Falling Apart Pt. 2

The next morning I woke up with a headache from the all the crying I did last night. I could not believe what I had done; I had kissed someone who was not my boyfriend. Even today I still don't understand why I made that dumb move, my life would have been difficult if it never happened. I could not justify my kiss with Diego, no matter the way I said, I knew that I was going to hurt Ricardo either way. “Reyna, hurry up, I need to use the bathroom." Daniel was knocking the door loudly, "Hold on, I'm not done." I said. I had my own bathroom in my room, but the shower hose was not working so I had to use the one in the hallway. "Stop whining, I'm done." I open the door. 

Ricardo could not get the image out of his head, Why, Reyna, why couldn't you tell me? He pulled out his wallet and took out the picture, the picture of their first date, he could not stop looking at it. Today, he wanted to bother or spoken to today; he just wanted to be alone and think things through before he made a mistake. I drove up to the school’s parking lot and realize that Ricardo’s car wasn't in his usual parking spot. Maybe he’s running a little late, I thought. As I parked, I noticed my friends waiting for me. I got my backpack from the trunk and walked towards them. “Hey, what's going on?" I asked. We started walking towards the cafeteria. "Reyna, by any chance, have you heard from Lucy?" Karina asked me. "Um, actually, no I haven't, why, where is she?" I asked. "I don't know, yesterday she didn't come to school and she hasn't answered any of our tests." Karina answered. "Really?" I started to get worry, this was unusual for Lucy, she never missed school and she always replied our texts. "Maybe something came up." I said. 

“Good morning.” Karla greeted her brother when he walked in the kitchen but he ignored her. 
“Fine, don’t answer me.” Ricardo grab a monster from the fridge and walk out. “What is his problem?” Erika walked in the kitchen. “I don’t know. Did you see him get home last night?” Karla asked Erika. “No.”“How is everything Reyna? You must be stressing out huh?” Melissa asked me as we grabbed our breakfast. “Just a little. I’m just nervous, I leave in two weeks.” I said. “Wow, so soon, I thought by the end of the month.” She added. “Yeah, but they rather have me there early.” I reply. “Oh, so you’re going to miss the Prom?” “Well, actually, I’m coming back for that. I couldn't miss it and I promised Ricardo I would go with him.” I said. Karina was a bit a quiet. We sat in our usual booth. We shifted our conversation to Karina, “Hey, are you okay?” I asked her. “Yesterday, Alfredo found out that she’s a student here.”“Wait, Alfredo from the club? How?” I said. “He’s our English teacher’s assistant and he saw me.” Karina replied. “Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie.” I said. “It’s okay. It was my fault.” Karina slowly took a bit from her waffle.

Oh my gosh, it's almost 8, I have to get to school. She told herself. Lucy stood up from the bed. Ian opened his eyes. What's going on?" Ian slowly got up from bed. "I'm late for school." Lucy jumped to the bathroom to fix her hair and wash her face. Lucy's aunt came in the room. "How did you guys sleep?" she asked us." I did okay. Can we go see mom?" Ian asked Aunt Elena. "Of course. Where is Lucia?" she asked. "In the bathroom." Ian replied. "Mija, I have some Jenny's old clothes you can use." Lucy open the door. "Thanks Tia." "I'll be waiting for you down stairs to take you to school." Elena replied. "What about me?" Ian asked. "You're coming with me to work." 

The bell was about to ring so the girls and I decided to start walking to class. I wonder where was Ricardo, he hardly came to school late. I thought. As we made our way to the hallway, I saw Diego passed by us. I had doubts if I should talk to him after yesterday's stunt, I knew that Diego still had feelings for me and I didn't want to give him any hopes. "Hey, how come you're not parking in your usual spot?" Karla asked her brother. Ricardo ignored the question. "Do you have ride back home cuz I have a game with the guys today." Ricardo changed the conversation. "Um, no, but I could find one." "Diego, hey." I approached Diego. "Hi." he responded in a serious tone. "About last night..." I started to say. "Reyna, you don't have to say anything." he interpreted. "No, I do. I shouldn't have done what I did. It was a mistake from my part." I told him. "It's okay, I understand." Then with those words he walked away;  I saw the way he had looked at me, he knew how I really felt but he knew that I was never going to act on it. Ricardo made his way to his class and as he walked towards the main hallway, he glanced at Reyna and Diego talking. Ricardo could not stand to look at them together so he decided to turned around and walked the other direction. 

