Memory 6 ♡ One of Those Days

I should've known it was going to be one of those days. All the signs were there.


First I was running late from my shift because my relief got caught in a fender bender. Ayrton swooped in and saved the day by cutting his sleep short. I felt really terrible that he'd only got like three hours in before I interrupted, desperately begging for help, because I knew today the Business Plan teacher was going to lay out the requirements for the big assignment of the semester and I couldn't miss it.


"I owe you so hard," I told him as I changed out of my cafe attire in his office in such a haste that I didn't even care who else might see.


Ayr grunted as he gulped down enough coffee to start a car.


"Don't worry, I'll collect," he said. After an ominous pause where his light eyes narrowed into slits, he added, "One way or another."


A full body cringe took over me. It felt like I was bargaining with a mythical creature I maybe shouldn't have awakened.


I had barely ran one block away from the Magic Cafe when there was a loud rumble in the sky. Dark grey clouds were assembling at a speed that seemed unnatural, but once the wind started lashing around me I figured that was why. Even though my heart was beating hard, I broke into a full run to see if I could avoid the storm. All I had to do was make it across campus until I reached the business building. It wasn't a far distance from the cafe, so by all accounts I should have made it. Except the storm moved a lot faster than I could and when a clap of coming thunder was followed by lightning streaking the sky, I knew I was screwed. I didn't have a chance against mama nature. She just turned on her faucet and gifted me with a free shower.


"Damn it."


Believe it or not, although I shared the sentiment, the curse hadn't come from me. I turned to see Miguel joining me in the hallway, as absolutely drenched as I was. The difference was that he wore it well. His green t-shirt stuck to his body like a second skin and I didn't remember him having all those ridges of muscles back in high school. He'd bulked up a lot. Like, his shoulders were perfect works of art that were doing things to my tender parts.


I was thankful to be soaked like a rat, or he might have seen me drooling when he looked up.


"Oh, you too?" He laughed as he shook himself like a dog.


I cleared my throat and said, "I don't suppose you have a towel in your backpack?"


My words carried despite the relentless sound of the downpour, and they made him smile.


"I'm sure I have a handkerchief in there, but it probably suffered the same fate." Then he motioned toward the open classroom door and said, "After you, m'lady."


I gave a mocking scoff. "Why, thank you kind sir."


I tried to catch my breath as I climbed up the stairs. Somewhere in the middle of the classroom were Malik and the butthole from the other night, and they waved at Miguel as he came in. I kept going all the way to the back row, where I figured I'd be safe from Miguel now that he'd go join his friends. Then I'd be able to bring down my heartbeat during class.


To my surprise, he was right behind me, telling me to scoot so he could sit next to me on the corner.


I gaped at him.


"What?" he asked.


"What about your friends?"


He shrugged. "Kinda hard to reach them with a bunch of people in between. They'll be fine."


The teacher begun the class by saying, "Congratulations to those of you who joined us and are dry. To those that are here but had to swim through the storm to make it, I hope you can learn the value of organizing your time better."


"And use weather apps," someone whispered loud enough to be heard by half of the classroom.


Miguel and I shared an eye roll as though this wasn't the first time we'd done so. I fought to contain a smile but the dickish teacher continued on, dissipating my good humor. Somebody ran in, even later than we did, and was subjected to more ridicule from him. I made a mental note to watch out from falling on his bad side, I had a feeling he was the kind that straight up flunked the students he didn't like.


Somehow the contents of my bag had survived well enough, which gave me great relief. I had a few sample fabrics that I couldn't afford to replace anymore, but the most important part was my sketchpad. It contained all the designs of a year and if it'd been damaged I'd have sat there and wept in front of everybody. I put a notepad and pen on the table to make notes with and checked my cellphone last. Unfortunately I realized it was fully operational when the screen lit up and I saw a new text from my mother. I must have got it sometime in the morning, but I didn't want to read it.


It had been months since the fateful brunch, and neither of my parents had said a word to me since. I figured father was following through on his threat of cutting me off. More than financially, maybe he meant cutting me off of his life altogether. As though I was somehow as guilty as mother was of giving him a hard time. Meanwhile her reasons for not speaking to me were probably simpler. With the divorce proceedings no doubt going ahead full steam, thanks to my father's ruthless nature, she must have been terrified out of her mind for her livelihood. Which certainly didn't leave any room for her to worry or even think about me.


Either that, or she was too busy with the pool boy or whomever it was she was getting to know better these days.


That was why seeing her name flash on my cellphone screen was strange. I knew nothing good was waiting for me in that text and a boom of thunder above us was a sign to confirm as much.


Suddenly I had a weird feeling, like when someone's eyes are trained on you and they don't have good intentions. Everybody in front of me was looking at the teacher, who was talking more to himself than to an audience. To my left was an empty seat and next to it, the reason why I felt uncomfortable. Two girls glared at me as though they wished I could disappear.


That startled me, until I found the reason for it.


I turned to my right and caught Miguel in the middle of peeling off the wet t-shirt that clung to his skin like plastic wrap. He was trying to wring it off to the side, which meant to do an effective job at it he was grabbing as much fabric as possible and showing a whole lot of skin in the process.


