Chapter 11
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Florian
Voices murmur as I wake up.
I am lying in my bed.
My clothes are on, even my socks, and I stretch my toes. My body aches, my head even more. There’s some water in a glass on my nightstand, and I sit up and take a sip.
The voices continue to hum.
Mateo.
I leave my room. The rain has stopped, and light shines over the tile.
I pad down the hallway. This place is more modern than I’m used to. But then, I am in America.
“You’re going to wake him,” Mateo says.
“But you need to tell me,” a woman whines.
I enter the living room.
A woman with dark hair notices me at once, and she smiles. “Hello.”
“Hello,” I respond.
Mateo turns around. His cheeks redden. “I’m sorry we woke you.”
“That’s okay. I slept a lot already.”
I glance at the woman. She’s about Mateo’s age with similar dark eyes and dark hair. “I was unconscious.”
Mateo smiles. “You worried us.”
“I am sorry.”
“You’re very handsome,” the woman says, rolling her gaze over me.
“You’re embarrassing him, Gina,” Mateo says.
I nod, because my cheeks are hotter than before.
“Are you Mateo’s sister?” I ask.
“I am!”
“We must have met already,” I tell her.
Mateo and his sister exchange glances.
“Of course,” Mateo says. “She was just commenting that you look extra handsome now.”
“Oh.” I give a pleased smile. “My hair isn’t done.”
“See? Gina likes men with bad hair.” Mateo’s eyes widen. “Not that your hair is bad.”
“It’s giving rolled out of bed vibes, which makes everyone think of bedtime,” Gina explains.
I step away slightly.
Bedtime activities.
Mateo and I must have done them.
Were they good? They must have been good.
Will he expect more bedtime activities now?
I waited so long to lose my virginity, and when I finally did, I got hit on the head and can’t remember anything.
Is Mateo expecting us to do things tonight? Things maybe I eventually got the hang of doing, but definitely don’t know how to do now?
My breath quickens, and I shift my legs from side to side.
Mateo is next to me at once. “You can take a seat, Florian.”
“Okay.”
Mateo leads me to the couch. He looks like he’s going to leave me there, and I pull him onto my lap.
He gives a startled gasp, then leans against me.
Gina giggles. “You two are so cute together.”
I nod, and she giggles further.
“I’m sorry I forgot you,” I tell his sister.
Awkwardness fills the room, and I hate it. Mateo and his sister were laughing. I know Mateo is my boyfriend and that I have met his sister before, but now it feels like we are strangers.
“It’s okay,” she says. “It’s not your fault.”
The awkwardness remains there, and I take Mateo’s hands and link his fingers with my own. He inhales slightly, and the sound is adorable.
Mateo is so beautiful, and I am so lucky I met him. Even though it’s strange to be here with someone who knew us in that period I forgot.
Gina looks at me curiously.
I suppose it must be strange to be in the presence of someone who forgot dating her brother.
“So Gina,” I say, “please tell me about yourself.”
“Mateo didn’t fill you in on me straight away?” she asks.
I glance at Mateo. He’s sending her some sort of warning glance. It’s cute. It reminds me of the warning glances that I might send Annika.
“There was a lot for me to take in. I didn’t even know what country I was in!” I give an awkward laugh.
Gina’s expression sobers. “Well, now you know.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you like being in the US?” she asks. “Do you wish you were still in Germany?”
“I always wanted to come here. It was my dream.”
I notice a bag by the door. “What’s in that?”
“Gina brought over a few of my things.”
“Oh. That is very kind of you, Gina. I am sorry to inconvenience you.”
“It’s really okay,” Gina says. “I’m happy to meet you.”
Mateo frowns.
“Re-meet you, I mean,” Gina says. “Obviously, I already know you. But I, uh, know you don’t know me.”
For some reason she seems flustered. Two red circles decorate her cheeks. I sigh. I hate that I’ve made her uncertain. Mateo trembles in my lap.
“I know what you mean.” I squeeze Mateo’s hands. “Thank you for your patience.”
“It’s nothing.” Mateo’s voice squeaks.
“Are you hungry?”
Mateo is silent.
“Mein Gott, you must be hungry. You’ve just been waiting for me to wake up. Sitting in that hospital room.”
“It was fine, Florian,” Mateo says. “You shouldn’t worry about me. At all.”
I move Mateo from my lap, then go to the kitchen. I must have some takeout menus here.
Mateo and Gina follow me. They exchange glances.
“We’ll make you something,” Gina says. “Have a seat.”
“It’s my place,” I sigh.
“And Mateo is your boyfriend.” Gina winks at me, then giggles, which is—well, weird. But everyone always says Germans have no sense of humor, so maybe I’m missing something.
I perch on a kitchen stool, while Mateo and Gina regard the contents of the fridge, freezer, and cabinets.
They make chili. It is excellent.
Mateo’s thigh is warm against mine, as Gina chatters about her PhD program.
This is what I was missing. All those years of quiet apartments and early nights and pretending I didn’t want precisely this.
I am so lucky.