Telling her how you feel isn't a crime."

"Then how about you follow your own advice before preaching?"

"I—How do I know if it's a crush or liking him? I can barely tell the difference between Michael and a rotten potato!" She shakes her head as Adonis sneaks in a muffled laugh.

"How about this?" He pokes the side of her head, causing the brunette to look up. "We both see if our lives will get worse or better if we confess?"

"I. . . Uh, how about I stay in my secret bubble of not confessing?"

"How about no?" He deadpanned. "The fact that I'm even suggesting this should let you know I'm finally going crazy or this milkshake is making me high—but if life wants to be a telenovela, then we might as well be it's protagonist's right?"

"Sure," she whispers, gliding the drink back to her side. She sips on the cold substance, being brought some kind of temporary relief. Her shoulders slump, her face then becoming less stressed. Strawberries really did make things better. "If we both do this, can we agree to never suffer like this again so it never like—happens again?"

"Deal."

── Authors Note ──
So literally I finally found inspo for this book again and it's honestly a trainwreck I can hopefully fix. I promise I'm gonna try updating this and some of my other books soon / more frequently. Inspiration fled me this year and I swear I'm trying lmao. Hopefully y'all can bare with me :)