There was only 3 minutes left before the school bell rang and there was no sign from Ricardo. This is strange. I thought. Something wasn't right here. I walked in to my physics class. Ricardo had to get his mind of Reyna, he could not let her infidelity affect him. Stephanie walked over to Ricardo who was sitting in his desk alone, "Hey." Ricardo looked up and immediately looked away. "Um, hey are you okay?" Stephanie sat next to him. "I don't to be rude Stephanie, but I don't want to talk." Stephanie stood up and walked to other side of the class. The next to hours were tortured not because I didn't know where Ricardo was but realizing how much material I must know for the AP Exam next week. Not only for my physics class but also for my Calculus and English class. I kept staring at the clock back and forth, just trying to rush time and hopefully seeing Ricardo's smile as I walk out the door. I might not have been the perfect girlfriend and yesterday's stunt was evidence I wasn't but I was going to tell him the truth. "Reyna, here." Fernando gave me the answer to one of the questions that I was focusing on. Lucy arrived to her Art class a little bit late, "Sorry, that I'm late." Lucy excused herself to the teacher. "It's alright, Lucy, take a seat." Ms. Gonzales started the lesson. Lucy sat down in her usual seat and took out her sketch pad. Lucy had a lot in her mind in that moment, the status of her mother, her brother and even her troubling dad who she believe was responsible for her mother's fall. 

Ricardo stared at the writing prompt on the board, he thought the million ways he could start the essay but every time he tried, it seem like he couldn't continue his thoughts. What's wrong with me? He thought. While Ricardo was struggling to start his essay, Stephanie looked over at Ricardo who was just staring at the board; Stephanie knew that something was bothering him, she knew him too well to know he had something on his mind. 

Lucy had ignored the teacher's assignment and began to sketch something of her own. In the last 24 hours she had been thinking about her living room, to be more precise the stairs. Ms. Gonzales walked around the class and noticed that one of her students was not following her assignment. 
"Lucy..." she started to say something. "Sorry, Ms. Gonzales." "Don't worry. I'm just astound how you drew you living room with great detail, how?" she asked. "I don't know." Lucy responded. Ms. Gonzales reached for a piece of paper from her desk and handled it to Lucy. "Here, I think you should enter this art contest." Lucy took hold of the paper, Art Scholarship $1,500. Lucy smiled. "Before, I'll let you guys go, I just want you to know..." Our teacher was big in giving prep talks and she gave us one before the bell rang. "I hope this is the last speech." I told Araceli as she smiled. It's not that I didn't like her speeches but sometimes she can be a little dramatic. The bell finally rang, everybody stood up from their seats and walked out. Araceli and I walked out together. " So for sure tomorrow right?" she said. "Yeah, of course." I replied. I glanced my surroundings for a sign for Ricardo but no show. Brenda found it strange that Ricardo did not come by to get Reyna like he always does. 

I had two weeks left and I knew the next to weeks were going to be stressful. Next week I had three AP exams and the following week after that I had finals in all my classes. Just thinking about the stress I was going to be under was starting to give me a headache. Lucy could not stop thinking about the opportunity that Ms. Gonzales had offered her; she knew she wouldn't have a chance to apply for it because she wasn't going to college. Lucy realized that her French teacher had not come to school, so she took out her sketch book and continued to sketch. "Wow, did you sketch that?" Lucy looked up to see who had said that. "Yeah, I did." she replied. "You must be very talented." he added. Lucy just smiled. "How come you didn't participate in the art show?" "I don't like showing my art in public." she responded. The guy next to her. "Um, who are you?" she asked. "I'm Victor. I'm surprised that you don't remember me." he said. "We were in the same class together in 5th grade." Lucy looked at him. "Oh, I remember now." "Do you really?" "No." she smiled. 

Lunch Time

Gabbie and Karla had just come out from Life Science class, “So, my mom said that the only way I could go if your brother goes.” Gabbie told Karla. “Oh.” Karla wasn’t really paying attention to Gabbie but to Sergio who was standing with his friends by the boys’ restroom. Gabbie noticed, “Who are you staring at?” she asked but Karla totally ignored her question. For a moment, Karla and Sergio shared a moment. “Helloooo...” Gabbie tried to get Karla’s attention but it seem like Karla was memorized by Sergio. Sergio signaled to Karla to meet her by the bench, “Um, here, I’ll be right back.” Karla told Gabbie as she walked towards the bench.“Hey.” Sergio smiled. “Hi.” Karla smiled.

“I wanted to ask you something. Tomorrow night, some friends and I are planning to go to the beach for a bonfire, do you want to come?” he asked. Karla smiled. She look back at Gabbie who was just looking at her, “Sure, wait, as friends, right?” she asked. “Of course.” He replied. “Well can I invite Gabbie?” she added. “Of course.” He smiled. “Alright then, just text me later.” Karla walked back to Gabbie, “Um, what was that about?”Gabbie asked. “We just got invited to a bonfire tomorrow.” She said. “Oh no, tomorrow, I don’t think I can go. I have my cousin’s 15.”

