You Kissed Me First!

No

Aria Simone

I woke up late in the afternoon and the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the angry face of my Aunt Silvia. I knew I f****d up when I was high last night. I can’t remember what I did, but it got to be something very bad because my Aunt shows her disappointment in me all the time, but she hardly gets mad like she looks right now.

Fuck! I am sure I did something stupid but I was having the hardest time recalling last night. I remember being upset with my father. I remember calling Kevin and some of my other friends. I remember a small gathering turning into yet another one of my blasting parties. And I remember Vinny. Urgh, Vinny. That rat-ass bastard. I hope the reason why Aunt Silvia looks mad is because I beat him black and blue last night.

The sternness slipped off my aunt’s face, and soon it was replaced with wretchedness. She heaved a sigh and unfolded her arms. She slowly sat down before the window and glanced outside, “I don’t know what I am going to do with you, Aria.” Her voice was mellow. My heart dropped when I heard the anguish in her voice. I only gulped. My mouth was dry. My head was hurting from all the alcohol and drugs I had last night. I had to blink a few times to bring my vision into focus. Aunt Silvia’s voice was going in and out. “I feel like I am running out of options. You have no idea how difficult a position you are putting me in. I don’t know for how long I will be able to keep on fighting for you.”

I didn’t have any excuses. I ran out of them ages ago. I know she is disappointed in me. Any sensible guardian would be. I can’t brush off the fact that I am difficult to deal with, but that’s the only way I know I can cope with my life. When I didn’t reply, she heaved a sigh and turned to look at me. She smashed her lips together, “I will send some painkillers and coffee for you. Go and clean yourself up. Mr. Elsner was kind enough to wait for us. Please don’t cause any more trouble, Aria. I can only make up for your tardiness so much,” she instructed me before she walked to the door to exit my room, but she paused and turned to look at me, “And when you come out to have lunch with us, you are going to apologize for your behavior last night. Be civil to him. Don’t cause any more trouble in front of him. Please.”

I frowned and blinked when I realized that I had done something to him. Suddenly, I didn’t regard whatever I did to him last night. I hope I offended him enough to leave me and my resort alone. The sourness in me returned when I heard Mr. Elsner’s name. Aunt Silvia told me about him. He was here to buy my resort I am not ready to sell. He can try anything, but I do not bend to his demands and offers. I didn’t say anything in return to my aunt. I know she noticed my disapproval, but she also didn’t converse with me anymore and left the room.

“Sorry, Aunt Silvia, I can’t do that,” I muttered after she left. I didn’t feel good to be so difficult to deal with, but there was no way I was letting this rich son of a b***h take my resort from me.

I took my sweet time to go out, and when I say “sweet time” I mean hours. For the next hour after my aunt left, I didn’t do anything. The medicine and coffee were sent to my room. I took them and did nothing. I lay on the bed lazily, scroll on my phone, and roam around the room. I just wasted time. I know how my aunt is as an hour since she left was closing in, and she will be coming to check on me. I didn’t want to face her and make her rush me, so right before she came, I went to take a long shower. I was accurate about her timing. Hardly five minutes after I went under the shower, she knocked at my door, “Aria? How long are you going to take? It has already been an hour,” I could hear the frustration in her voice. I felt bad for her, but I didn’t want to please Richie Rich with my presence on time. I want him to rot while I take my time.

“I reek of alcohol and vomit. Do you really want me to show up in front of that man smelling like rotten eggs?” I yelled out from under the shower. She didn’t have anything to say. She knows me well. She knows that nothing she says will help quicken the process, so she leaves.

I took an hour in the shower. After I came out, I air-dried my hair. I changed a few outfits until I found the one I think was suitable – which was a yellow sundress. I curled my hair. I didn’t have to, but it was buying me time, so I did. I went for a no-makeup look. I put on perfume. I wore the block heels I bought when I was in Bangkok the other day. It all took me more than an hour and a half. During this time, Taay and my aunt came knocking on my door several times, but I had my door locked. Each time someone came, I would tell them to wait a few minutes and then reply to their plea to come out until they were gone.

In total, I was more than three hours late. The lunchtime slipped into supper and I couldn’t have been happier with myself. I still had a little headache, but nothing too serious. I walked out in the open, with my sunglasses covering my eyes. There is no way I could survive the harsh sun straight into my eyes. I would go blind. I was hoping it would be cloudy, but the weather here is just plain unexpected. One minute it is raining, the other minute, the sun’s out and shining.

