I don't find my walk back as difficult as expected, though my hands are shaking from nerves. Part of me can hardly believe I'm walking next to Ares; so, to avoid staring directly into that adorable face of his, I stay behind him a step.
My gaze slowly traveled along his defined arms and legs; his athletic body made for great soccer play, making him look strong. My gaze followed him until he caught me staring, after which time I quickly turned away.
Ares looks over his shoulder with an irresistibly charming smile that knocks me for six. Why must he be so gorgeous?
Grumbling to myself, I focused on one side of us while Ares played his phone the entire way to my front door. Once there, the atmosphere became awkward as Ares stopped beside me and ran his hand through his hair before stopping beside me to say: "Witch - Welcome home." "Well then." he continued as we made our way inside. "This is your cave."
"Please stop calling me that."
If you comb your hair more regularly, and I will!
Low Blow. As soon as I blew out, my fingers ran through my knotted-up hair in an attempt to untangle it.
"The weather is to blame."
Ares just smiles back. "Well," he begins. "Witch." Ares stops for a second to think.
Ares looks at his phone, as though checking time. "Very funny." Ares looks back down at his watch before speaking again: "Let's go in before your mom comes out to bring you in!"
"My mom wouldn't do something like that; she knows the kind of daughter she raised."
"She trusts me." I bluster boastfully.
My mother calls out from inside our house as though hearing me call out from outside.
"Raquel? Are You Here?" My panic spiked as she spoke. But quickly recovered when I said: "Oh... that was fun; thanks for walking me and good night." As soon as I finished I turned around to leave by walking out the door.
"Didn't you just state that your mother knows who raised you?"
My mother calls out my name. "Raquel?" my mother asks again.
"Hear! Listen!" I exclaimed as I gestured with both hands to ask him to leave, telling him "Go away! Shoo! ".
Ares laughs with his gorgeous smile, showing his perfect teeth. I could stare at his gorgeous smile all night; unfortunately my mother will soon come out and make a fuss.
Ares gives me the "Ok" sign with his fingers.
"All right, Stalker Witch. Let's go."
"Wow, an unusual nickname now?" Sarcasm seeps from my tone.
"I know I am highly creative." He shrugs.
"Yes, Greek God. As soon as my so-called nickname for him goes away."
Reluctant to speak ill of Greek Gods, Raquel seems taken aback at my suggestion.
"Of course I like it!"
Well that makes sense -- who wouldn't like that name.
"Raquel!" My mom's voice has become louder now.
Turning my back to Ares once more, he says nothing as I hear his footsteps receding further into the distance as I open my front door and walk inside to place my back against my door before sitting down with an embarrassed smile on my face - having had such an enjoyable encounter with Ares is truly astounding to me - something which still doesn't register with me fully.
"Raquel Margarita Mendoza Alvarez!"
Once your mother starts calling you by your full name, that can only spell disaster for your reputation.
"Hello, my lovely mommy!" I say with an endearingly cute expression on my face.
My mother Rosa Maria Alvarez is an exceptional woman.
She's an esteemed nurse at our local hospital and one of my closest friends. However, as a mother she can sometimes be strict. While her job keeps her away from home often enough to keep order at home. When she does arrive home she tends to take charge and maintain control.
"Don't you do that!" She warns me as she holds out her index finger to me. "It's 10pm tonight; can you tell me where you were?"
"I believe we agreed upon my arrival between 11 pm during summertime.
"On weekends," she reminds me, "as long as you let me know where and with whom you are.
"I stopped by the bakery to grab a donut, and found myself... "
"The bakery closes at nine o'clock."
"You didn't let me finish. I stayed outside the bakery eating the donut." I cleared my throat.
"Am I expected to believe this?"
"That's exactly what happened, Mom. As far as I can see, there was only one possible explanation - letting a boy kiss my neck at the cemetery."
My mom tightens her jaw in disapproval: "You mustn't be deceiving me, Raquel."
"My dear mother, I would never dare. Instead I give her a warm embrace and kiss the side of her face."
"Your meal is now in the microwave!"
"You are amazing."
And go give that dog some love; all it has been doing lately is lounging around alone in his bed.
"Oh! Rocky must miss me!"
"Or he could be hungry."
