Diamond
Diamond sat on her couch in her front room. She was trying her best to focus on the deep sea diving documentary she put on, but her mind continued to wander. The feel of Rocio's lips, the feel of her body rubbing against Diamond existed as a maddening, distracting replay of memory.
We shouldn't, she recalled saying right before their mouths met.
You're right, you're my sister's ex, you're off limits, Rocio agreed, yet continued to lean in with her eyelids gradually falling shut.
Diamond was officially the messiest best friend to exist. Out of everyone in the universe, why would she in her right mind be attracted to Renata's older sister. The more she thought about it, the more terribly pathetic she felt.
Yet...
She wanted to feel regret on top of everything else, but she just couldn't, which worsened the guilt, but there was not an ounce of regret in her heart.
Did that make her an even shittier person?
Definitely yes.
As much as she tried to deny it the first couple of months, Diamond was unable to ignore what was standing right in front of her, especially after Rocio came to 'Nope Corner'. There was this undeniable chemistry between them unlike anything she ever experienced, even more so thanâno, it was disrespectful to even attempt to make a comparison between the sisters.
Well, it seemed Diamond didn't care for morals anymore, so what did it matter?
But it does matter!
Diamond loved Renata more than she loved herself. Renata was her best friend and her closest confidant, but for whatever reason, they just didn't work as lovers. And it broke her heart, it infuriated her, and it confused her to no end. Renata was her perfect match, but then she thought of Rocio and considered...maybe not?
She picked up her phone and acted impulsively as she always did. She dialed Rocio's number.
It rang for a couple seconds before there was an answer. "Blue?"
Her thoughts jumbled into nothing. "Uh, hi."
"The connection isn't very good on my end. Is everything okay?"
If she didn't already feel like a complete idiot, now she did. "Yes, of course. I just wanted to make sure you landed okay."
There was some rustling on the other end. "I did. I'm in the car now. I'll be back at the house soon." With Renata.
"Good, that's good." She took in a deep breath, still feeling weird despite Rocio's casual tone. "I was just making sure."
But Rocio was astuteâwell, that, and Diamond wasn't known to hide her feelings. "Something on your mind?"
Okay, Diamond was about to show how transparent she could be. "Well, is something not on your mind?"
There was a pause on the other end, then a disappointing sigh. The sound of it made her heart drop. "Ah. Listen, Blueâ"
"Please don't start with the whole 'this was a mistake', not unless you really believe it."
She at least had the courtesy to sound genuinely upset. "I really question how Renata ever let you go, but it was mean of me to visit you while she was back at the house heartbroken. She needs me, and I owe it to her to be there for her. So, it was a mistake."
That last part crushed her more than it should have. All she could manage was, "oh, okay."
"No, it was a mistakeâ"
Way to twist the knife. "You said that alreadyâ"
"But I don't regret it."
Her heart had done one too many flips at this point. She didn't know how much she could take. "Now, I'm confused."
"Me too, Blue." A shared sentiment didn't exactly comfort her. "But it doesn't change things. If we pursue this, it'll only hurt her. Do you understand?"
As much as she had the instinct to argue otherwise, she had a stronger instinct to agree, as much as it didn't feel right. "I do. It's just..."
"I know...but we can't."
She looked ahead at the TV but didn't really see anything. She cleared her throat. No, they were doing the right thing. Having chemistry was not an excuse to ruin the important relationship she had with Renata. Thankfully, in light of their impulsive interaction, Rocio gave a cold splash of reality. "Well, I'm glad we were able to clear things up."
"Blueâ"
She couldn't hear anymore. There wasn't a point. "I'll see you around."
Renata
She just stepped out of the car when she saw a flash of Rocio's face, who threw herself into unsuspecting arms. "Christ, Nata! When will you stop giving me heart attacks? Are you alright?"
Renata allowed herself to enjoy this embrace before other thoughts could arise. She accepted Rocio's strength and care for what it was in the moment. She pulled away to see the worry in her sister's face. "I'm alright. I'm fine. Tahoma took good care of me." They walked around the car, in time to see Nirvi embracing her son, who towered over her elegant frame.
"Of course he did," Rocio slung her arm around her shoulders. "I'd have killed him otherwise."
"I concur," Nirvi pulled away, receiving a look of betrayal from him, "figuratively, of course. He is my son, after all. I'm glad you see you are well, Renata."
"Thank you for answering the phone," Renata couldn't help but say, "although, Tahoma basically had it handled."
Nirvi began walking back to the house, assuming everyone would follow after, and they did. "I gather the call was more for your sake than his. He just wanted to keep you safe."
