Self Love • Christopher Velez •

chapter 16; just friends

Chapter 16 - Just Friends

"Luis texted me the office address, I'm calling an Uber now," Andrea said she left her room after getting ready. 

Before I went to sleep yesterday, I had picked out my outfit with some difficulty. I wanted to wear something that was casual but also still appropriate if we were to go out afterwards. I had chosen a pair of black leather pants, a white tee and a black denim jacket paired with my boots.

"Hermosa, damn," Andrea whistled when she saw me, causing me to laugh and shake my head. She always said that whenever I had dressed up. Dress up meant me wearing something other than a t-shirt and jeans or shorts.

"You look great yourself," I told her and she smiled at me. And she did. She wore a long sleeved black tee with a red skirt and some boots with heels.

"Gracias, hermosa. Can we take a picture?" she asked and we went out to our balcony. I took out my phone and began snapping pictures of her from different angles. The photos went from her smiling to her posing dramatically with her hands out and her face set in a dramatic pout.

"It's your turn now," she said and I shook my head. I was more comfortable being behind the camera than in front of it. She nodded but asked me, "if it was the two of us, would you be okay with it?"

I nodded. I was fine if it was a group picture because no one would look at me. We took a couple of pictures and a few selfies before her phone beeped, indicating that our ride was here.

***

"Oh my god Dani, you look amazing!" Julia exclaimed as she pulled me into a hug. 

"You look great too," I told her with a smile as I took a seat opposite her and beside Andrea. We had went to the office where her brother was and we had catched up a little. Although Andrea seldom went home to Spain, we saw her brother often. When he was travelling for work, he would occasionally land in Ecuador to check up on Andrea. 

"Andy, Dani, are there any boys in your life?" Julia asked us and we both shook our heads.

"Dani's lying," Andrea said and I stuck my tongue out at her. Julia looked at me and asked me, "who's the lucky guy?"

I quickly shook my head, "there's no one." I insisted, my cheeks burning. 

"Are you sure?" Luis asked me with a look of disbelief on his face and I nodded.

"Christopher," Andrea said and I turned to glare at her as my face turned even redder.

"Oh, so his name is Christopher?" Julia said with a smirk on her face and I shook my head.

"We're just friends. We were neighbours, so we grew up together," I told Julia and Luis and they nodded. 

"What's his name querida?" Julia asked me and I told her. She took out her phone and immediately exclaimed, "oh, he's in a band. And he's very good looking." She showed the picture to Luis before showing Andrea and I.

"Oh, she knows," Andrea said and I covered my face with my hands. Andrea laughed and pulled my hands away from my face, revealing my red face. 

"Andrea, Julia, let Dani be. Look at how red her face is," Luis said to his wife and sister and smiled at me. I smiled at him gratefully and took a sip of my wine to calm myself down.

"What about you, Andy?" Julia asked.

"The only guys in my life now are mine and Andrea's friends, who are Christopher's friends," Andrea told her sister in law as she took out her phone to show Julia a picture of the boys. 

"Dani, Christopher liked the picture I posted so he saw the picture of you," she said with a wink. 

"Your sister has been trying to make something happen between me and Christopher," I told Luis and he sighed and shrugged.

"She has been doing this since she was 14, I don't think she will be stopping anytime soon," he told me with a shake of his head. 

"This was the guy you liked, isn't he?" Julia asked when she saw a picture of Zabdiel. I immediately nodded.

"Interesting. Anything you want me to know?" 

"There's nothing to know," Andrea replied Julia.

"They shared chips yesterday when we were watching a movie and they were whispering among themselves," I told Julia who squealed like a teenager. It was hard to believe that she and Luis were 8 years older than us.

"But I talk more to Richard," Andrea replied and I nodded. She did talk more to Richard.

"The food's here!" Julia exclaimed and we started eating in silence as Andrea had a huge pet peeve about the sound of people talking and eating at the same time. 

"Are you guys going home after this?" Luis asked us once we finished eating. Andrea looked at me and asked me if I wanted to go out without actually asking me. I nodded and she turned to look at Luis, shaking her head.

"It's creepy when the two of you do that. Use your words hermanitas," he said to us and I smiled. No matter how often Luis said or mentioned that I was part of the family, it warmed my heart.

"Where are you going? We'll drop you off," Julia said as she held Andrea's hand.

"Dani." said Luis as he walked beside me. I turned to look at him.

"When you start, you will be one of the main financial analysts. I wanted you to work in my company and I knew that you're capable but I wanted you to get your degree first," he said and I smiled.

"Thank you." He nodded and gestured me to walk. "C'mon, our best friends are waiting for us."

"Andrea, you are not driving my car," Luis told her as she tried to take the keys from him. I did not blame her, it was a gorgeous car.

"You crashed my car before," he told her.

"That was seven years ago puta," she replied. He rolled his eyes at her. I can definitely see the family resemblance here. 

"Shut up and get into the car or I'm leaving you here."

Andrea rolled her eyes but shut up and got into the car. The two of us went on our phones to search for a bar that was near our apartment and I saw a message. 

From Christopher:
I saw Andrea's instagram and you look great :)

My face heated up and I showed Andrea the text. She laughed and said, "mmhmm, friends, totally". 

From me:
Thanks you :p

After thanking Luis and Julia and wishing them good night, the two of us got into the bar and got ourselves some shots. 

"To us in Miami."

"To us in Miami."

Translations:
Querida - darling
Hermanitas - younger sisters 
Puta - bitch

I feel really extra right now because I have been using my cnco hoodie while writing this :p

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