Hugo pulled her into his arms.
"Well, I came."
Misheal gave him a punch on the stomach
"You are late."
Marco laughed hard.
"You deserved that."
Hugo grinned
"You think I deserve that, wait untill Sonia arrives."
Marco's eyes widened
"Wait who invited Sonia."
After a while they reached a small roadside ice-cream stand.
Nothing fancy.
Everything perfect.
Andre gave a small smile.
"It's been a while since I had one of these."
They all went and crowded the ice cream stand
Marco held up three cones.
"One for me, one for my future, and one for my emotional damage."
Andre grabbed one from him.
"Your future just got eaten."
Hugo rolled his eyes.
"Can someone please explain why we're friends with him?"
Marco gasped.
"Because I bring flavor to your boring life."
Sonia suddenly appeared behind them and jumped on Marco.
Marco jerked as if struck by lightning.
"JESUS—where did you come from?!"
"Home."
"…I was doing a little work for my grandma."
Marco gave a dry smile
"Ok."
Andre and the others exchanged pleasantries with her
Then she turned her attention back to Marco
"So where's my ice cream."
Marco raised both his hands
"I don't have any money on me again."
"Then give me yours."
"What no way."
Then she grabbed him by his head
She smirked and whispered into his ears.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"You talk too much. Let's walk."
Marco blinked.
"Help I'm being kidnapped?"
"Please take him faraway." Maria shouted.
They disappeared down another path.
Just then Hugo and Misheal we're walking down the street separately.
Maria chuckled
"Oh I see everyone is moving in pairs."
Hugo placed his hand on Misheal's shoulder
He glanced at her.
"…You've been staring at me for the past five minutes."
She scoffed.
"I was observing your stupidity."
"Sure."
A pause.
"…You thought i wouldnt come"
She didn't respond.
Then quietly
"…I would have killed you if you hadn't."
Hugo smiled faintly.
"I thank my stars then."
"So what my reward for coming."
She nudged him.
"You don't get anything."
Maria put her hand on her waist with a surprised look
"And that's how they left, without saying a word."
Then she checked her phone.
"OhI need to run an errand. I'll catch up later!"
She looked at Andre briefly.
Then Esmeralda.
A small knowing smile.
"…You two have a great time."
"And don't stay out late."
"The weather looks like it will rain."
And just like that
She left.
Now it was just Andre and Esmeralda.
Silence.
Different now.
Quiet.
They walked side by side.
Esmeralda broke the silence first.
"So it's just me and you huh?"
Andre didn't move.
"Yep it's just me and you."
Esmeralda glanced at him.
Then away.
Then back again.
"…You're really quiet."
"Bring something up."
Andre didn't look at her.
"What do I bring up?"
.
" Something to talk about."
"Like what."
She slowed her steps slightly.
"…Like you and Maria."
A pause.
"…You two seem to be in love?"
Andre finally looked at her.
Straight.
Unfiltered.
The laughed hard
"Why do you all keep asking the same questions."
She stopped walking.
"…You mean there is nothing?"
Andre stepped closer.
"… There's nothing, we are best friends."
She smiled slowly.
Dangerously soft.
"…Thats good."
"What good about that?"
"… You are unbelievable."
She stepped closer.
Now barely inches away.
"…Do you do that on purpose?"
Andre didn't move.
"…What."
Her eyes dropped briefly
to his lips.
Then back up.
"…You always play dumb when it comes to issues like this."
She tilted her head.
Studying him.
Then
Softly.
"…Do you know I like you?"
Andre didn't react immediately.
"…You say things very directly."
She smiled.
"I don't like wasting time."
A pause.
Then she leaned in slightly.
"…Or are you going to pretend you didn't notice?"
Andre exhaled lightly.
"…No I didn't."
Their eyes locked.
Something shifted.
Then
Thunder.
The sky cracked open.
Rain.
Sudden.
Heavy.
Esmeralda gasped.
"…Are you serious right now?!"
Andre looked up.
"…Seems like we will have some drying to do."
Esmeralda gasped.
"…Oh come on!"
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
Not the controlled one.
Real.
Bright.
They ran.
Half-running, half-laughing
Until they reached a small shelter.
Barely enough space.
They stood there.
Close.
Closer than before.
Rain crashing around them.
Water dripping from her hair.
From his sleeves.
From everything.
She looked up at him.
Breathing slightly faster.
"…This is your fault."
Andre raised a brow.
"…I control the weather now?"
"You invited me out."
"…And I dragged you to come."
She smiled.
"…You rascal."
A pause.
Then softer
"…I'm glad I did."
Andre stepped just a little closer.
"Why?"
She didn't look away this time.
"…Because I get to see this side of you."
A pause.
"…The one no one else sees."
Andre's voice lowered.
"...And what do you think of it?"
She studied him.
Carefully.
Honestly.
"…It's dangerous."
A beat.
"…I might actually fall for it."
Silence.
Rain filling the gaps.
Her fingers slowly reached out
Lightly gripping the edge of his shirt.
Not pulling.
Just… holding.
"…Tell me something honestly."
Andre didn't move.
"Go on."
"…If I kissed you right now…"
A pause.
Her voice dropped.
"…would you stop me?"
Everything froze.
Andre's eyes locked on hers.
"…No."
Her breath caught.
But
She didn't kiss him.
Instead
She smiled.
Soft.
Teasing.
Pulling back slightly.
"…Good."
Andre frowned slightly.
"…Good?"
She turned just a little.
Looking out at the rain.
"…Because I don't want easy."
A glance back at him.
