Page 2 of Curve Ball
“Six months.”
Those two words break my heart.
“Did you fuck him in our bed? In our apartment?” I will set all that shit on fire if she did. “Did you ever fuck him, then come home and fuck me?”
“I… Look it’s,” Natalia can’t even look at me as she tries to come up with whatever lies to make this seem less than what it is.
“Answer me.” I spit, though I can already guess that she did.
“You know what, fuck you, Gael. Yes. I fucked him in our bed. On our couch, in our shower. And, yes, some nights I would come home from fucking him and then would fuck you, too. You thought you got me really wet when it was just his cum still inside me.”
Keep it together, Gael. Do not cause a scene in your family’s restaurant.
“You need to find somewhere to go tonight. Have him come pick you up. You can pack your shit and leave tomorrow.” I catch my cousin’s eye and sign to her,I’ll text you later.
Okay, hope you’re good. I’m sorry, G.
Natalia gets up and walks away from the table and before she even gets out the door, I can hear her whispering into her phone. “Santi, can you come get me?”
Knowing that if I go home right now, all I’m going to do istake a bat to everything, I pull out my phone and send Kai a text.
Gael
Can I stop by? Nat and I broke up.
Kai
For sure. Do I need to bust out the tequila?
Gael
I’ll bring some.
“Fuck,”Kai mutters, bringing the glass to his lips and downing the tequila. “That’s some fucked-up shit, dude. Make sure you go get tested. Who knows what Santiago’s also been dipping in?”
I sit on Kai’s couch and sip leisurely, letting the burn from the alcohol numb the pain festering inside my chest.
“Am I just a piece of shit, Kai? Maybe I fucking deserved it, you know. I knew she wanted kids and wanted to get married… but it never felt right. What she wanted, the money, the status… I just don’t have that. Yet. Not saying that I won’t, but… she wanted that all right now.”
Kai pours more tequila into his glass and leans back in his chair. “Don’t let her get to your head like that. You’re a fucking amazing guy. Even if you had gotten married, she could have still cheated on you. She wants the fame. He’s got the fame. She wants the money and he’s got it. You think a piece of paper would stop her?”
He’s right. Natalia probably would have slept with him even if we were married. I don’t even think it was about not beingmarried or having kids. It almost feels like it was a cop-out. Just an easy thing to say to cause a rift between us.
“Can I crash here tonight? I told her not to come home tonight, but in case she does, I really don’t want to be there.”
Kai’s phone buzzes, and he doesn’t move to check it. “Bro, you don’t even need to ask.”
I motion to his phone. “Am I fucking up something for you?”
“Nah, it’s Isla.”
Ah, the stepsister.
The love of his life.
“Just make a move, man. The worst thing she could say is no.” It hurts to see him still pining for her, letting no one get close to him, hoping she’ll change her mind and finally be with him.
“She’s got a boyfriend.”
