Holy mother of everything under the heavens!!! Did I say that?! Did I really say that?! I want to die! Forgive me mom, your son was born stupid!
I glance at Heidi, yet she keeps eating without a care in the world. As if she is not eating in my house and is surrounded by my brother and my friends. My brother and my friends just keep looking at me, waiting for me to speak. Their expectant expressions make me want to kick them out of the house to have a good talk with the woman in front of me. Everything is so confusing!
Wait a minute…
There is a woman in my house, a very beautiful woman at that, and nobody has said anything? Granted, my brother knew Heidi before, but that was when we were kids. And my friends know that no woman bar my mom, sister or occasional lover enter my house.
Is that not a bit weird? Did something happen while I was asleep? How long has it been since they are here? And, why am I asking myself these bunch of questions? It is obvious what happened. Heidi must have explained everything to them the moment they came.
But wait, where did she sleep…?
"Aldo, hurry up with the good news you have. I have to go to a meeting for a movie." Reggie said, sounding all business like. Geez, can this workaholic not take it easy? He is working in a drama, and wants to add a movie? What is next? A reality?
"Yeah, bro," Tadeo adds. "So far, the only good thing I've received is this meal from your friend." He gestures at his squeaky-clean plate.
Heidi unconsciously smiles at the compliment. Dayton and Niccolo nod, agreeing. Reggie even pats her head as if she is his little sister. Well, I'm glad they're getting along. But what is this about her being my friend? So, she presented herself as my friend?! Why! After everything we've been through... Wait, what am I saying? It is good, friend is good.
For now.
"Ah yeah, it's about my friend." I smirk when I see Heidi stiffening at my tone. Yes, darling, tremble. I confess to you, yet you think you can stay simply as my friend? This Greco will show you. "Well, Reggie already knows her, but I'll formally present her to you." I look at my friends, but I still notice the pointed gaze from my brother at my chosen words. He even looks between her and me.
Good, good, good. It seems my brother caught my underlying meaning.
"She's Heidi Ricci, a childhood friend of mine." I say, gesturing her Heidi. "I hung out with her yesterday and invited her to my house. We might have drunk too much and called because I wanted to let you know I finally reunited with her, fifteen years later."
A little tweaking of the truth would not hurt anyone. We did hang out; we did drink, and I did bring her to my house. She fidgets in her seat. Ha! Who's dancing to whose pace now, Heidi?
"Is that it? You got drunk with her and even brought her to your house and nothing happened? No foggy glass? Steamy shower? Dirty sheets? Broken furniture? Scratches? Love bites? Nothing?" Complete silence follows Niccolo's words as we gape at him. He sighs. "Seriously Aldo, I thought you were cleverer than this."
Are you trying to dig my grave?! Sure I want to do all that, but I you cannot be so crude to voice it all out!
"What are you saying Nicky!" Heidi, who is sitting next to Niccolo suddenly reacts and pushes him, throwing him to the floor, while nervously laughing. I burst out laughing at his perplexed look. Bet he never thought she's that strong. Take that, you indecent mutt! The others chuckle, too.
However, if Heidi and I thought the teasing would end with Niccolo, we were wrong. "You mean, there's more to the 'childhood friend' thing?" Dayton smirks, following Niccolo's words, not being swayed by my act, or hers.
"Of course, there is! When he was little, he couldn't even win one race against her! And to think this guy wants to sha- Agh!" I hardly kick Niccolo in the shin. A vein pops in my forehead. You are definitely not going to appear in any of my future videos, Niccolo! No matter how much my manager begs!
What infuriates me even more is that Heidi is smiling. You cannot smile at what this guy says! Once you give him an inch, he will take the mile!
"Bro, don't feel bad at that. We all have our own weaknesses." Don't try to console me with those words, Deo! And, if you really mean it, then erase that smile from your face!
"Ok, finish your food and then leave, I bet you are all busy. Not another word on the matter, and you don't even dare move!" I point at Heidi.
The others silently finish their meal and then leave. Not before throwing some teasing remarks. Seriously, they think they can make fun of me just because I am a sunshine? In their dreams!
"We need to talk." Reggie states before departing. Gosh, will I once again receive the serious talk from my brother? Every time I date someone, he comes to my house to give a long and boring speech about my fame and how that affects my partners and that I cannot present any lover to mom if I am not serious.
I have the speech memorized by now.
He should truly get a woman himself. I know he has gotten involved with some women, but nothing serious comes out of those encounters. Mom is starting to give up on Reggie ever getting married.
When the last of them get out of the house, I return to the kitchen where Heidi is domestically washing the dishes. Until when are you going to act as if you're the lady of the house? That just makes me yearn for it.
But I cannot get mad at you. I never could. You were just a little savage back then, yet you have punched me so hard. Your existence is so big that I cannot simply hide what I have inside. I always thought I would never see you again that I even bid you farewell that day. It had been a nice goodbye for us.
Though there was never an 'us'.
Still, the thing is that you broke my little heart, and I buried you deep in my memories. Now, you come back to shake my world, my life and my heart again. I still dream of that day when I lost for the last time, that cold back that was getting farther and farther, but I can reach now, right? I can, right?
"Aldo, are you ok?"
There was something I wanted to do that day fifteen years ago as I ran behind you: grab your arm and hug you. I never could.
Now, I can feel your warmth and your little body in my arms, the softness of your hair and the smell of your skin mixed with my perfume and... why do you smell of my perfume? I open my eyes, and that is when I notice I am truly hugging her! A back hug! Have I gone nuts?! I jump back, releasing her.
That is how I notice the shirt she is wearing looks a bit familiar. Where have I seen it before?
"What are you wearing?" She closes the tap, and turns to look at me.
"Sorry, I borrowed one of your shirts and a pair of shorts. My clothes were all smeared in your vomit." She says. Ugh, do not remind me. "I also borrowed your washing machine to wash my clothes. Hope you don't mind."
"No, of course I don't mind!" I shake my head "And, I'm really sorry for that. I can buy you a new set of clothes if you'd like." I offer.
"It's fine. Washing them is enough." She waves her hands, rejecting my offer. Ugh, rejected again.
But damn, the more I look at her, the better she looks wearing my clothes. I feel an incoming 'nosebleed', so I look away. Calm down, Aldo, calm down. This is your house, yes, but you still cannot disrupt the neighbors with loud sounds. Besides, you've just left a sketchy impression on her.
So, let us calm and think of beautiful things. Like, Heidi.
"Let's talk, Heidi. We couldn't properly do it yesterday, so this is the best time." Properly? What is with that word? It is not as if we recently broke up, and are going to give ourselves a second chance.
Are we?
Are we!?