Chapter Twenty-Seven

~Olivia~

“I’m busy right now,” she sighed, looking wearily at Gerard, “but we’ll talk after.” He nodded, dejectedly, and exited the kitchen.
Her heart clenched as she saw his form, slumped, disappear.

She wanted more than anything to put it all behind her, but a small nagging in the back of her mind prevented her from acting. A nagging that was growing, worrying her. It was making her lose sleep, and constantly create anxiety. She felt nauseous from all of the worry, wishing she could just forget it all.

She took a deep breath, trying to reassure herself that everything would be ok.


~Aina~

She smiled slightly as she pulled up at Leo’s house. Before she could even open the trunk to retrieve her luggage after paying the driver, Leo was out the door, pulling her into a tight hug.

“I missed you,” he murmured before letting her go.

“I missed you too,” she answered, pulling out her suitcase. He took it from her hands, and she smiled, knowing better than to protest. She thanked the driver one last time, who was staring at her boyfriend in complete awe. Aina grabbed his hand, their fingers lacing together, as they returned inside. His parents greeted her warmly, pulling her into tight embraces of their own.

“It’s great to have you back,” Celia smiled. “It’s great to be back,” Aina agreed, settling down onto the couch. Leo was beside her in an instant, his arm around her.

“I want to ask you something,” he said softly, making her arch a brown, turning her focus on him, though she knew Jorge and Celia were both watching her, most likely waiting for her reaction. “Over the summer, when I have that break before the World Cup…I was wondering if you’d like to come to Rosario with me?” he asked nervously. I nodded, smiling brightly at him. “Can we go to Buenos Aires too? I’ve always wanted to go to Argentina!” He smiled at her, relieved. “Anywhere you want to go,” he agreed.

“I want to go to the Recoleta, and the Plaza de Mayo,” Aina listed off excitedly. Leo smiled, “We’ll go to all of those.”


~Gerard~

“I think we need to discuss what is the issue between you and I, not that which is between my sister and I,” Gerard began, his hands wringing together anxiously as he and Liv sat in his house, across the table from one another.

“I…I just thought I knew you. And that night, it was like someone else was talking. We’ve been together for over a year, and I scares me that there is a completely different person underneath,” Olivia admitted at last, her voice raw with suppressed emotion that she was trying not to let show on her features.

“I had some beer, and mix that with months of confusion, I thought I had finally figured it out. And I was hurt that neither of them told me the truth. I understand why now…Aina was trying to protect me, and Cesc was being selfish with her generosity. I get it,
Liv, I fucked up. That doesn’t make me a different person, it makes me wrong, and it makes me human.”

She smiled weakly at him, “I’ve missed you.” “I’ve missed you too,” he said, his shoulders dropping as he saw the acceptance in her brown eyes.

They were going to be ok.


~Leo~

He smiled softly as he watched Aina exit the bathroom in her pajamas, and set down her jewelry on his dresser, and toss her clothes in the hamper.

It was like she had moved in already, even if it was because she wanted to avoid her apartment to avoid Gerard.

They had driven his parents to the airport that evening, so once again he had the house to himself, so he was even more grateful for her presence, so he didn’t have to be in the large residence alone. He didn’t mind having her clothes and other belongings around. He hoped that maybe someday it would become a permanent thing. However, he didn’t know when it was considered the appropriate time to ask such a thing.

She finally finished her routine, and crossed the room to settle into bed beside him. He smiled, and leaned over to kiss her. She responded, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek.

He sighed happily as he felt her respond, and after some hesitation, allowed his hands to run up under her top. However, unlike the last time he had tried it, she didn’t stop him, but arched up to make it easier. He pulled back, looking at her questioningly. Aina simply smiled, and pulled him in for another searing kiss.