"Why are you telling me that? I say to Ross.
"Because she is my friend and I care for my friends" Ross retorts.
"Are you sure, she is not more than a friend to you?" He looks unsure about how to answer. He just looks at me and I look at him. I hate that he did that to Gwen. This whole time, she was his first love and maybe he was to her too. He never said anything and moved on with her best friend.
"What do you mean?"
"She is your first love" I whisper in a sharp tone so no one hears our conversation.
"..."
"I am right"
"Do not tell anyone" I grab him by the shoulder.
"Do not do that to her again, you have to be good to Rosaline, your fiancee I remind you, and leave Gwen live her own life. She barely wants to talk about you by how much you hurt her so do not even try bothering her with anything, you have Rosa you hear?"
"OK ok" He pulls away.
"Now, let's peacefully go to sleep it is late and we have a long day tomorrow with all of our different plans" Ross nods his head yes and lays on one side of the L-shaped couch and I lay on the other. We grab the blankets that Gwen left for us. Ross falls asleep instantly. I try to drift asleep but I can not seem to sleep. I have a lot of energy. I just lay down with my eyes closed. 2 hours pass and I still can not sleep. I hear footsteps on the stairs. A little light in the kitchen flicks on. When I turn my head to see who it is, it is Gwen.
"You scared me" Gwen puts her hand on her chest.
"Sorry" I get my hair out of my eyes, Gwen looks away.
"It is alright," I notice pills on the table so I get up and go to the Island to sit down.
"Why are you taking pills?"
"How did you see it from all the way from the couch?"
"I do not know, it is just the vision that I have. The doctors say it is a little higher than 20/20 vision" I shrug my shoulders.
"Oh wow, that is cool"
"Do not try to change the subject," I notice her face frown.
"I have pain like pain as in my body hurts and I feel like my energy is a drained type of pain"
"When did it start?"
"Last year, around the time I met you I think"
"Really? Does Rosa know, you take these?" Her facial expression seems worried.
"No, and you can not tell her about it because I do not want her to worry. When she worries, she gets annoying, controlling, too consistent with checking on me. That makes the pain worse with all that I am dealing with I do not need anymore to add on it" Gwen chuckles as she finishes taking her pills and puts the water bottle back in the fridge. I grab the pills to read them and I notice the date on the pill container with the year "2025." But before I could check and see if my eyes are playing with me or not, she snatches the container from my hands.
"Let me see it again," I reach for the pills.
"Nah" She pulls the hand with the pills down so I don't reach it.
"Why?"
"Because they are mine and none of your business"
"I saw the date..." Gwen's eyes open wide.
"Well you know it is pretty early so I'm going to head back upstairs to bed"
"Hey Gwen" I grab her by the hand before she starts to walk away.
"Yeah" She turns to me without letting go.
"I am here for you if you ever have to talk to me"
"Yeah, I know Alejandro" She smiles "Thanks..." She starts to walk away but suddenly she turns around. She walks up to me and hugs me "For being my friend..." I don't know what to do. I just stand still like a sculpture and don't hug her back. I want to say something or do something because this didn't seem like her, something is bothering her. But before I could get my head on straight, she is already out of my sight. I head to the couch knowing and thinking I should have said something. Feeling down, I fall asleep before I knew it.
Later that morning...now 8:30 a. m.
I wake up warm with my blanket. I get out of my blanket and right as I start to stand up, I look down, and it's Gwen! She is covering her head and hands. She is like a rock. Why is she here instead of being in her room?
"Uhhh Gwen woo hoo wake up" I shake Gwen a little bit.
"No please...don't hurt me" She begins repeating hearing a sob come out.
"Are you okay?" She jumps up. Her eyes, full of tears. I move my head back up. I think for a second. "Another bad dream huh?" Gwen nods her yes heads and her tears fall out of her eyes. Her hands touch her cheek full of tears "The same dream from when I fainted" All of a sudden, she gets up like a robot and heads to the kitchen. She starts to take pans out, American pancake mix, eggs, bacon, and all different ingredients to make breakfast. She is acting weird. I get up and start walking towards the kitchen where she is.
"Gwen" I call her and she does not answer. "Gwen" I call her one more time.
