However, from Ares’s expression, I can see that he wants to say something about it, so I decide to talk about something else before he opens his mouth. I remember my conversation with Samy.
“Can I ask you something?” I ask. He brings my hand up entwined with his and kisses it.
“Of course.”
“Claudia and Apolo, do they have something going on?”
“I’ve already told you . . .”
“Okay, okay, just tell me one thing,” I consider my words. “Dani is crazy in love with him, and I don’t want her to suffer, Ares. You don’t have to tell me what’s going on exactly, just tell me if I should tell my best friend to forget about him or to keep her hopes up, please.”
Ares looks at me, twisting his lips. I see him hesitate. Finally, he speaks.
“Tell her to forget about him.”
Oh.
That hurt me, and I’m not even Daniela. I guess that’s the thing with best friends, you feel for them, with them, sharing not only stories but emotions too. Ares doesn’t say anything else, and I know I won’t get anything more from him, so I drop the subject. I just watch him walk beside me and I remember so many things that my heart gets tight.
You think I don’t know about your little childish obsession with me?
Yes, I want you, Witch.
I’m at your service, always, Witch.
You are beautiful.
Please stay with me.
I can be your Christian Grey anytime you want, you perverted little witch.
I’m in love, Raquel.
I can only see the outline of his pretty face as my mind makes me relive it all over again.
“Ah, I’m a masochist,” I say in a whisper. Ares looks at me.
“Sexually? Because I’ve noticed that you like to be spanked and . . .”
“Shut up!” I tell him immediately. “No, I mean emotionally. You were such a jerk to me at first.”
“Define jerk.’”
I let go of his hand and give him the finger.
“It’s just, how could you consider giving me a cell phone right after we had sex for the first time? Common sense, Ares, common sense.”
His happy expression fades.
“I’m sorry, I won’t ever be able to apologize for all that, I have no excuse. Thank you for not giving up. I’ve changed for the better because of you.”
I don’t take his hand, playing hard to get. Ares jumps and points at the sand near my feet. “Crab!”
“Ah! Where?” I instinctively hug him. He hugs me back sideways.
“Come, I will protect you.”
“Ah.” I push him as I catch on to his lie.
Ares steps forward and kneels in front of me, offering me his back.
“Come on, up.” The memory of him doing that the night I was robbed comes to me. I think about how he had made me feel safe, and how nice he was to me that night.
I won’t leave. Not this time.
I think about breakfast the next day, when he had taken my hand to gently let me know that I was safe, and that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me. It was the first time I saw the tender side of Ares.
I climb on his back and he stands up, letting me wrap my legs over his hips, and I put my hands around his neck to hold me. Ares carries me along the shore, and I realize that this day is full of special moments. I rest my face on his shoulder. The sound of the waves fills my ears and the warmth of Ares’s body mingles with mine. How will I survive without you, Greek God? I push that question out of my head.
“Ares.”
“Huh?”
I lift my head from his shoulder to lean closer to the side of his face.
“I love you.”
He’s quiet for a moment and it makes me narrow my eyes until he speaks.
“I’ll stay.”
“What?”
“You know, if you ask me to, I’ll stay. Right?”
“I know.”
“But you’re not going to ask me to.”
“No.”
He sighs and doesn’t say anything else for a while. I could never ask him to stay or to give up his dream for me. I can’t be so selfish. I can’t take that away from him. It wouldn’t be fair that, while I fulfilled my dream, he would have to do something he’d hate.
I always thought that when people said, “love is not selfish,” they were fooling themselves. But now I’m guided by the principle that it’s okay to put aside what you feel for the welfare of another—for someone else’s happiness—as long as you don’t compromise yourself. Now I think there is no greater proof of love than that.