|chapter seven:: happy birthday, i'm sorry|

"WHY do you keep insisting that I know something," I groaned, rubbing my eyes with exhaustion, "I don't know where Nano or Sammy is, nor do I care."

"But wasn't Samuel your friend once?" She wondered, staring me down.

"Yeah once, but now every time I look at him, I see Marina, and every time I come across Nano, I think of him as her killer," I seethed, "So you can see why I just want to leave. If I'm clearly useless in this investigation, why do you keep asking me questions?"

"Everyone is getting questioned, Adriana," She assured, "And we only just started."

I rolled my eyes and slouch in the chair, "Fine, because all we're going to be doing is wasting my time and yours."

She stared at me for a moment, a small sympathetic smile on her face meeting my cold stare, "Are you okay, Adriana?"

"I'm fine," I huffed, "Why is everyone being, like, so dramatic?"

"Maybe because of what happened earlier," She stated, "Tell me, what did happen earlier?"

"Here," I tell Guzman and he looked up from his textbook to see the coffee in my wrapped up hand that was extended out to him. When I punched Nic, it seemed I punched him too hard and hurt my middle finger, causing me to wear a splint and ace band.

"What's this for?" He asked, taking it with caution as they hallways were beginning to fill up. Both Guzman and I left the house early, though I forgot about my coffee and couldn't get one another until lunch, which caused me to get one for him too.

"I heard you come in pretty late last night," I shrugged before eyeing him, "Please, don't tell me you were at Lu's, I've dealt with enough of her crying."

"I wasn't," He assured, sipping the coffee, "I think she hates me."

"Yeah, I think so," I agreed as I sat next to him in the hall chairs. He looked at me with raised brow, so I laugh, "Did you forget we were best friends, Guzman?"

"Oh yeah," He laughed lightly, closing his textbook, "You hate me too?"

I shook my head, "No, I just hate how I'm stuck listening to her rant about you cheating all the time." He lowered his head, rubbing his temple, "Is that why you're out here instead of at lunch with us?" I asked and he gave me a look, "She's going to get over it, Guzman."

"I know, it's just that I hated how our break up went," He sighed, before eyeing me, "It's just that I was falling out of love with her," He explained and I turned my body to him fully as he spoke, "I was grateful for her being there for me these past few months, but I just don't feel the same way I used to with her."

"Because you're feeling it with Nadia now?" I wondered and when he gave a hesitant nod, I smiled at him, "You know I'm okay with whatever you do, Guzman, as long as it means you're happy."

He smiled back, "Same goes to you," I sipped on my coffee as he cleared his throat, "Which is why I've been speaking with Ander." I stopped drinking from my cup to look at him with concern, "I told him how what happened with you and Niccoló was years ago and that you would never cheat on him."

"And? What did he say?" I asked him with urgency.

"He understood, but he thinks you're pissed at him, so he's keeping his distance," He informed me, "Are you going to talk to him?"

"Of course I am, it's his birthday," I sighed and Guzman hummed as he drank his coffee.

"Did you get him something?" He wondered and when I nodded, he grinned, "Well, show me."

"It's kind of cheesy," I told him, digging in my bag to pull out the gift I got Ander. I opened the box it was in, showing Guzman a golden bracelet with the letter A engraved on it, "I just thought that since I got an A from him, he could get one from me too."

"Wow, Adriana, that's actually really nice," He complimented and I smiled before the bell rang and I put the gift back in my bag, "Let's go to class."

I nodded, standing up, though I seen Ander coming down the hall. He skipped out on lunch too, causing me to assume it was because of me or because we would sing him happy birthday. I looked toward Guzman, "I'll catch up with you soon, okay?"

He looked over my shoulder and at Ander, who had his headphones on, "Okay, be nice."

I chuckled before he walked away and I stepped on front of Ander, who looked at me puzzled as he took off his headphones, "Hey, Ander."

"Hey." He replied back, but more as if it were a question.

"Can we talk?" I asked and he nodded, walking over to the seats Guzman and I were just in, even though we had class. When we both sat down, I dug in my bag, "First I wanted to give you this," I pulled out his gift again and placed it in his hand, "Happy Birthday."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Adriana," He assured, "But thank you." I only hummed, watching him open it to see the bracelet, "Wow, this is great. "

"I just felt like it was fitting considering you got me one," I explained, "And ever since you gave it to me, it became sort of a safe blanket for me." He looked up from the gift, wanting me to go on before I reached for the A that rested on my uniform to, "This necklace made me feel that no matter what, you were always there for me even when you couldn't be. I want that bracelet to be the same for you."

He smiled a bit, glancing at the gift only for his smile to fade, "Adriana -"

"Look, I know that we're both going through hell in this relationship right now, but this is just a bump we got to face before we reach the open road," I interrupted, before sighing, "I'm sorry, Ander, and I know my apology may not mean much to you right now, but I am. I wasn't doing what I promised you and that was to be there for you through both the good and bad like you would for me." I grabbed his hand, "There are things we may never get to tell each other and that's okay. It's going to be hard for me to understand, but I say it's okay because I know that we're going to be in the end."

Ander then stared at me for a moment, hesitation written all over his face, but I smiled, "I know, you're going to say that I'm the 'best and worst girlfriend in the world', right?"

"I would say you're in the middle," He chuckled, looking down at our hands before tightening his grip lightly and meeting my eyes again, "I'm sorry too and I'm being abundant with these apologies, but know that I mean every one of them."

I nodded at his words, before he leaned in and kissed me briefly, "I really hate arguing with you, Adriana."

"Gosh, really? I thought it was just a new sport you were trying out since tennis," I joked, but he gave me a look, causing me to toss up my hands, "Sorry, sorry. Too soon."

He laughed too, looking at the bracelet before talking with a pitched voice, "Now, is the A standing for you or for me?"

I smirked at his way to mock me when he gave me my necklace, so I cleared my throat and shrugged, having my voice get deeper than usual, "It's up to you."

He grinned, shoving me lightly, "I don't sound like that!"

"Yes, you do," I objected, pushing him back, "I don't sound like some guy going through puberty late."

"Haha, very funny. Have you ever thought of being a comedian?" He sarcastically added and I pushed him again, causing him to hold up his index finger as he stood up, "If you push me again, you will end up with another splint on your hand."

I give a fake laugh a hold up my injured hand, "I hope you can tell that I'm flipping you off right now."

He chuckled, putting on the bracelet, "Yeah, yeah, come on, Rocky Balboa. We're about 15 minutes late for class already because of you." I scoffed as I got up from the chair and walked with him to class, though I smirked a bit to myself before pushing him again playfully as we got close. I was about to hurry ahead, but he quickly scooped me up from behind, having me shriek with surprise and my feet barely touch the floor as he twirled me nonstop, both of our laughs echoing loudly in the hallway. Now this is the Ander I missed.