"Yeah" She finally looks up.
"What just happened over there?" She just looks at me with her eyebrow raised. Her facial expression seems to tell me that she is confused.
"Huh?"
"You cried..."
"I did? Why? I do not remember crying or dreaming about something sad, I do not know what you talking bout'. And I do not cry but I need to make some breakfast for all the people in this place so if you not gon' help then go back to sleep or watch TV until it is ready," She seems to have an aggressive tone. I think about it for a second. Maybe I should help her cook showing her how grateful I am for this early morning's dinner and also breakfast you could say.
"Ok I will help you" I look over to the oven and she forgot to put on her black apron that she was wearing yesterday. I grab it quickly. I slip the apron over her. I finish saying as I tie the string of the apron at her neck in a knot and I do not think I should tie the string at her lower waist. She turns around to look at me "What are we making?"
"I was thinking of making pancakes not the Kimchijan from Korea, the American pancakes. Bacon, eggs, sausage, vegan sausage, hash browns, vegan bread and I think that is a good American breakfast, what do you think?" I hear footsteps at the stairs. Both Gwen and I turn around and it is Ann-Marie. I do not know if I should be happy or disappointed. Ann-Marie walks our way.
"Good Morning Gwen and Alejandro" She adds a little more enthusiasm to my name. I look down at her hands and she is holding blue short boots that are plain blue, it is simple and nice. She is wearing blue washed-out jeans with a yellow top and holding a long blue coat in her other hand. She looks at the countertop with all the food that is still waiting to be cooked "Breakfast I see," Ann-Marie laughs. "Can I help?" She asks me instead of Gwen.
"Yeah of course. Why would I say no girl?" She laughs. "You can make the vegan sausages and sausages?"
"Yeah but what about the hash browns?"
"Hmm well if anyone wakes up and then we will let them do that, all they have to do is fry it"
"I can do it after I change" Ross pops out of nowhere. She nods her head as he grabs his clothes and heads to the bathroom."It is on the cabinet right on top of the stove that you are on." Gwen laughs not turning her head and starts to put the bacon on the pan. Ross comes back from the bathroom with his black Nike outfit.
"I am back" He heads next to Ann-Marie where the hash browns are located. He cooks them in the pan next to Ann-Marie and I start to hear footsteps, walking and talking. I see Azul, Akio, and Rosaline come down the stairs. Azul is wearing a fluffy white sweater with black jeans and short white boots that match the sweater. Akio is wearing a plain Timberland olive green sweater with matching jeans and brown Timberland boots. I heard of the brand and it is really expensive. I look at Rosaline and she is wearing the same outfit as Ross, Rosa probably planned this outfit. That is a thing Ross and Rosa love to do, twin outfits.
"Babe, love the outfits that I chose for us?" Rosaline yells as she runs to hug Ross. I see Hunter, TJ, and Jane. Hunter is wearing something similar to Azul. A white Levi sweater with black jeans and white Air force 1s. TJ a black Jordan outfit. His shoes are Jordan 13s that are blue and black. Jane is wearing a green knitted sweater with a white coat that seems to be the same as Ann-Maries. She has dark blue jeans with green short boots to match the sweater.
"Gwen I love my outfit," Jane says as she hugs Gwen. "But is it a coincidence that you and Alejandro are both wearing desert pink? He has the sweater and you the dress" Gwen smiles and shakes her head as she continues cooking.
"For real my fit raw" TJ walks like a model. He sits on the couch and turns on the TV.
"You matched us" Azul points at her and Hunter with his arm around her. She is blushing.
"Love it?" Gwen smirks. Both of them are blushing "Now that you love it, help me set the table" Akio bumps Gwen's shoulder flirtatiously. She bumps him back. Time flies and we all finish making breakfast. We all help put the food on the table and get ready to eat. Gwen brings the coffee, homemade apple, and orange juice she made with Rosaline. She gives me a glance, her eyes are so beautiful. Has she ever realized that her eyes are way lighter than her dark brown hair? She looks away and continues what she is doing. While I head quickly to the bathroom before everyone sits down to change. Gwen is the only one who has not. But now we have to talk about today's plans.