"There's a lot of stuff that we need to say to each other, and if we don't say it tonight we never will." Gabi said as she and Antonio walked side by side down the alley. She wanted to clear things out between them and get everything settles…but another part of her didn't want to. Because that might mean they would settle into a way that Gabi didn't want.
"What do you mean?" Antonio asked as he studied the wall. Then the ground. Anywhere but into Gabi's lovely dark eyes.
"This is the last night we are ever going to see each other." She said, somewhat bitterly. She didn't want her best friend to leave her…she didn't want to be alone. And with Antonio gone, she would be alone in a way that no other person could fill the place of.
"I know Guatemala's far away Gabi, but I'll come home and visit." He said, feebly trying to offer her some comfort. She saw right through it, as usual.
"I'm not so sure that's true Antonio." Gabi replied, knowing that if things were left the way they were then Antonio wouldn't exactly be chomping at the bit to come back and see her. More like he would dread it.
"Let's not make this harder than it has to be, okay? Let's just say good-bye at the party that my family's throwing for me tomorrow." This was horribly painful for Antonio, having to say goodbye to Gabi, and he wanted to prolong it as long as he could. Besides, he knew it would be easier if his mother and Maria were there. He would be less prone to say something that he would regret.
"I'm not going to your party, Antonio." Gabi said, surprised that he hadn't realized that it would be to hard for her. Seeing Antonio again, after they had this conversation that she was so set on having, would be impossible.
"Why? Is it something my mother said to you?" Antonio demanded, not for the first time wishing that his mother would leave Gabi alone and stop trying to hurt her.
"Not yet." Gabi said ironically, knowing that Carmen would have an earful for her. And this time Gabi couldn't just write it off as a jealous mother's raving. Carmen was right, and they both knew it.
"Then why?" Antonio asked. He had a good guess why, but he wanted, just once, to hear her admit feelings for him. He was leaving the country the next day, there would be no harm in one final admission.
"I can't go to your party Antonio. You know why." She didn't want to have to say it. Even thinking the words seemed like too much of a sin.
"Is it because of what I said to you? "Shaking his head, he added. "I only told you that because I felt that I didn't have a choice." She hadn't given him a choice really, and she knew it.
"That you have feelings for me? Then you asked me if I have feelings for you." Gabi said.
"You never answered my question." Antonio reminded her.
"Because we were interrupted, and I was glad we were, because I didn't want to tell you the truth. But now I have to." But she still didn't want to. The truth was too hard to face, as used to it as Gabi was it never got any easier.
"Gabi, please don't do this." Suddenly it was Antonio getting the cold feet. He knew how she felt; she didn't need to say it. Hearing her speak the words would only make it that much harder to say goodbye and it was already hard enough as it was.
"Antonio, you're going to hear me out." She said determined to get the words out. This time there would be no more interruptions.
"Okay, just say it already." He said, realizing that she was going to tell him whether he wanted to hear it or not. And it wouldn't exactly be the worst thing that he could have been made to listen to.
"You have been the best friend I could ever ask for. You have been my rock, you've been my supporter and, and you have given so much of yourself to me. I'll never forget that. I'll never, I'll never have another friend like you. I'll never let you out of my heart Antonio." Hearing her tell him this…it was too much for him, exactly like he had been hoping it wouldn't be. She looked him in the eyes and saw him something that was intimidating to her. It was more intense than anything she had ever seen in his eyes, or anyone else's for that matter. A deep, unadulterated love; emotions that had been buried so deep and were just now being uncovered.
"Is that all I am to you, Gabi? A rock, a supporter? Is there more to us than friendship?"
"Please, Antonio…don't make me answer that."
"Why Gabi? Will I not like the answer, or would it be too much for you to handle? It's there between us Gabi. I can feel it and so can you. The first time we kissed…the dance we shared. And now…it's sizzling between us now isn't it?" He had a strange gleam in his eye as he stepped closer to Gabi, backing her up against the wall behind her. Her heart began to pound as he braced his arms on either side of her, assuring that she wouldn't escape him this time.
"Antonio…what…" She tried to say, but the fierce look in his eye stopped her. His mouth…suddenly she was distracted by the close proximity of his lips to hers. Her breath was getting shallow as he moved closer, licking his lips in preparation for…for what? What was he doing, Gabi wondered. A few seconds later, she found out. His lips came crashing down on hers with a passion that overwhelmed her completely. She gasped into his mouth and he took the advantage to slip his tongue in tasting her sweet and completely Gabi taste. She seemed to melt against him as she surrendered to the kiss. Her arms tangled around his neck as she ran her hands through his hair and moaned into the hot, delicious mouth that was pressed against hers. This was the most amazing kiss that Gabi had ever had…there was more emotion behind this moment held more promise than her entire relationship with Ricardo.
An eternity later they managed to pull themselves apart, both breathless and in awe of the raw passion behind their embrace. "Antonio…" Gabi began to say, but he silenced her by placing a finger against her softly swollen lips.
"Don't say anything, Gabi. I…I love you. I think you love me. Would you…I know this is unfair to ask this, but do you think we could have a chance? The priesthood isn't my life, I've known that for a while now. I want to be with you, Gabi…" He left the sentence hanging, unsure of what else needed to be said.
"I would like that." The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to think about or regret them, not that she did even after considering what she had done. "Antonio…I love you, too." She added shyly. Antonio smiled softly as he caressed the side of her face and lowered his mouth to hers for a more tender, loving kiss. There would be hell to pay for their actions tomorrow; they both knew it, but that wasn't going to stop them. Nothing was going to stop them.