Before I even reached the table, Aunt Silvia, Mr. Elsner, and an unknown young woman were sitting around. My eyes zoomed on the relatively younger man in rather casual attire talking to my aunt. I didn’t expect him to be so young. I was expecting at least a middle-aged man, not someone so young and good-looking. Most of the time, my father brings his rusty old geezers to me to sell this property to them, so I was expecting someone similar. Then there was a different case.

The man, I presume, is Mr. Elsner and looks somewhat in his late twenties, or maybe in his early thirties. He was a fairly good-looking man. He was wearing a white casual button-up shirt, with a few buttons undone. The wind rippled through his shirt. He had his eyes covered with a pair of shades. His hair looked soft to the touch as it was ruffled by the wind. He was calmly sitting down, leaning back on the chair with his arms around the sides of the chair. I couldn’t see a lot under the table, from the corner I was in, I could see him wearing camel beige pants and had one of his ankles resting on the other knee. He was wearing brown loafers on his feet. He didn’t look crossed, as I hoped he would be. What a bummer!

“Oh, thank God, she is here!” I heard my aunt. I was so engrossed looking at Mr. Elsner that I didn’t notice Aunt Silvia looking at me. I only turned to look at her when she announced my arrival. I slowly looked back at Mr. Elsner, who was now looking back at me. The big smile he had when he was talking to my aunt and Taay was now gone. To my dissatisfaction, it didn’t turn into a frown. He just stayed neutral. “Come join us, Ari.” Aunt Silvia waved me over. I exhaled loudly and walked to the table.

I already looked done with him as I approached him. He surprised me when he got on his feet when I got to the table. He softly nodded his head, “Hello,” he greeted. I could hear a little stiffness in his voice. He must not be pleased with my tardiness. Good. I didn’t bother to reply, I only nodded his way and sat on the chair. I loudly scraped my back. I noticed him twitch his nose at the loud unpleasant sound the scraping of the chair made. Although the sound was extremely irksome to my already throbbing head, I didn’t mind showing him my lack of manners.

He sat down after I was sitting and cleared his throat. He was suddenly very tense unlike how he was a minute ago when he was talking to my aunt. There was awkward silence around the table for a few seconds. Taay was nervously looking at me, while I was completely unbothered, looking down at my phone. I could feel my aunt’s gaze on me, but I didn’t dare to look back at her. I know she was expecting me to break the silence, but when I didn’t, she decided to speak.

“Umm, I am sorry she is so late,” he nervously giggled. I looked at her sharply. She doesn’t have to do this. I don’t understand why she is buttering him up. She already knows what I will say. She knows I am not going to sell the property to anyone. My father has sent numerous buyers, but she never tried to entertain any of them. I have no idea why she is so keen on Mr. Elsner. “Umm, I guess the two of you should talk. I need to go back to work. We have a three-day festival coming up in the area and this resort will be hosting a few gatherings.” Aunt told him about the tourism festival thrown by the locals.

He smiled at her and softly nodded, “Of course, I don’t want to keep you away from work.”

Aunt Silvia smiled and got on her feet. When I was seated beside her, she placed her hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed it. I could feel her plea in her touch. The gentle squeeze screamed, “Please don’t screw it up.” Well, I am sorry, Aunt Silvia, I can’t make any promises. I didn’t look up at her. I was very guilty of being a brat to her, but she knows my reasons. As she was getting up on her feet, she leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Please, sweetheart, listen to what he has to offer first before you make up your mind.” I only stiffly nodded.

“I will see you later, Mr. Elsner. Again, thank you so much for waiting. I apologize for all the inconvenience,” she spoke apologetically. I hate it when she cleans up after the mess I create. I only clenched my jaws and decided to stay silent.

“It is quite alright, Silvia. Not your fault,” he replied politely. My aunt once again asked him if he needed anything, and when he said no, she left – without asking or saying anything to him. I knew she was mad at me and I was going to hear about it later when I was alone with her.

I watched as Taay and Aunt Silvia walked away and, as soon as they were far enough, not to listen to us. I turned to him sharply, “No,” I told him without any hesitation. I watched his eyebrows knit together, “I don’t care if you offer me billions, I am not selling you the property, Mr. Elsner. I don’t care what you have to offer, it is not happening.” I sternly added. “So, I prefer you don’t waste either of our time. I am not sure if you have better things to do, but I do.” I added and got on my feet. I was not going to entertain him any longer.

I expected him to ask me to listen to him first, but instead, he calmly leaned back in the chair. He hummed and took his glasses off. He looked up at me, squinting his eyes. He smirked, “I see.” He nodded his head. He exhaled, “When you say better things, I am sure it includes snorting coke, getting high, and kissing strangers without their consent, right?” His eyes hardened on me.

And that’s when distorted glimpses of last night came rushing to me. s**t.