Renata hadn't thought of it that way. From the safety of the well-lit car, she could just barely discern how swiftly he mowed down the onslaught of stragglers. In the frenzy of it all, he'd taken the moment to make sure she was armed and as focused on her own safety as possible.
Someone's really trying to get laid.
"What a gentleman," Rocio muttered to her side.
Finally, those other thoughts crept into the forefront of her mind. She wiggled out of her sister's hold once they were finally in the house. Rocio gave an inquisitive look, and Renata was more than happy to offer some clarity. "Where the fuck have you been?"
Rocio shrunk back. "Nataâ"
"Oh, no, I can already tell the bullshit is brewing in that mouth of yours. We promised no more secrets, that we'd be by each other's sides. But you've been gone, nowhere to be seen. You left me with strangers while only god knows what is happening to me and my body. Don't tell me you went and fell in love again." Renata was only being sarcastic with the last part, but her sister's eyes widened and her face paled. Had she actually hit the mark?
Renata laughed to herself, but it was a humorless sound. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're abandoning me yet again for another piece of assâ"
"Hey!" Rocio shouted, red eyes flashing brighter. "Awe was not a piece of ass!"
Renata felt guilt for implying such a thing, but it was too late, she was only spiraling further into her anger. "So, let me guess, this new one isn't either?"
Rocio paused in uncertainty.
She shook her head at her. "Un-fucking-believable. I actually thought I could rely on you like when we were kids. But clearly everything has changed. I'm a fucking freak. I just lost my best friend. But instead of just being here, you decide now is the perfect opportunity to go chase some pussy."
Rocio's voice softened with shame and sympathy, but it wasn't comforting to see that from her. "I know things are really scary right now. And you're right, I've been away when I should have been at your side. I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
She didn't know what to say. She was just so tired from all the constant unknown she was being thrown in the middle of. She wanted to trust that she could rely on her sister, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. "I don't give shit until you show me that you can be here for me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a power nap before I meet the grim reaper." She walked past Rocio, whose mouth fell open in shock.
"About that," Nirvi interjected, stepping back into the room with Tahoma by her side. They must have left the area while she went off the deep end. "Tahoma has just informed me of the meeting you set up with Angel." Renata glanced over at Tahoma who had concern written all over his sculpted face and wondered if he mentioned what happened at the hospital too. "Are you sure about this?"
"You're meeting Angel?" Rocio interjected.
"I have to." Renata met Nirvi's crimson eyes. "I didn't realize it at the time, but every time I died, I went to this place, the afterlife or something like that, and he was there, Death. Even then, I knew he wanted to stop my..." she hesitated, feeling vulnerable, "to stop my suffering."
"I insist we all go, including armed guards," Nirvi spoke, leaving no room for objection.
"It's Death, Mama. He could kill us all without much effort if he really wanted to," Tahoma reminded her.
A chill skidded down her spine as the realization hit her, really hitting her now that she was finally going to meet Angel in person. "Not me," she reminded them all, "and not if I have anything to say about it."
"Well, we should at least make a plan of some kind," Nirvi suggested. "Establish what cards we have to play if things go south."
"Why would they?" Rocio anxiously demanded, echoing Renata's own thoughts.
Tahoma was more than happy to clarify, "nothing has naturally evaded death since the dawn of time, yet here you are, doing it by just existing. He is not above his human form. And considering how on edge his errand boy has been lately, I can only imagine how Angel is feeling about all of this."
"What cards? I've got nothing, except the confidence that if I get a bullet to the brain, I'll eventually wake up like I just went down for a nap." Renata felt pathetic. "I don't have any special powersâ"
"That you know of," Tahoma interrupted.
Renata thought back to what happened in the hospital room '414'. I'd hardly call that a special power. She continued, "I don't have superhuman strength or speed or intelligence. I don't even heal all that fast unless it has to do with dying. I'm a joke."
The other three admonished her last comment, making her shrink back embarrassment.
Thankfully, Nirvi redirected the conversation. "I wish my resources and facilities would have brought you more clarity on your condition sooner, but if meeting with Angel is what will help expedite the process, I will support you in any way I canâyou're still my guest."
Renata sighed. "Thank you. You've been so generous, and you barely know me."
"You are Rocio's sister," she put a hand up on Tahoma's shoulder, "and my son had clearly taken a liking to you, so that seals it."
Instead of becoming flustered or upset by being called out, he simply nodded along and sent a dazzling smirk her way.
Rocio made a gagging noise.
Renata rolled her eyes. She shoved her sister in the shoulder. "Thank you, Nirvi. I actually wasn't kidding about that power nap. Meet back here in an hour."
"We'll be ready."