Gio (5th Street) (34 page)

Gio wasn’t dead yet but he may as well be because that’s how he felt. Hope beat out pride and he pulled out his phone. Plopping down into his beanbag he scrolled down his contacts. He could hardly believe what he was about to do but he hit send.

It rang a couple of times before Felix answered. “Hey, G.”

Felix’s tone worried Gio. He sounded too laid back for someone who’d been so mad at him just a few weeks ago. Sure, he’d been civil at the services but that was to be expected. His tone now sounded almost pleasant. Gio didn’t even know where to begin.

“Felix, I uh—”

“I’m glad you called,” Felix interrupted him.“I was just waiting for all this laying Jack to rest business to be over. I don’t want you or anyone to think that because of the beef between me and you I’m turning my back on 5
^th
Street. Now more than ever I want that place to represent what Jack always dreamed it would. Hope for the youth of East LA. It’s what he lived for. I don’t want the dream dying with him. I promised him I’d help. I wanted to be part of that dream to give back to him what he gave to me—to all of us.”

Gio was getting choked up thinking about Jack. The reason for this call now felt so selfish, so petty. “Thanks man. I don’t even know what to say. We couldn’t do it without you that’s for sure.”

“Well, it will be extremely appreciated by so many for years to come. I can guarantee you that.” Gio took a deep breath. “You’re a good guy, Felix. I only hope some day you can forgive me for what happened.”

“That’s another thing I wanted to talk to you about.”

Gio’s breath caught. Was this it? A final warning that he stay away from Bianca? This would definitely be the nail in the coffin because no matter how much he loved her there was no way he’d be that selfish to ruin this second chance for the rest of the guys.

“It sucks the way everything went down.” Felix spoke with a little less conviction than when he spoke about Jack. “But I got to thinking long and hard. I knew there was something different about Bianca from the moment I ran into her again last summer—different than any other girl I’d ever met.” Gio brought his hand over his eyes. God he didn’t want to hear this, Felix didn’t have to tell him how special Bianca was. “I just didn’t figure it out soon enough. She deserved better than how I treated her, than what I did to her and it cost me in the end.”

The end?
Gio’s hand came down slowly from his face and he sat up a little straighter. He dare not interrupt.

Felix continued. “The night we left the hospital Bianca nearly had a panic attack in the car. At first she didn’t want to admit to me, of all people, that it was you she was so upset about. She did admit it later when she was calmer but said she’d be okay.”

Felix paused, prompting Gio to ask what he’d been dying to know all week. “What did you mean when you told Abel at the hospital it was complicated and they wouldn’t understand?”

He heard Felix sigh. “Even though I knew it was ultimately my own fault I’d lost her, that I was going to lose her anyway once the truth about Shelley came out, I was still hurt about how it all went down. I wanted them to think there might still be a chance for me and her. I knew it’d get back to you and with all the shit on TV I knew you’d believe. I was still pissed at that point. Hell, I still am, only not so much at you as I am myself.” Felix let out an exasperated breath. “I ran into Evelyn just a few days after you left. She told me about you blowing her off. I know you wouldn’t blow off someone like Evelyn, especially after she said to you what she told me she did. I could only assume you and Bianca were already…” He stopped for a moment before continuing without ending that last statement. “You were loyal to Bianca even though she had someone else and I’d bet my savings account that you still haven’t even thought about another girl, right?”

Gio didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Of course he hadn’t thought of another girl. He could barely think about
anything
else much less moving on to someone else.

“You know what I did that night, G? I made Evelyn’s little dangerous fantasy a reality.” Felix sounded disgusted with himself. “I think we both know who is more deserving of Bianca. And she deserves someone who can truly appreciate her. Except for the stuff about that girl being pregnant with my kid, none of that other shit they’re saying is true, G. It’s what those fucking tabloids do. Create a story where there’s not one. But even I wanted to believe there might be.”

Felix told him about how he’d swallowed his pride and went down to see her the day the press got all the pictures of them “back together.” Only what the press didn’t know was she’d turned him down flat.

Gio stood up in alarm. Bianca had been all but hysterical when she’d walked in. “I gotta go.”
”What?”

Obviously Felix was stunned that Gio would cut him off mid heartfelt speech. But Gio didn’t have time to explain. He’d never forgive himself if Bianca had some kind of panic attack while driving or something because of his dumb ass.

“Listen, Felix thanks for this. We’ll talk some more soon,” he said pushing the garage door open as he stormed out. “I’ll explain later but I gotta go!”

He hung up and dialed Bianca, already sprinting to his bike. 

Nearly hyperventilating for the third time this week, Bianca pulled over and got out of her car. She leaned her arm against the hood as the dry heaves kicked in. If her mother and Nana knew she was driving in that condition they’d be furious.

The anger but mostly immense hurt nearly suffocated her. Gio’s beautiful eyes had never looked at her the way they had tonight. They were so cold and full of revulsion. She was convinced whatever love he’d felt for her was completely gone now.

As the dry heaves slowly calmed, Bianca’s breathing began to go back to normal. Her lip began to quiver as it had so much this week. She was out of options now. All week she’d tried one thing after another. Trying hard to do as Noah said and respect Gio’s wishes, she’d held out this long and for what?

Her efforts to reach him had been in vain. Even after she stopped getting the “not in service” message. Now when she tried calling the new message was even worse.
This number has restrictions which prevent the completion of this call
. And she knew he’d blocked her number.