I don’t know but I had a feeling that something was wrong. “What’s wrong?” Karina asked me. “I can’t reach Ricardo. Have you seen him?” I asked her. “No, I haven’t. Are you guys okay?” she asked. “Yeah, I think so.” Karina and I walked to the quad area to meet up with the rest of our friends but before we reached there, we encountered with Ricardo and Luis. “Ricardo, hey.” I walked up to him but he ignored me. I understand his sudden attitude, maybe he didn't hear me. “Ricardo, hey.” I said it a little more loudly but nothing. I looked over at Karina. Okay, something was definitely wrong, “Ricardo, I’m talking to you.” I touched his shoulder. He stopped walking and faced me. “I don’t want to talk to you.” He responded me in a rude way. “What is wrong with you?” I replied. He walked away from me. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” Ricardo turned to faced me again, “Reyna, I realized that you’re not good enough for me.” “What?” I stopped walking.

 He turned to face me again and said, “Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking when I asked you out.” People started to stare “Ricardo, I think you should chill out.” Karina stepped in. I could not believe what Ricardo was saying to me.  “No, Karina. Reyna needs to know the truth.” I didn't understand why Ricardo was acting this way and saying the things that he knew how much it hurt me. I couldn't let this get to me again, instead of fleeing away, I decided to do what I should have done with Diego. I slapped him twice. “Thanks for making my decision much easier.” I smiled and walked away. I tried not to let anyone see how hurt I was. Before she could reach to the cafeteria, Reyna went back and slap Ricardo again and said, “You have no idea what you just have done, it’s over Ricardo.” Reyna walked away from Ricardo with strength she thought she didn’t have. Karina and Melissa followed her to the parking lot. As she walked away, Ricardo glanced at her and realized he may have been a little harsh on Reyna. “What the hell was that about?” Luis confronted Ricardo. “I broke up with your cousin.” Ricardo walked away. 

Stephanie could not believe what had just occurred, its like her prayers had been answered and finally understood Ricardo's behavior. Stephanie quickly rushed to find Brenda to tell her the good news. 
I slowly made my way to the car when I ran into Diego. “Reyna, hey, are you okay?” he asked me. I looked away so he could not see that I was crying. “Nothing.” I just kept walking. As she walked away, Diego turned to the other direction and saw Karina and Melissa walking towards him, “Karina, hey, what’s wrong with Reyna?” he asked. “It’s none of your business.” Melissa answered. “Ricardo humiliated Reyna in front of the entire school, like you did.” “What?”he replied. “Ricardo told her that he was never interested in her and he just used her.” Diego could not believe what Karina had just told him. Diego rushed to find Ricardo. “Where are you going?” Karina asked him but he had already left. “What do you think he’s going to do?” Melissa asked. “I don’t know.” 

"Brenda?" Stephanie saw Brenda making out with Edgar behind the gym. "Am I interpreting?" Brenda pulled away from Edgar. "What was that about?" Stephanie asked her. "Um..." 
"I don't want to know. Guess what happen?” Stephanie with excitement told Brenda what had occurred in the quad. “What, no way!” Brenda tried to hide her joy. “Aw, I feel sorry for her.” Stephanie look at Brenda, “I mean, she didn’t deserve to be dump the same way.” Brenda replied. “I don’t care about her. I’m just glad that Ricardo dumped her.” Stephanie didn’t know what her boyfriend was behind her. “Hi Oscar.” Brenda said. Stephanie turned around, “Oh, hey babe.” She said. “So, why are you glad that Ricardo broke up with Reyna?” “Oh, no reason, I was telling Brenda about him because she told me she likes him and she could go after him.” Stephanie lied. “Is that true, Brenda?” Stephanie gave her a look. “Um, yeah.” She smiled. Not possible. I could not believe that Ricardo had this to me. He knew how it hurt when Diego did that to me, how could he? I didn't know if I should be sad or mad about the break up. I stood outside my car looking over at the empty parking spot next to mine; I didn’t understand Ricardo’s sudden change of behavior. “Hey, how are you doing?” Karina asked me. I look at her, “I’m doing okay, I’m just mad at him, I gave up a lot for him and that’s how he treated me.”Diego went up to Ricardo and punched him the face. “Oh, I don’t know why you are so mad, she’s single now. Now you guys can be happy with each other.” Diego punched him in the stomach. “What the hell are you talking about?” Ricardo swing a punch at Diego. “You know what I’m talking about. You and Reyna have been seeing each other behind my back.” Diego took a step back. “What? That’s not true.” Luis got the hold of Ricardo before he could punch again. The security guards took Diego and Ricardo to the office.

TO BE CONTINUED...