fallin' out of love (stemxstud)

Valentine

I was driving Anaela back to her car at the little eating spot we had met up at earlier, the road a long stretch before me.

"You don't think you were a little rough to your old friend," I asked after a long drive of silence. "Pouty seemed genuinely scared."

"Yeah...I didn't mean to be," she said softly. One glance over at her, and I could see how broken up she was about all of this. Maybe she only acted that way in the heat of the moment. But before she had slipped those shades over her eyes, I could have sworn I had seen so much desire to...hurt in them.

"I don't want you to think of me any differently because of what I did. I'm sorry, Tino," she apologized.

"We're just trying to let Dom rest peacefully. I think we've finally accomplished that."

"We know her killer. Why she did it. Who helped out," Anaela listed off. "But now what?"

"You don't want them all dead, do you?" I glanced over at her in the passenger seat.

"I don't want Pouty to be killed. No matter what she's done-

"Your loyalty stretches too thin," I said tightly. "It's mercy enough that we let the little girl live."

"It is. But she deserves more mercy. Sissy needs to die, Valentine," Anaela looked over at me. I trained my eyes on the road, hoping I wouldn't get sucked into helping. "Will you help me?"

"You're the big bad gang leader now. I'm trying to turn my life around. I shouldn't even...be involved in any of this crap, Anaela."

"I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"I need to figure out things with Teece now too. Since I know she didn't aid in Dom's death... intentionally, I need to see what I'm gonna do as far as her."

"Leave," Anaela said simply. "And come be with me."

"What if I don't want that?" I glanced over at her.

"Then let me the fuck out of this car, Tino, because my heart has been aching for you for months. Something in me must have known we weren't really cousins. And now that we know Teece set Keris up and she set us up, so she could be with you, you wanna stay with the bitch?"

She took off her seatbelt, the car dinging. "I don't know how we're not related. I swear some of your fam looks like mine. And that girl related to me that came up to me and spoke...I don't know. But the point is that I have proof that we aren't related. But now you wanna be with the bitch?"

"Anaela, I've known her for so long."

"And it's felt like I knew you forever. Let me out, Tino. Right now."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't wanna hear it," she shook her head. "I don't wanna hear anymore excuses."

"An-

She shot her leg over the controls and slammed the brakes, stepping hard on my foot in the process. The car lurched to a quick stop on the road, and she unlocked her door, stumbling out and grabbing her things. "I loved you!" Tears ran down her face as she clutched her things. "You weren't supposed to be a liar too, Tino!"

I unbuckled my seat belt, turning on my hazards as I got out of the car and jogged after Anaela on the side of the road. "I had months to get over how I felt about you and I found love in Teece instead. How can you hate me for that? Our mother's wanted us apart once they knew...once they thought they knew who we were to one another. I'm sorry I didn't spend all those months hoping for something I didn't think could be possible- love with you."

"Teece," she pressed her fist against my chest, her eyes spilling over with tears, "is gonna be the reason why you're never happy. And I hope...the day comes when you realize that I'm the only one who's had your back. Me and no one else."

"I guess we'll have to wait for that day then," I said, gently taking a step back.

"I guess so," she said, sniffing as she angrily wiped her tears away. "Thanks for nothing, Valentine."

"You're welcome," I whispered, my eyes sad.

Her hand made contact with my cheek, just as I thought she was gonna walk away. "You don't get to hurt me. Nobody does. Not anymore." The sting of her slap stunned me my whole drive home. Passing her up on the side of the road. Driving past all of the familiar business on my way home.

I pulled into our driveway, and it was already starting to get a little bit dark out. I pulled down the little flap above my head and stared at my face in the small mirror, my cheek still red from where Anaela had slapped me at.

The pain might disappear...but the pain I caused her.

"Tino, you okay? I saw when you had pulled up, but I got worried when I didn't see the car door open after awhile," Teece said, outside the car.

I rolled the window down, staring at her, my eyes hard.

"I'm sorry," her hand shook on the roof of the car.

She knows that I know now.

I shook my head a little, blinking furiously so I wouldn't let the tears fall. "Did it ever occur to you...that we would fall in love...in our own due time?" I asked her, my voice thick with emotion.

Her eyes started to water as she stared at me inside of the car, leaning on it for support. "You wanted to play God. And you don't even know how many people you've gotten killed...because of... your actions."

She tried to open her mouth, one tear falling down her cheek instead.

"Dom is dead. Keris is dead. And another girl is gonna die soon. It might be Anaela. It might be Sissy. It might be Mayah. Or it might be Pouty. Some of those names may not ring a bell for you, Teece. But for me they do. How can I love someone...like you?"

Two more tears dribbled down her face, and she sniffled, rubbing them away with the sleeve of one of my sweatshirts.

"Why, Teece?" I shook my head. "Why?"

"I wanted you to love me," she said quietly.

Us laughing together, us planning to conquer the world, us smiling, us taking our first shots.

"All the good memories we had together...and now they're tainted by your fucking mistakes. All this time, I was trying to get you to forgive me and you did some of the most unthinkable shit. And you've been lying to my face."

"I couldn't tell you," she shook her head slowly, not bothering to stop the tears now. "I knew you'd hate me," she hiccuped, "I knew...I didn't want you to hate me," she whispered, tears rolling quickly.

"Well I hate you now," I stated, taking in a deep inhale. "Get your stuff out. And take the car with you. Consider it a parting gift."

"Tino please," Teece reached into the car, holding my shoulder as she pleaded. "Please. I just wanted your love."

"No. No," I laughed, squeezing my eyes shut even though wetness still trailed my face. "You're not shit to me anymore, Teece." I couldn't even look at her.

"Let me stay," she grabbed my neck, shaking it as she pleaded. She didn't want to kill me. Her grip wasn't tight. My eyes flew open at the action, observing her own heavy with sadness and regret. She shook me, clutching my throat as she pleaded for forgiveness.

Seeing that I wouldn't relent, her cold, wet hands left my body and she sobbed on the ground next to my car.

"When you're done with your show, make sure you don't forget your ugly shower curtain." I reached into my glove compartment and pulled out a blunt, searching for my lighter.

I smoked as Teece sobbed on the warm ground besides me.

I never took betrayal lightly.