A day before the stream…
Turururu
The sound of an incoming call rang from Saval's phone.
—Hello, Antonella?
—Hi, Saval. Are you busy?
Saval glanced at his phone screen. Antonella. His pulse quickened slightly; it always did when she appeared out of nowhere. It wasn't that he had been expecting her call, but he wasn't exactly surprised either. It was just like her to reach out the day before the stream.
—No, tell me.
—Can you come to the café? I want to go over some details about the stream with you. It'll be quick.
Saval hesitated for a second. Not because he didn't want to see her, but because he had a bad feeling about it. Things wouldn't end well. Sure, he hadn't been there, but Semiel had, and his friend had avoided telling him exactly what had happened. He had only mentioned that he had run into Antonella at the café and that she had been... well, herself.
Despite that, Saval ended up agreeing.
When he arrived, he saw her sitting by the window, casually sipping her coffee. When she noticed him, she smiled, with that expression that once made him think the whole world could stop just by looking at her.
—You're punctual —she commented as he took a seat at the table.
—I didn't want to keep you waiting, Antonella.
Antonella rested her elbows on the table, clasping her hands under her chin as she observed him closely.
—Tomorrow's the stream. I'm sure it'll be interesting.
—I hope so. You know how people get excited about these things.
—Yeah, but... I wonder if everyone will be comfortable.
Antonella played with the spoon in her cup, wearing a thoughtful expression.
Saval frowned, not quite understanding what she meant.
—Why do you say that?
—Oh, nothing in particular. It's just that I saw Semiel the other day. Did you know that he and I talked?
Saval felt a small knot form in his stomach. He knew they had run into each other, but he hadn't expected her to bring it up like this. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but Antonella's tone suggested something else.
—Yeah, he told me you two met. Did something happen?
Antonella smirked slightly and took a sip of her coffee before answering.
—Nothing you should worry about, though I will say it was... interesting.
Saval waited for her to continue, but she only toyed with her cup, as if savoring the suspense.
—Antonella, if you have something to say, just say it.
—Don't get defensive —she chuckled softly—. I just noticed he's been a bit... tense lately. He gets nervous when he sees me, haven't you noticed?
—I haven't —Saval replied, though he had noticed Semiel acting strangely for a while now. Not just with Antonella, but in general.
Why is she telling me this? This feels strange… Is she trying to imply something?
—Maybe you should pay more attention. After all, he's your best friend, isn't he? —her voice had a sweetness to it that he didn't entirely trust—. Actually, it reminded me of when we were kids, back when you and I were inseparable. Do you remember?
A wave of nostalgia hit Saval. Of course, he remembered. They used to spend so much time together in the past. There was a time when everything had been simpler, when he and Antonella were an inseparable duo. Until things started to change.
—Yeah, I remember —he admitted.
Antonella smiled, a touch of melancholy in her expression.
—I thought we'd always be together. But then, things changed. And now I feel like your new best friend, Semiel, has something against me, though I don't understand why.
Saval observed her cautiously. There was something in her voice, in the way she looked at him, that made him uneasy. Like she was trying to tell him something but not directly.
—Semiel has nothing against you. If he's acting weird, it's probably because of other things. He's going through a lot —Saval said, defending his friend.
Antonella leaned in slightly, her expression softening.—And you? Are you still thinking about what you told me?
The sudden shift in topic caught him off guard. His stomach twisted slightly at the memory of his confession. He had told Antonella how he felt about her, but her response had been ambiguous. Not a yes, not a no. Just an "I'm still thinking about it."
—Yeah.
—Me too. I still haven't decided what to tell you, Saval —she murmured, lowering her gaze for the first time—. I don't want to rush into an answer if I'm not sure.
A mix of frustration and hope stirred inside Saval. Antonella always had that effect on him, keeping him trapped in an endless limbo where he never quite knew what to expect. And yet, despite everything, something inside him refused to let go of his feelings for her.
—You don't have to answer now. But I'd like to know what you really think.
Antonella absentmindedly stirred her coffee before looking at him again.—I think you're important to me. You always have been. But... I also think about other things. About what being with you would mean, how it would change things. And about what Semiel thinks about it.
Hearing her mention his best friend threw him off.—What does Semiel have to do with this?
Antonella sighed, resting her face against one hand.—Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. I just notice the way he looks at me when we're together. Like he's waiting for something. Or like he's worried I might do something... inappropriate.
Saval didn't know how to respond. He couldn't deny that Semiel had been acting strange lately, but he still didn't quite understand why. He had assumed it was something personal, but now Antonella herself seemed to be implying it had to do with her.
—If something was bothering him, he'd tell me —Saval muttered.
—Yeah... but you know how he is. He'd rather stay silent and swallow it all. He's not like you. At least you have the courage to say what you feel.
Her eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, Saval felt like she actually meant those words.
Me? I've always been afraid. I just throw myself into things so I don't have to feel scared. Semiel… what are you afraid of?
A silence stretched between them, broken only by the quiet murmur of the café around them. The same café where, just days ago, Antonella had spoken with Semiel. A conversation Saval now wanted to know more about.
Antonella stood up slowly, smoothing out her clothes.—Well, I just wanted to go over a few details. And… talk a little. See you tomorrow at the stream, Saval. It'll be fun.
Saval nodded, though his mind was still spinning with everything they had just talked about.
When she left, he remained seated, staring at his coffee. Something didn't quite add up. Something Antonella hadn't said, but that had been lingering between every carefully chosen word.
Maybe it was time to talk to Semiel before it was too late.