Chapter 7 APRIL TORALBA

APRIL'S POV

Life is a paradox of contradicting similarities!!!

How do I explain to myself that a feeling I do not experience around other men, I experience whenever I'm close to the man who joined hands with my parents to raise me when he was still a teenager?

Yes, I know I'm f**ed up, but who isn't, huh?!

I see the way his eyes follow me. I act like they don't give a good burn to my back and my body but that's the lie I have to live with.

I acted like I was drunk and tried to kiss him but he stopped me. He made it so glaringly clear that he would never have anything romantic to do with me, and that drilled a hole in my pride and dignity intensely!

If I wasn't drunk, I wonder how I would have been able to face him the next morning and so I came up with the only sane thing that I could come up with.

I decided to get a boyfriend. One who will show up for family functions, take me out on cute dates and give me sweet love.

He will forget I ever made a move on him and think it was the alcohol that was acting when I tried to kiss him.

And so I came to Arsenio's party with my new boyfriend Darius and as we danced and laughed, I could still feel the eyes of Alejandro Fernandez all over me.

If he truly wants me, he should come for me. After all, he had made it in a not-so-subtle way that he would never have anything to do with me.

When it was getting late, and there were only a few people left, I decided to take Darius to my bedroom - to spend the night.

But I decided to do this when Alejandro was on the stairs - it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.

He was standing almost at the top of the stairs, making a call with a drink in hand.

Looking bashful and stealing my common sense - navy blue suit with a black shirt. His hair gelled back, his silver skull ring on one finger, and his overall masculine exuberance drew me freaking in.

The tattoo of the sky by the side of his neck was still peeking through despite his outfit - he looked really good.

And somehow I felt bad that my heart tried to compare him with Darius. Darius was also in a suit but my body felt as unalive as it could be, even though his hand was on me for a good part of the night.

Alejandro didn't need any part of his body to be on me before I felt like I was riding through the clouds.

A smile, a gaze, an absent brush of his finger on mine - was just more than enough.

"How do you feel baby?" I asked Darius - one of my hands on his chest, one of his arms around my waist as I led him up to my room.

"I'm just tired my love.

I know this might be the wrong time to say this, but you didn't get to formally introduce me to your parents and godparents." Darius said. Staying so close to him, I could feel how nervous he was and I couldn't blame him.

I could be a little scary sometimes.

Because Alejandro was still some stairs away, I tucked the viper within me and decided to respond to him in the sweetest way I could muster.

"I'm sorry my love. Before you leave tomorrow morning, I'll introduce you to all of them. They just had too many people to deal with because of my brother's return.

I hope you understand.."

We were already close to Alejandro by the end of my response and I'm certain Alejandro had heard a good part of it.

"Maybe we can start now. Uhmm, meet my uncle - Uncle Alejandro.

Uncle Alejandro meet my boyfriend - Darius Bryce." I said with a smile.

The two men shook hands.

Alejandro was leaning on the stairs lazily while Darius was standing but I could feel the intimidating aura Alejandro was trying to feed Darius.

Alejandro didn't let Darius' hand go and instead held onto it.

Even though we are not in any way related by blood, he was like a guardian to me, hence the 'uncle' name.

"I never thought I would see the day my dear April will bring a man to the family," Uncle Alejandro said with a small lift to his upper lip as he looked from Darius to me.

"I...I guess I'm the favoured one then" Darius said with a nervous chuckle. Alejandro was beginning to get to him.

Uncle Alejandro was still shaking Darius' hand, and I knew it was time to intervene, or we could be indirectly staged like this for the whole night.

"We'll be going now, Zio. Darius and I uhm..." I coughed slightly - a gesture to guide and to misguide.

"...you know, have a long night ahead of us," I finished.

After applying small pressure to Darius' hand that caused a yelp from Darius and the reddening of his fingers, Uncle Alejandro let Darius' hand go.

"Together?

In one room?

A long night?" Uncle Alejandro pressed.

I placed a hand on my chest.

"Forgive me, Zio, I meant a long day tomorrow, and yes, we will be spending the night together," I said with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"That won't be happening!' Uncle Alejandro said briskly, his grip around the wine cup tightening and I pitied the poor glass.

My eyes and those of Darius strained on him.

"Your parents..." Uncle Alejandro started, realizing his slip-up.

"My parents are fine.

They understand that I'm a grown-up who has needs, and they are very comfortable with whatever decision I make, unlike some persons," I said, maintaining sizzling eye contact with him.

"Darius, will you mind giving us a few minutes," Uncle Alejandro said. He didn't ask. It wasn't a freaking question, it was a direct command and Darius immediately slipped his other arm away from my waist and took the stairs.

Immediately, Darius was out of hearing; Uncle Alejandro fixed me with a stare.

"What are you playing at April?" He asked, calling me by my name.

Which he doesn't normally. Where did all the endearments go?

And now I was pissed.

"I am not playing at anything. I am a twenty-eight-year-old woman who knows the difference between right and wrong," I pressed.

"I very well know that but not in this matter.

You do not know what is right or wrong here. You are still very much inexperienced"

I lifted my brows questioningly.

"And how would you know that dear Zio?"