Page 10 of Hate That Blooms
Fuck, your skin looks so pretty with my mark on it. I can’t wait for there to be more. You even tasted like you were mine.
There won’t be anymore. Are you gonna tell me who you are?
Keep telling yourself that. Nope. You’ll have to wait and see. Now go to sleep.
Goodnight to you too, then. Stalker boy.
There is no doubt in my mind that I will break her down, make her mine, and forever alter the course of her life. Our connection is inevitable, and I will stop at nothing to make sure it happens. Gabriela Ruíz may not be aware of it yet, but she will soon realize that she will be mine, and mine alone.
Chapter5
Gabriela
The next morning, I stand in front of my mirror, applying makeup to the hickey in an attempt to cover it up. The last thing I need is for my mom to see it and then ask a million questions about the dance. Whoever my mystery stalker is, he is the biggest dick ever.
He also has the biggest dick I’ve ever seen. When I got the video of him stroking himself, I felt myself get wet just looking at it. Then he sent the picture. I almost died.
Something is seriously wrong with me. Getting wet from a random video of a guy masterbating.
I think it’s more the fact that he got off thinking about me. He came because of me, and that’s oddly hot.
I close my make-up bag and take one last look in the mirror before leaving my room. In the kitchen, Mireya is sitting in her chair at the table with Mom, trying to get her to eat something. Mom looks like shit, with dark circles under her eyes and her hair a mess. I lean down and kiss her on the head. “I got this, ma. Go shower and get some sleep. Do you have anything you need me to do today?”
On Saturdays, I try to run as many errands as I can to help. Sometimes it’s grocery shopping or just getting Mireya out so mom can sleep in a quiet house. Mom runs her hands down her face, then walks over to her bag on the counter. Taking out her wallet, she pulls out a couple of hundred-dollar bills and turns to grab the grocery list off the fridge.
“Do you think you can do the food shopping? I just don’t think I have the energy.” She holds out the money and a list for me. “Use whatever you don’t spend to do something with your sister, or, since it’s a nice day, maybe take her to the park?”
“What do you think, Reya? Wanna go shopping with me and then play in the park?” I reach over and squeeze my sister’s hand.
Mireya squeals in excitement and claps her hands together. “Park!”
I turn back to Mom and say, “I’ve got this. Go. Shower and then bed.”
As my mom heads back to the shower, I grab the money and grocery list, tucking them in my bag. Mireya and I make our way to the car, her little hand securely in mine. The sun is shining, and the crisp fall air feels amazing. In the car, we listen to Mireya’s favorite song over and over again. I roll the windows down so she can feel the cool hair whip through her braids. Little things I know she loves.
At the grocery store, I navigate the aisles, checking off items on the list one by one. Mireya happily sits in the shopping cart, her eyes wide with curiosity as she points out colorful fruits and snacks. I can’t help but smile at her innocence, momentarily forgetting about the troubles that consume my mind.
We turn down the snack aisle, and I come face to face with Thiago, Nathan, Joaquín, and a grown man who I assume is one of their dads.Fuck. The last thing I need right now is for them to fuck with me, with Mireya here.You know what? Fuck them.I continue to walk down the aisle with my head high, grabbing all the snacks on the list. Mireya points to her favorite puffs, and they just so happen to be where Joaquín is standing.
“Excuse me,” I choke out the words. “Can I just grab...”
“Puffs!” Mireya shouts. “I want my puffs.” She moans, rocking back and forth in the seat. I can tell she’s already getting overwhelmed, whether it’s from the loud surroundings of the store, the bright lights, or even other people. If I don’t act fast, she will start stimming, and then people will stare, and I don’t want to leave the cart full of stuff.
With a sigh, I clasp her hands and squeeze firmly. “It’s okay, Reya—we’ll get your puffs when he moves, okay?”
Joaquín looks at me with a look of confusion plastered across his face. He watches as I squeeze her hands in mine, taking in the way Mireya moves back and forth. It’s almost as if he puts it together, and then he turns to the bags of puffs, grabbing a bag and holding it up. I move my hands up her arms, giving her a deep pressure squeeze. I shake my head, and he puts the wrong bag back, grabs the correct bag, and holds it up.
His eyes lock with mine, and I nod.
Joaquín takes the bag and sets it in our cart. I swallow, and my heart races, just waiting for him to say something horrible to me.
But he doesn’t. He just looks at Mireya and gives her a smirk. “Que hermosa princesa.(What a beautiful Princess.)“ Then he follows his friends and the man down the aisle. Once they turn the corner, I let out a breath. My body is shaking and I can feel the sweat dripping down my body. He had the chance to be cruel but didn’t. Knowing him, I’ll get it at school.
Once we finish shopping, we load the groceries into the car and head home to drop them off. Afterwards, we walk to the nearby park. Mireya’s excitement is palpable as we make our way to the playground. She runs towards the swings, her laughter echoing through the air.
“Swing, Gabby! Push me.” Mireya giggles.
I push her on the swing, and I can’t help but feel a sense of relief. The weight of my mom’s constant absence and the mysterious stalker temporarily lifted. In this moment, it’s just me and Mireya, enjoying the simple joys of life. The age gap between us is big, with her being three and me being eighteen, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