Bianca figured everyone had felt heartache at some point in their lives. She knew people went through divorces and breakups all the time. But much like what she felt for Gio during their happier times, the intensity of her heartache had been unbearable. She didn’t think she’d get over it—still didn’t.

She’d meant to walk in and calmly assure him that the stories were all lies. That she hadn’t and would never go back to Felix. She’d never be happy with
anyone
else but Gio. Just like all her other emotions when it came to him, she’d lost it when she saw him. The questions she’d wanted to ask him all week came blasting out.

She still didn’t understand—couldn’t fathom how he could possibly believe it after everything they’d gone through. After he’d seen,
felt
all the love she couldn’t hide from him even if she tried.

Toni suggested that perhaps Felix had said something to him to further his belief that the stories were true. Bianca had been so close to calling him to ask but each time she’d stopped when she remembered how inconsolable he’d been about Jack. She’d already felt horrible about the way she’d completely broken down in the car on their way to the hospital. There was no way she’d force Felix to further witness her heartache over his friend—the guy she cheated on him with.

Bianca had all but forgotten she had Roni’s number and after calling her and explaining to her as she sobbed, Roni made her promise she wouldn’t tell a soul that she’d been the one to tell Bianca about Gio sulking in his garage. Even as she drove down there she still held out hope that if he didn’t believe her she could, eventually, once a little time passed, beg Felix to help her get Gio to believe. She knew she was completely undeserving of any help from Felix, especially when it came to this but she’d been willing to plead with him if she had to.

Now even that last resort was out the door. Her biggest fear was confirmed tonight. Since she’d cheated on Felix with Gio, he now believed her to be
that
kind of girl. Not a girl who’d made a once-in-a-lifetime exception for that once-in-a-lifetime guy that she really was. She saw it in his eyes. He was convinced of this and
that’s
why he’d been so easily manipulated by all the lies.

No one. Not even Felix vouching for her would convince him if that’s what he truly believed. Just like the rest of the week the pain was a physical one. Her mother and Nana had said it was in her head but it wasn’t just her heart that ached. Everything inside her ached. Toni said it was normal to hurt this bad. But this couldn’t possibly be normal.

She walked back to the side of the car. Her phone rang in the passenger seat. It’d been ringing. She heard it earlier but she ignored it. As she picked it up it stopped ringing. She had three missed calls. All from Gio.

Her heart had just calmed from her near panic attack and it was going again. About to hit the voicemail key to listen to his messages it rang again.

Glancing around, then behind her she saw the cross street was Third Street. She was almost embarrassed to tell him she’d only gotten a few blocks before having to pull over.

“Third,” she said, as it sunk in that he’d be there with her soon.

“Stay there, Bianca.
Please
. I’ll be there in less than five.”

“Okay,” she said nodding, already looking around for him as the line clicked.

As soon as she saw the bike turn the corner and come toward her she got out of the car and came around to the sidewalk. She leaned against her car, her heart now pounding full throttle, the knot in her throat already unbearable. Regardless of what he had to say to her, just being close to him would have her in tears. She hated it but she was already sucking back the tears now and he hadn’t even gotten off his bike.

She watched as he pulled off his helmet, hung it on the handlebar and jumped off his bike. With a few long fast strides he was standing in front of her in seconds.

“I’m an idiot,” he said breathlessly as his big hands cradled her face and she could no longer hold back the tears. They poured out as she squeezed her eyes shut then felt his lips on them, kissing her eyelids softly. “I talked to Felix. He confirmed what a fucking idiot I’ve been. Please forgive me,” his voice broke as he pleaded. “Please. I should’ve never doubted you. I’m
so
sorry.”

Not even for a second did she consider not forgiving him. In hindsight maybe she should’ve been a little angrier at him for the hell he’d put her through. But that week alone had been enough to show her she could barely breathe without him. She forgave him instantly throwing her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

For once holding back the words that would’ve normally just flown out, she felt slightly empowered. Then he surprised her by saying the very thing she held back. “Stay here. Not just tonight but for good. We can get a room tonight and I’ll figure something else out later but I can’t be this far from you anymore. My heart can’t take it.”

Her heart doubled over and she could hardly believe just minutes ago it had been agonized by the very person who now made it flutter with joy.

Before the explosion she’d already begun to talk to her mom about the possibility of moving back down. Being away from Gio for days, maybe weeks, at a time just wasn’t going to work. Because her mother knew Bianca would finish school faster if she went back to Cal State LA, where she’d been attending before her father died, her mother had been all for it.

Bianca had no idea how this was going to work. No idea how an unemployed girl with no place to live and who still wanted to finish school with a boyfriend whose place of employment had just burned down was going to make it down here. But she nodded, already excited about the prospect of being with Gio every day. One way or another they’d figure it out.

Gio kissed her softly leaning his weight against her. “I love you,” he whispered again and again between kisses.

She laughed after the eighth or ninth time and he stopped to look in her eyes. “There’s my happy girl.”

Bianca had stopped fighting the pull he had on her long ago and fell happily into his deep gaze, taking a very deep and satisfied breath. “I’m never happier than when I’m with you.”

He smiled making her sigh. “Good, because I plan on having you with me all the time.”

“All the time?” she teased, noticing that since he got there that her tense body was finally relaxing.

“Yes, all the time.” He kissed her again, biting her lower lip when he was done. “Starting right now.” He pulled away. “Follow me back to my house. I want you to meet my mother and sisters.”

Her eyes flew open wide assuming that like the rest of the world his family must’ve been thinking the worst about her with all the news casts about her supposed publicity stunt.