On paper, Pete and Valentina are perfect for each other. Their friends used 'soulmates' when describing them and at one point they were. As they reflect on the last five years of their relationship, they try to understand the complexity of their lov...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
When Valentina was fourteen, Mateo asked her out on a date.
Before you jump to conclusions, Mateo didn't have any romantic feelings for Valentina in that way. In fact, he was very interested in Vanessa from chemistry.
Here's what happened: the most popular boy at school asked the timid Valentina out on a date--she was absolutely thrilled!
Val took the time to get ready; her bathroom was scattered with hair and makeup products, trying to figure out how to use them. Once she was ready, she waited out front, he would be here any minute.
Ten minutes passed. It's okay, traffic at this hour is busy.
Then twenty minutes passed. He'll be here soon.
She gave up hoping when it got dark.
Mateo, coming back from his piano lesson, found her on the front lawn of her house. He asked what she was doing outside this late, but he knew why. He heard the whispers in the hallways and when he expressed his skepticism about this boy, his best friend asked him to be happy for her because someone had finally noticed her that way.
At that time, she didn't have the heart to admit that he was right.
He reached for her hand, pulled her up, and tugged her over to his house next door. He plopped her in a chair at the kitchen counter and told her to cover her eyes. Mateo opened cabinets and drawers, the sound of clanging pots and pans echoing in Valentina's ears.
The room then became filled with the aroma of sizzling cheese. After a few minutes, Matty told her to open her eyes. On the counter was a grilled cheese, her favorite food (also the one thing that a fourteen-year-old Mateo knew how to cook), with lemonade on the side.
Mateo said to her to forget about him. He then said this was going to be a date, so that in the future, she would know what a proper date is like. One where the person truly cared and wanted to get to know her, who would treat her as if she was the only girl in the world who they deserved to be with.
Valentina cracked up when Mateo pointed out that neither of them can drive so staying at home is the best option for them; it was times like these that Val thanked God for sending Matty into her life.
But right now, Valentina was ready to murder Mateo.
When Mateo opened the door and saw the comedian standing there holding a bouquet of pink peonies, Valentina's favorite flower, he slammed the door in his face. Valentina pushed him to the side, invited Pete in and asked him to wait in the living room while she spoke with the fuming pianist.
Whispered shouts (both in English and Spanish) came from the kitchen as Pete fidgeted with his hands, the feeling of nervousness gnawing at him. Eventually, Valentina called for Pete saying that they should get going; staring daggers at the man, Mateo told Valentina to have a good time.
Valentina comforted Pete as they walked out of the apartment building. She said not to worry about Mateo, his opinion doesn't matter.
Hand in hand, they strolled down the streets of Washington Heights, talking. It would be at this point of the date where they would get to know each other--- find out what they have in common. Instead, they discussed the complexities of Snape as a character to debating whether time is a construct as they aimlessly walked.
Pete stopped in his tracks and took a step back. He soaked in the beauty of the woman in front of him. She was a vision in that blue two-piece floral set; her brunette hair cascading down her back.
He wondered how he came across such a kind gorgeous human being like her. He didn't understand how she was able to understand him so well. She gets him, there's no doubt about that, and it was something his last girlfriend struggled with. It was the reason why they started drifting apart leading to their eventual breakup.
"What's going on in that head of yours, cariño?" Valentina asked.
Pete caressed the side of her face with his hand, "I'm thinking about how much I like you. And how much you mean to me."
Placing her small hand on top of his large one, she said, "I really like you too. There's something about the way you make me feel that I haven't felt with anyone else before... you make me feel like I matter."
Although she was wearing her sneakers, Valentina extended her feet. Her ankle screamed in pain as she went en pointe and placed a soft kiss on Pete's lips; he deepened the kiss making it hot and steamy, Val noted that he tasted like mint. When they pulled away, Pete grinned from ear to ear at the petite woman.
"Wow," was all Pete could say.
"Yeah... I'm a great kisser, aren't I?" Val quipped.
The rest of the evening was spent at a little food stand nearby Bennett Park. The two lovebirds sat on the edge of the sidewalk enjoying their elotes (which Val help Pete prep).
Once again, the New Yorker and Arizonan looked at each other (and the world) in rose-colored lenses. They've entered the honeymoon phase of their relationship: caring looks, affectionate touching, passionate kissing.
Val still thought about that date with Matty when she was fourteen, she will cherish it for the rest of life. But the way that he paid attention to her, as if she was the only one in the world, how he treated her like a princess, and how time didn't seem to matter when they're together. This date with Pete takes its place as her best first date, and it still does even five years later.
Because she knew that he deserved her, and she deserved him.
Hope you like this chapter. Just know that this hasn't been revised or anything like that, so sorry for any errors. Writing this chapter gave me warm fuzzy feelings and I'm crying bc I want what they have.
But anyways, low-key I am freaking out guys because I start the school in 20 days and my financial aid package hasn't been offered to me just yet AND one of my scholarship advisors has been avoiding my phone calls. pls pray for me.
Oh! Also, check out Infidelity by @interwebb , it is such an amazing story and she is an absolute sweetheart :)
