Episode 4
1008 Words
Rosalia grabs my left hand, holding it up as the light catches the diamond ring on my finger.
“This. You’re practically a pro at relationships. Three years and a ring, Rosalia. If anyone knows what it takes to make things work, it’s you.”
My cheeks flush as I instinctively start fidgeting with the ring.
“That’s different, Aria,” I mumble.
“Different how?” she presses, her voice skeptical, and I sigh.
“Adrian and I… we’re not exactly the textbook example of a normal relationship. You know that.”
Aria rolls her eyes, leaning back against the wall.
“Oh, please. We all know you’re dating an older guy, R. Big deal. People judge, sure, but you’ve never let it bother you before. So why does that make it different?”
I let out a small laugh, shaking my head.
“It’s not just the age thing. It’s… everything. From the start, our relationship has never been about fitting into anyone’s expectations. People have called me a gold digger, a sugar baby—whatever nasty thing they could think of. But I don’t care, because I know what we have is real.”
Aria watches me closely, her expression softening.
“And that’s why I want your advice. You’ve dealt with all the crap people throw at you and you still manage to be happy. How do you do it?”
I hesitate, my fingers brushing over the smooth surface of the ring.
“It’s not like I have some magic formula. Adrian and I… we’ve been through a lot. It hasn’t always been easy, but we make it work because we both want it to. We’re honest with each other, even when it’s hard. And we don’t let other people’s opinions dictate how we feel about each other.”
Aria tilts her head, clearly weighing my words.
“So, you’re saying I should just… ignore how scared I feel and dive in?”
“Not exactly,” I chuckle. “It’s okay to be scared. Commitment can be intimidating. But if Adrian means something to you—if you think there’s even the slightest chance he could be more than just a ‘amigo con derechos,’ then maybe it’s worth the risk. You don’t have to have everything figured out right away.”
Aria sighs, her shoulders slumping.
“I don’t know, R. I’ve been burned before. What if I mess everything up?”
I give her hand a gentle squeeze.
“Then you learn from it and move on. But what if you don’t mess up? What if it turns out to be something amazing? You’ll never know unless you try.”
She looks down at her lap, biting her lip as she mulls over my words. After a moment, she glances back at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“You make it sound so simple.”
I laugh, leaning back against the bed.
“Trust me, it’s not. But it’s worth it.”
Aria nods slowly, her smile growing a little wider.
“Okay. I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” I say, giving her a nudge. “And if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.”
“Thanks, R. I’ll let you know if I decide to risk it all.”
“Do it,” I tease, grinning. “You’re braver than you think.”
Aria rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. She leans back on the bed, her energy noticeably lighter than before, and then she perks up.
“Okay, enough of the deep stuff. Wanna go out clubbing with me tonight?”
I groan, sinking deeper into the mattress as if it could swallow me whole.
“I can’t. Finals are next week and I really need to study.”
Aria smirks, her eyes glinting mischievously.
“Oh, study, huh? Let me guess, you’re just hoping Adrian video-calls you later so you can get some… motivation.”
I freeze, my cheeks heating up instantly.
“Aria!” I scold, throwing a pillow at her.
She ducks, laughing wickedly.
“What? I mean, we both know he’s good at keeping you focused.” She drags out the word, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“You’re annoying,” I mutter, trying to suppress my own grin.
“I bet he has you bent over your desk half the time—‘Oh, Adrian, please help me study! I’ve been such a bad—’”
I lunge at her before she can finish, pinning her down on the bed.
“Shut up!” I yell, laughing despite myself.
She cackles, trying to wriggle out of my grasp.
“What? Am I wrong?”
“You’re so dead,” I growl, wrestling her as she shrieks with laughter.
“Admit it!” she teases, her face flushed from laughing so hard.
“Never!” I retaliate, tickling her sides until she’s gasping for air.
"Shut up!" I yell, laughing despite myself.
She cackles, trying to wriggle out of my grasp.
"What? Am I wrong?"
"You're so dead." I growl, wrestling her as she shrieks with laughter.
"Admit it!" She teases, her face flushed from laughing so hard.
"Never!" I retaliate, tickling her sides until she's gasping for air.
"Okay, okay! Mercy!" She pleads, tears streaming from her laughter.
I finally let her go, collapsing beside her on the bed as we both catch our breath. Aria turns to me, her smile wide and mischievous.
"You know I'm right, though."
I shove her lightly, grinning.
"You're insufferable."
"Part of my charm," she says with a wink before sitting up. "Alright, fine. I'll let you off the hook tonight, but you owe me a club night after finals."
"Deal." I say, rolling my eyes.
Aria stands, brushing herself off and heading toward the door.
"Good luck studying… and tell daddy I said hi."
"Get out!" I shout, throwing another pillow as she dodges it, laughing all the way out the door.
- Writer
