Mateo's POV
"I remember. I know. I told him to embrace whatever happened but I feel so hurt now that he listened to me," Valerie broke down as if she was the reason that boy died.
"He didn't have to die," while she was crying, she uttered.
All I did was listen to her, waiting for her to stop crying. "I wonder how his mother must be feeling," she mentioned.
"Sad, I guess. She lost her child so she must be devastated," I answered her.
"Will I feel the same if I abort my child?" She pondered, I could see that because it didn't sound as if she was asking me that question.
"Adrian!!" She screamed as loud as she could, which wasn't as loud as I expected. I guess she was that weak. "I hope you are happy where you are!!" She cried again. "And I'm proud of you," she didn't scream this time. "Rest in peace…I love you and I know your mother does as well."
Now, I admire something about this little girl. She knows how to move on. She made sure she cried only for a moment and let it go the next moment.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
"Maybe this is what Adrian wants," she nodded as she looked at me. Then she sighed. "I like this place. It's peaceful and light," she sniffed in the air and let it out with a sigh.
There was silence between us for a moment until she asked why I was in the hospital.
"I'm here because I care about you," I told her, but she only gave me a side eye.
"Why? You don't believe me?"
"No, I don't. You look like you don't even give a fuck about my existence and that's okay because I'm just a girl you decided to help, not your girlfriend or your sister or mother or your best friend. But if you do care…thank you, sir," she wasn't genuine about her gratitude.
I didn't have a response to her statement so I just watched her for a while. "Are you really going to get an abortion?" So I asked her. I came here because I needed to start executing my plan before she really went through with her decision to let her baby go.
I don't know how long it will take to receive my inheritance but if she agrees to be with me without knowing the reason, she'd stay with me until I get what I aim for.
"I'm leaving the hospital tomorrow and I have no place to go. Once I'm out, I have to go back to begging and might eventually return because of malnutrition. I don't want my child to suffer in my belly and come to this world to suffer again. I'd be cruel if I did that."
She was explaining. "I want to work on getting…" she glanced at me, expecting me to understand what she meant. I understood her. "...I can only achieve that once I leave the hospital."
I stayed silent for a while, looking at the view before both of us. I was wondering how I was going to introduce my offer to her. Where should I begin?
"Do you really want to do this?" I turned my gaze to her and was surprised to see her crying. She was wiping her tears because she heard my statement of asking her if she really wanted to make that decision?
"It's for my baby," she replied with a wobbly voice. I wondered why she was still crying. Was she still devastated by what happened to her new friend?
I didn't admire that about her. Well, the fact that she easily falls in love with people without knowing if they really deserve the love and affection she offered or not. I'd say her ex-lover is an example of her loving someone she shouldn't.
Are you really that pure and kind-hearted, Valerie? She fell for my lies and didn't even notice. How could you be so carefree?
I watched her try to hide her tears by staring into space but it made me feel emotions I shouldn't feel. Her trying not to cry made me upset for wanting to use her to my advantage.
So I angrily told her; "if you really need to cry stop bottling it in. You look like a balloon about to burst out of pressure!" I didn't even know if I yelled or not but the next moment, I heard her cry so bitterly.
I avoided looking at her face but I couldn't help it, I glanced at her to see her crying while using the back of her hand to wipe her tears. Then I realized that she wasn't crying just because she lost her friend. I guess she couldn't hold it in any longer.
I could hear the pain in her voice as she whined like a baby. She didn't mention any word, she kept on crying until she lost the strength in her leg and sat on the ground.
For some reason, I found myself sitting beside her. I was going crazy. I was losing my mind and all these that I'm facing was because of my father and the stupid condition he placed over me getting my inheritance.
Valerie fell asleep on my shoulder. I didn't make her do that, she came close to me like a child, rested her head on my shoulder, whined quietly through her breath until she fell asleep. I stayed awake and saw myself wiping her tears.
I took my phone to check my trading app as I was expecting thousands of dollars soon and couldn't wait to spend money on things people consider irrelevant but appear relevant to me.
I might spend some money on Valerie, if she agrees to stay with me without seeking a reason since she'd see my action as generosity. I just want to use her image.
I learned that my income would reach me in 3 working days and was anticipating.
After checking that, I spent some time playing a game which was fun but I wasn't able to play very well because sleeping…average beauty was resting on my shoulder.
I was still busy with the game unaware that I had spent more than two hours playing the game when I felt something ticklish and pleasing around my chest.
It went to my neck and then my chin, which was covered by my beard. Her hand went to my face and I had to smell her hand. It was sandy and smelled like dust. Gosh, Valerie!
I grabbed her hand and pushed it away from my face. "Wake up," I tapped her face with my hand. She groaned, leaned back and glared at me.
"Stop glaring," I then used my index finger to push her head by her forehead. She looked so like a baby when she woke up from sleep.