Adela's Point of View
"Adela, Olivia is looking for you," Demeter called out to me, interrupting my trance as I worked on my design in front of me.
I shifted my gaze from my work to the closed door that Demeter had just entered. I lacked the energy to stand up and gather my things.
I looked at myself in the mirror, grabbed my hairbrush, and ran it through my hair. I adjusted my t-shirt and my jogging pants. Slipping into my slippers, I made my way downstairs to meet Olivia.
As I descended the stairs, she greeted me with a hug, and I embraced her in return. We settled onto the sofa before we began to chat.
"Hey, little miss! I missed you!" she exclaimed excitedly, causing a slight smile to form on my lips.
"Me too!"
She cupped my face in her hands and gazed at me.
"Adela, you look tired, huh?" she inquired, and I gently removed her hands from my face.
"A bit."
She furrowed her brow and crossed her arms.
"Adela, I've noticed this about you lately. What's going on with you? You said you missed me, but why don't you seem happy to see me?" she asked, causing me to swallow and look at her.
"Sorry. I've just been busy working on the landscape design."
"You know, I can tell when you're hiding something. I know it," I added, and she blew air through her lips.
"Oh Adela, you know I'm such a gossip, right? Of course, I know. I just wanted to hear it from you. So why are you like this? They say you've been acting this way after you visited the construction site where Lola's house is being built. What happened?"
"And you? Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be working?" I retorted, giving her a stern look.
"Whenever I have free time like now, I won't start working until later tonight, still a few hours away. Don't worry about me, your problems are much bigger!"
"Just spill it!" she ordered, so I pursed my lips and nodded.
"I distanced myself from Primo."
"Oh, then what happened?" she asked, making me blush even more.
"That's the reason I feel, after that happened, I seem to have lost myself. I don't know, Olivia, I'm so confused," I said, and she raised an eyebrow and grinned at me.
"Oh, Adela. Forgive me for what I'm about to say, okay? But you know what? You're so foolish," she remarked, causing my mouth to drop open.
"Ouch, really?" I retorted, and she laughed.
"Seriously? I thought you didn't feel anything for Primo? Why did you become like this when you pushed him away? Are you going crazy, Adela?" Olivia bombarded me with questions, leaving me speechless.
"I might be going crazy. Because it's confusing, I have feelings for Archer, but why does it hurt me when Primo distances himself from me?" I asked, and she ran her fingers through her hair, studying me closely.
"You like Archer. Okay, let's say you do. But why would you be hurt by Primo if you don't have feelings for him?"
"Well, maybe I feel guilty about hurting Primo because of what I did?" I asked in a questioning tone, causing her to rub her face and sigh.
"Seriously, Adela? Do you really not know anything about love?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"It's not guilt, for heaven's sake! If you feel guilty about what you did, this wouldn't be happening to you! You wouldn't be losing yourself like this, duh!" Olivia exclaimed, making me gulp.
"So, what are you trying to say? That I already have feelings for Primo, and that's why this is happening to me?"
"Exactly!"
"But they're two different people, right? Archer and Primo?"
"No, you idiot. Don't be like that, Adela. They're both Monteros. I know our lineage is impressive, but don't be greedy, okay?" she said, and I laughed despite not feeling well.
"So, what now?"
"You can't like two people at the same time. I mean, it's possible to like two people, but you have to choose one. But if it were me? You should forget about Archer. He's already with Margareth, so even if you choose him multiple times, I'm sure of one thing: he'll hurt you."
"But you're the one who'll choose, so it's up to you," Olivia added, causing me to pout.
"How?" I asked, and she bit her lip, taking a deep breath as if thinking of how to respond.
"I definitely don't know how," she replied, making me grimace.
"I might want to choose Primo, but I feel like my feelings for him aren't enough to truly love him. I don't want to hurt him by choosing him just because Archer likes someone else. So, I'll reject him early on so he can start forgetting me little by little. He doesn't deserve me. Besides, there are plenty of others his age," I stated, and Olivia could only nod.
"Well, you're right about that."
"But don't stress too much about it, okay? You might go crazy, and that's not good," she added, earning a glare from me.
"Come on, I don't think I'll go crazy over a guy," I commented, and she shrugged.
"But you know what? Let's go to my bar," she suddenly suggested and winked.
"I'm not really into drinking..." I said, but she rolled her eyes and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
"Duh, the bar doesn't just have alcohol. We have milk too."
"Milk? Am I a baby?" I blurted out without thinking, and Olivia burst into laughter.
"Seriously? Baby? Hahaha, it's not just babies who drink milk! And by the way, are you asking if you're a baby? Yes, you're Primo's baby, but he might have given up, so you might not be anymore," she said, laughing while teasing me.
For me, there was nothing funny, so I just raised an eyebrow at her reaction. She was just being annoying, Olivia. She really knows how to get under my skin, especially when Primo is involved.
I sighed and thought about Primo.
'Sorry, Primo, I can't lead you on for nothing.'
"So, what do you say? Let's go to my bar? We can have a discussion there and get some distraction?" she asked, making me furrow my brows.
"What discussion and distraction?" I asked with a puzzled expression, and she grinned.
"Discussion about your choosing dilemma, and distraction because I have a lot of customers who you might find interesting!" she said, wiggling her eyebrows, causing me to facepalm.
Olivia's ideas can be really out there sometimes, which is why it's often a bit scary to hang out with her! But I know she's not dangerous, I just get a bit anxious around people who are into her kind of fun.
"Should we go?" she asked, but from her tone, it sounded like she was already convinced I would join her.
Well, it's only once in a while, and besides, I won't be going there to drink alcohol, I'll just go to spend more time talking with Olivia.
–