ALIYA TORRES
He smiled. The kind of smile that told me he wasn't okay.
'What's going on? You want to know what's going on?" He laughed cynically.
I merely nodded meekly wanting to be there for him while I watched his hand knot into one aggravated fist. The same hand that was bleeding and probably had some pieces of glass still in it.
'What's going on is that my life is fucked up!" He exhaled.
'No one's life is perfect, Ethan", I said cautiously patting his shoulder.
'Crystal is cheating on me with my best friend",he said suddenly and I had to admit, I hadn't seen that coming.
Was that the reason why he was mad beyond reason? I felt pity for him and for myself too. On one hand, he must have been hurt to discover that Crystal was cheating on him but on the other hand, my heart ached thinking of how hurt he was because his girlfriend cheated on him.
He really loved her, didn't he? He really loved her to the point where he loved the pain of feeling broken glass pierce his wound. He really loved her to the point where he considered his life fucked up without her in it.
It hurt me so bad that he was behaving like this because of another woman who wasn't me. Nonetheless, I was here as a friend to console him and as a servant to clean the mess he made and the cut on his palm.
'That's indeed fucked up but it goes to show, she was not meant for you", I spoke.
'I'm not mad at her or anything. I…have to admit I was shocked at first but I was not mad. If they loved each other then they might as well marry each other, I couldn't care less.
I-I just can't believe that she of all people would lie to me. I-I trusted her. She has been lying for all these years about my father. For all these years she-she made me think I didn't have a father. Aliya, she-she is my mother but I-I just this once, I want to hate her",he said, anger and hurt laced in his voice.
At this point I realized we were not talking about Crystal anymore or how he had cheated on him but we were talking about his mother, Lisa.
'Your father?" I asked not sure whether I heard him right.
I never asked about his father because I considered him dead or maybe he didn't exist. I mean if he did exist, I would have seen him around the house or Mila would have mentioned something about him.
' Yes, my father. The dead man I thought to be my father isn't exactly my father. The worse thing about it is that my real father didn't even know I existed. It's not like I needed a father, Aliya but I've always wanted one.
Ever since I was a kid I've always wished that my dad wasn't dead, that I atleast had the chance to meet him. I did meet my real father today and it just wasn't the same",he explained and I tried my best to listen to everything and to piece everything he said together.
He must have found out today about his father. Lisa must have told him the truth about his real father from what I had heard and to top it all he must have met his father who didn't know that he existed?
It was a lot to comprehend at the moment so I stayed mute letting him air out his grievances.
'You know I always wondered why she never gave me my dead father's surname. I always assumed that us bearing his name would make her be reminded of his death but that wasn't it, was it?
I was a child born out of wedlock. I didn't deserve to carry her husband's last name. I'm- I'm a bastard",he heaved and at that moment I knew I had to do something.
My hands went to his side of the face turning him so that he would stare at me.
'You are not a bastard. You are Ethan Carter. Do you hear me? Arrogant, kind sometimes an asshole, caring Ethan Carter. I don't know what you found out about your real father but you, Ethan are your own man.
Everything. Everything you have accomplished has been from your own sweat, you didn't need a father to help you get where you are. You did it all by yourself. And Lisa? You can't hate her.
She's your mother and if she didn't tell you about it, she must have a good enough reason for not doing so. You are lucky because your dad is alive, I would kill to have my father around", I smiled brushing my thumbs against his cheek.
He didn't say anything instead he leaned against my shoulder his hand wrapping around my waist pulling me close to him.
His little action warmed my heart as he held onto me as if he were a man drowning.
I rested my chin on his hair drawing circles on his back.
'Ethan", I called out.
'Mmh",he stirred.
'It's getting cold. I think it's time we went to bed, don't you think?" I asked trying to get him off.
He pulled away from me and the warmness that had engulfed my body dissipated as I watched him get his feet out of the water, his wet shoes crushing more glass under his feet. I also got up from the floor feeling the cold from the concrete seep through me.
He didn't ask for my help but I felt obligated to help him. Once again, I helped him up the stairs like we had the other day and when we got to his room, he was quick to fall on the bed in exhaustion.
His shoes dripped water from the pool and wondered what he thought dunking in the pool with his shoes on. Carefully I knelt on the floor taking his shoes and his black socks off.
His pants were also drenched with water and I stood up going to his waist to take the trousers off. I heard him groan the minute my fingers touched his zipper but he didn't make a fuss.
With one swift move, I had already gotten rid of his pants. I decided to let his bottoms up shirt on. After I was done, I climbed on the bed taking his right hand in mine and slowly removing the glass that was still lodged in his wound.
'Fuck!" He winced.
'Just a little further and it won't hurt anymore", I encouraged taking the little glass out of his hand and placing it on the nightstand.
Next, I took my handkerchief from my pocket wrapping it around his hand to stop the bleeding. With all the bleeding this week, I was amazed that he still had energy in him to smash bottles.
'There", I said.
'You are an angel",he groaned, his hand resting on my leg on the bed.
'You are just drunk", I commented trying to take off his left hand from my leg only for him to pull me closer to him.
'Stay…stay for the night"