Eyes shining.
"…I want something worth waiting for."
That hit differently.
Andre exhaled slowly.
"…You're complicated."
She smiled.
"And you like it."
A pause.
Then
She leaned her head lightly against his shoulder.
Just for a moment.
"…Don't tell anyone about this."
Andre didn't move.
"…I won't."
Rain kept falling.
But neither of them moved away.
Then after some minutes the rain stopped.
Not completely gone. Just reduced to that soft dripping sound from rooftops and trees.
Andre and Esmeralda walked side by side toward his house.
Quiet.
Comfortable.
Almost too comfortable.
"…So this is how poor people walk home?" Esmeralda teased lightly, stepping over a puddle.
Andre glanced at her. "…Carefully."
She smirked. "I've been walking in heels since I was twelve. I think I—"
Her foot hit wet mud.
Slipped.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh—"
She grabbed the nearest thing
Andre.
Bad decision.
Both of them went down.
Hard.
SPLASH.
Mud everywhere.
Silence.
Then
Marco would have been proud of this moment.
Because it was perfect.
Esmeralda sat there.
Frozen.
Mud on her arms. Her clothes. Her face.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Then slowly turned to Andre
Who looked just as bad.
"…Did we just… fall?" she asked.
Andre looked down at himself.
Then at her.
"…Yes."
A pause.
Then
She burst out laughing.
Not elegant. Not controlled.
Loud. Messy.
Andre stared at her for a second…
Then, he laughed too.
"You dragged me down with you," he said.
She pointed at him immediately. "You were standing in the wrong place!"
"That's not how gravity works."
"It worked just fine."
They both tried to stand
Slipped again.
Almost fell
Then caught each other.
Faces close.
Way too close.
Silence again.
Then Esmeralda cleared her throat quickly and stood up properly.
"…Okay. New rule."
Andre raised a brow. "…What?"
"We pretend this never happened."
"I know, I won't want to hurt the pride of the stubborn donkey."
"Who's the stubborn donkey."
Mrs Jenkins residence.
They walked into the house.
Dripping.
Leaving a trail behind them.
Mrs. Jenkins' voice echoed from somewhere:
"…If that's mud on my floor, I will—"
She stepped out.
Saw them.
Paused.
"…I'm not even going to ask."
She turned and walked away.
"…Just clean it."
Esmeralda covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
"…I like her."
Andre sighed. "That my great grand mummy."
She laughed loud "You are as dumb as a chicken."
They both laughed again.
He grabbed a towel quickly.
"The bathroom is that way he said pointing to a door."
A few minutes later
Andre stood outside the bathroom door.
Holding a towel.
"…mmm....You forgot this."
No response.
"…Esmeralda?"
"Are you in there?"
"...Are you hurt."
Still nothing.
He frowned slightly.
"…I'm coming in."
He pushed the door open
And froze.
She was there.
Half turned.
Water droplets still on her skin.
Hair damp.
Wrapped in nothing but.
Barely anything.
Her eyes met his.
Silence.
Dead.
Absolute.
"…Get. Out."
Andre moved faster than human logic allowed.
Door slammed shut.
Outside
He stood still.
Processing.
"…That was not intentional."
From inside.
"YOU THINK?!"
A beat.
Then
"…You saw nothing."
Andre blinked. "…I saw something."
"ANDRE."
"…Nothing. I saw nothing."
A pause.
Then
A muffled laugh.
She opened the door slightly
Just enough to snatch the towel from his hand.
Their fingers brushed.
"…Next time," she said, trying to sound serious, "…knock properly."
Andre leaned against the wall.
"…Next time, answer."
She shut the door again.
But this time
She was smiling.
A few minutes later
She stepped out.
Wearing his shirt.
Slightly oversized. Falling just enough.
Paired with simple shorts.
Her hair still damp. Face bare.
No luxury. No status.
Just her.
And somehow
She had never looked more beautiful.
Andre turned
And froze.
Just for a second.
Then looked away.
"…Who gave you permission to wear my clothes."
She smirked slightly.
"Say you don't want me to wear them."
"i don't ."
"Liar."
She walked closer.
Slow steps.
Confident.
"…Do I look good?"
Andre exhaled slowly.
"…You always do."
That
Caught her off guard.
Neither of them mentioned it.
But the tension?
It had changed.
Warmer now.
Closer.
Outside
The car arrived.
Driver stepped out.
Professional as always
But even he paused slightly at the sight of mud-stained shoes and damp hair.
Esmeralda turned to Andre.
"…You know…"
A small smile.
"…I've had luxury parties, private jets, vacations in places people dream of…"
She stepped closer.
"…But today?"
A pause.
"…Falling in mud, almost dying of embarrassment, getting yelled at…"
She laughed softly.
"…Today is the best day I've had in a long time."
She stepped closer.
"…Thank you, Andre."
Her voice was softer now.
Honest.
Real.
And then
She rose slightly on her toes.
Closed the distance.
And pressed a light kiss against his cheek.
Warm.
Andre didn't move.
Didn't react immediately.
But something in his expression shifted.
She pulled back slowly.
Smiling.
"…Don't get used to it."
A playful warning.
But her eyes said the opposite.
She turned.
Opened the car door.
Then paused.
Looked back at him one last time.
"…Next time…" A small smile. "…you're the one coming to my house."
A small, dangerous smile.
"…and try not to fall for me."
The car drove off.
Andre stood there.
Quiet.
Hand slowly touching his cheek again.
Then he muttered to himself
"…I'm definitely falling."
A faint smile.
"…Donkey."