Both scenarios could very well apply here. After I finished eating my dinner and went up to my room, Rocky came bounding out from behind his cage almost knocking me over with his weight; every day his size increases further.
"Hello, fluffy-headed beauty!" I gently pet Rocky on his head. When asked who was cuter than Rocky he latched onto my hand licking my palm to show it was him who won! Rocky happily accepted my compliment by licking it clean. "That's true; that is indeed who it belongs to."
My phone chirps in my jacket pocket, prompting me to close my bedroom door with one foot before checking the message from Joshua, another of my best friends whom I hadn't seen for days due to spending more time with Dani.
Joshua BFF: Are you awake?
Me: Do you know what's up? Within seconds, my phone rang with his call.
"Hello, Rochi," he exclaims as soon as I answer, addressing me affectionately by my name.
"Hi, Yoshi. And I, of course, call him after the dinosaur from Mario Kart. He reminds me of Joshua and is very cute." These might not be the most appropriate nicknames but can only have been chosen during our youth.
"Now, first off all, this crazy girl must not be with you, right?"
"Dani must be home," replied Dani's aunt, Patricia.
"Finally. You've completely abandoned me for her. I've already started forgetting your face."
"It has been four days, Yoshi.
"That was quite some time. How about tomorrow we watch The Walking Dead marathon-style?"
"Only if you swear to me that you haven't seen the new episodes without me."
"Take my word," I replied absent-mindedly as I wandered aimlessly around my room. "Let's call this agreement."
"Your place or mine?"
I look at the calendar on the wall, then respond by looking back into my living room: "Mine. Mom has a double shift tomorrow, and my TV is bigger."
"All right. See you tomorrow, Rochi."
"See you tomorrow."
As I hang up the phone and recall our past interactions and shared memories together, my smile widens at the memory of when I thought Joshua might have had a crush on me. We shared many conversations and experiences together but never dared put our friendship at risk when uncertain of my feelings towards him. Joshua differs greatly from Ares; he's timid yet handsome all at the same time wearing glasses and an everlasting hat which always remains on his head.
Unconsciously, I move toward the window. Will Ares be out on my patio trying to steal my Wi-Fi? My heart races when I picture him sitting with his laptop and that arrogant, stupid smile of his, but when I open my curtains all I see is an empty chair with just a few drops of rainwater from last evening soaking through it.
I go back into Ares's house and peek through his window, only to be disappointed that no sign of him can be seen anywhere. Just then he appears out of nowhere and grabs hold of the hem of his shirt to pull it over his head; my blush quickly returns at seeing his exposed torso.
That chiseled, toned abdomen...
His strong arms...
his tattoos... mes that V in his lower abdomen...
Instantaneously, it has become unbearably hot here.
My cheeks start to flush as my gaze drifts downward. To my amazement, Ares stands in front of the window staring right at me.
Eruptions! I drop to the floor and make an abrupt escape through the window. Rocky looks around with confusion before tilting his head ajar to look back up again.
"Don't judge me!" I told him seriously.
My phone suddenly rings, startling me. Praying to God that it's not Ares making fun of what just occurred, I open the message nervously.
Ares 3: Do you like what you see?
Me: Oh no. Just staring at the moon.
Ares 3: It is cloudy tonight; no moon can be seen anywhere.
Me: All I wanted was to make sure no one in my neighborhood was taking my Wi-Fi signal without my authorization.
Ares 3: Unfortunately, your signal doesn't reach this part of the house.
Me: Just making sure. After a period of silence from him, I decide to take a shower and change into my pajamas before heading back out into the hallway to dry my hair with my towel before checking my phone and seeing another message waiting for me on it.
Ares 3: Why don't you come over here and make sure in person?
I received an unexpected message five minutes ago asking me to come to his house at this hour. Was he asking or inviting me for some sort of meeting or something similar?
My towel flies out of my hands.
No, but I know how to read between the lines.
Every so often I receive an alert that makes my jaw drop.
Ares: Goodnight, Stalker Witch. I hope we have another fun evening together.
Did Ares Hidalgo make this an elaborate joke? No. His invitation was far too subtle for my liking - as is evident by my hesitation to head straight for his room; an act Dani would refer to as an all talk and no action taken approach.
Raquel is quite the humorous person! She always keeps things light-hearted.