Okay, so I was no saint. I got my eyeful of a beautiful back that tapered off into a narrow waist. The blood rushed to my face and other places as I saw the elastic band of his underwear, Calvin Klein. Which meant it must be snug fit and my mind filled in the blanks in a delectable way.


I cleared my throat to catch his attention. When it didn't work, I nudged him with my elbow. "You're putting up a show," I said.


Miguel looked down at himself and dropped his t-shirt with a sheepish grin. The problem was that as long as he didn't put on something dry, he was giving a show anyway. No wonder those two girls kept glaring at me all through the class. I was in the way of them getting an eyeful.


"Thanks for saving my modesty," he whispered to me and I gave him a mock bow.


We were towards the end of class and any second now the teacher was going to tell us about the big assignment, when my phone buzzed once more. I picked it up with the force of habit and immediately slammed it back down when it was a second text from mother.


Miguel nudged me with his shoulder. "Everything okay?"


It was only after that question that I realized my face was so tight, I probably looked like I was about to commit murder. I took a couple of deep breaths and nodded.


"Yep, perfectly fine."


"Okay, the moment you have all been waiting for is finally here," the teacher announced as he looked up at the class with as much interest as someone who had none to share. "The reason this elective is called The Business Plan is because you'll have to create a fully fledged one. Come up with an idea for a business and develop the entire business case for it, to be presented to investors at the end of the semester."


That raised a huge buzz among the students, which was mirrored by my phone receiving one more text.


"You'll do this in groups of two or three people, kinda like you're pretending to have a startup with friends who came up with the idea," but even as he said this, the teacher sounded bored. "Go ahead, find your groups."


I froze.


Shit, I didn't know anybody in here except-


"Dibs."


I turned to Miguel and he was smiling at me. I blinked all slow and dumb.


"Huh?"


"You're my partner," he stated like it was the most natural thing in the world.


My mouth flapped open and closed for a moment and then I asked, "But what about your friends?"


"They'll be fine without me."


We took one look to where they sat and found both of them had turned around and were clearly trying to catch Miguel's attention. He waved his hands and they must have got the message that he was taken because they deflated.


Taken.


By me.


I scrunched up my nose as I looked at him. "Miguel, you do know I'm just a fashion major, right? You've been studying business for a lot longer than I have. I'm going to slow you down."


No matter how we sliced it, that was the truth. He was two years older than me and probably didn't need this elective for anything other than the last credits for graduation.


But I was learning that Miguel Bernal was anything if not surprising, because the next second he said, "That's perfect, we'll make a business idea centered around fashion. How about that?"


I was about to tell him either that he was crazy or to stop fanning fire on my crush on him, when someone very clearly said ahem. It wasn't even an attempt at clearing their throat, but the straight up word. I turned and found the two girls on my left looking intently at him.


"Miguel, do you have a group already? Want to do it with us?"


Considering the way they smiled and puffed out their cleavages, I figured they'd asked in an ambiguous way to give him certain ideas that were definitely of interest outside of the classroom.


"Sorry girls, our group is full." That said, he turned his smile back to me. "So, what do you have in mind?"


"Are you for real?"


He took a swift look around and lowered himself closer to me so he could whisper, "Frankly they make me uncomfortable."


Ahh, I got it. I was just protection for him, that was all. It should've made me feel used and disappointed, but instead it washed me with relief. What I definitely wouldn't have been able to deal with was the notion that he just wanted to spend more time with me. That could get to my head. Make me get too into my feelings. Get my hopes up. This completely dispelled that possibility.


"Very well, I shall be your bodyguard," I said with a little salute. "As long as I'm around, they'll be too busy giving me the stink eye to give you the lewd one."


I was used to seeing him all the time with some chill or amused expression, but this time his face caught between a frown and confusion. Maybe I said something wrong and was about to explain myself better when my phone buzzed again. Full out of patience, I picked it up and swiped the screen open. A series of texts from my mother greeted me.


Hello, my dear daughter.


It's been a while. I hope you have been well?


I have an appointment with your father and Schmitt, later this week, and I would like to talk with you to get your statement.


You're an adult now, so we won't be fighting for your custody at all. But my lawyer says it would be a good idea if you can testify on my behalf. It would make our case stronger.


The three dots appeared on the screen and I sat there, frozen as she typed another bombshell. Finally the text appeared before me.


Do you have time to meet tomorrow?


My hand squeezed the phone so hard that had I been any stronger the screen would've cracked. I blinked hard and fast, but my chin was trembling and that didn't help hold back the tears. I had to get out of here, but the teacher was still talking and I really didn't want him to get pissed at me.


"Excuse me, sir?" Miguel said as he stood up suddenly. The entire focus of the class fell on him. He glanced down at me for a second and said, "My friend here is having an allergic reaction. I need to get her help."


I gasped so hard that the lie ended up sounding realistic.


"Yeah, whatever," the teacher said. "Take her out, at least that way you won't interrupt again."


"Oh my word," one of the girls to my left said. "No wonder she looks so bloated."


"Ignore them," he whispered in my ear as he pulled me up by my hand. "Let's go."


My panting wasn't an act. I was so embarrassed about the attention, but so mad at my mother, that I struggled to breathe. It was when we finally made it outside to the corridor that the dam burst. Just like the sky outside, my eyes begun to rain.





between Miguel and Addy's mom, this chapter goes kinda like this 😂


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