15- The Envelope

— Girl, you're lost. - I said to myself out loud.

"I don't know how to act around him, but I won't give in. I'm proud, and I won't let myself be affected by yesterday's kiss. Besides, today I have to focus on the test I studied so hard for. The fact that he's playing with me only irritates me more, and the worst part is that I responded to the kiss and Dante hasn't left my mind since then." - I thought to myself.

"Now, Kyra, just pick yourself up and hang in there a little longer. After that, you'll never see him again."

Just the thought of not seeing him anymore made my heart ache.

"Come on, girl! Let's get up and hold our head high. Good morning, Tuesday!"

I got up before the alarm went off, turned it off, and took a shower. I got ready, and since I still had plenty of time, I left my room and went in search of coffee. Not seeing any sign of Dante, I rummaged through the cabinets, found coffee, and went to the fridge to look for milk. I found it! I did a little victory dance (the same one I did when I saw Dominic and Diana together), boiled water to make coffee, and start my day. I even found the thermos bottle. You won't believe how happy I was. I finished the coffee, grabbed a cup, poured myself a serving, and sat down at the table. That's when I saw an envelope with my name on it.

"Dear Kyra, an unexpected issue came up at work, and I had to wake up early to deal with it. I won't be able to take you to college, but the envelope contains the taxi number and fare. Feel free to make yourself at home in the apartment, and when you leave, don't worry, the magnetic lock will automatically lock the door. I apologize for the inconvenience, Dante."

"Wow, such chivalry, it's shocking. Well, we discovered that because of what happened last night, he didn't have the courage to face me today. I felt like a one-night stand, discarded in the morning." - I thought.

My heart was heavy, but I didn't have time for luxuries like suffering for love. I had to find a ride as soon as possible to go to college. Luckily, João lived in a neighborhood close to Dante's. I grabbed my phone and called him.

— Kyra, why are you calling me so early? - João asked sleepily.

— Sorry, my friend, something unexpected came up, and I was wondering if you could give me a ride to college today.

— Where are you?

— I'm downtown.

— Of course! Just give me your location, and I'll be there shortly. I'll let you know when I'm leaving my house so you can wait for me.

— Thank you so much for saving me! You're my angel. - I said, feeling grateful.

— Nah, you're the one who woke me up on time. My alarm clock failed me today.

— Well, I'm glad I could return the favor in some way. I feel less guilty now.

— Don't be silly, I adore you. Even if I had to pick you up from your apartment, I would figure it out.

— You're really sweet.

— You'd do the same for me. Okay, I'll hang up, or we'll be late.

— That's fine, see you later. - I said, ending the call.

"Phew, I'm relieved! I won't have to touch that 'idiot's' money. I'll leave it in the envelope as I found it." - I thought.

— Come on, Kyra, let's finish getting ready so we won't be late.

I finished my coffee, washed the cup, dried it, and put it away along with the supplies I used to make coffee. I wrote a note and left it on the table next to the envelope he had left, feeling really good about what I had written. I grabbed my materials, clothes, and backpack from my room and went downstairs to wait for João.

João arrived, opened the car door, and greeted me. I had bought him a coffee, just the way he liked it, as a token of gratitude, and handed it to him.

— I told you! You're my angel. - He said, excited about the coffee.

— Oh, it's nothing. It'll help you stay awake and contribute to your success on the test. - I said, winking at him.

— Now, my friend, spill the beans... How did you end up downtown, especially in that luxury building? - He asked curiously.

— Well, that's Dante's apartment. - I said, feeling embarrassed.

— Aha! So you slept at his place, huh? You cheeky girl.

— Yes, but nothing happened yet, my friend. I slept in the guest room.

— Why, Kyra? You're in a serious relationship. Enjoy the handsome man you have in your hands.

— Well... I don't have that kind of confidence, especially since he's my first boyfriend.

— I figured. You have a terrible temper, but one that I adore. However, it shows that you're naive in certain aspects. Does Dante know?

— I haven't told him anything. It's still too early.

— I can say that you make a beautiful couple.

— Thank you, my friend. - I gave a forced smile to appear friendly.

During the rest of the journey, we talked about the test, I cleared up some doubts João had, and we reviewed the topics. We arrived at the college, sat down, and waited for the professor to arrive. The morning went by smoothly, the test wasn't too difficult, which was a good thing. I finished early, left, and went straight to the café where I worked. I didn't check my phone or worry if anyone was trying to reach me. After all, I wanted peace because the week was going to be hectic with the initial exams of the semester.

— Kyra, you're here so early today. - Anne said.

— Good morning, Anne! I smiled.

— Oops, good morning, Kyra! You'll have lunch with me, right?

— Definitely! I came early because I had a test. I'll also come tomorrow and Thursday because I have tests.

— I see, so do you want to start earlier or do you need to study? You can study at a table or even back there if you want. - Anne said, concerned about me.

— You're an angel, you know that? - I said, giving her a little kiss on the cheek.

— Oh, come on, you've always helped me with everything, including making this place better. I love you like a sister.

— I feel honored. I'll take this time to study, and then I'll work my regular shift so you won't be left hanging. If I come in earlier, I'll have to leave earlier, which means it will be busier during the afternoon coffee rush.

— Perfect, then. I'll bring you coffee just the way you like it and a cheese bread. - She said, leaving happily.

I sat at the last table in the back of the café so I wouldn't lose focus. I took out my study materials for Wednesday's test, glanced over the material, and since it was theoretical, I wouldn't need to ask Dante for help. That relieved me, not made me happy, but relieved.

The rest of the morning went by quickly. My phone alarm went off, reminding me it was lunchtime, and I had promised to have lunch with Anne. I closed my study materials and put them in my backpack.

— What would you like for lunch? - Anne asked.

— I think today I want something different. How about pasta with white sauce?

— I'm in. Let's order it then.

The order arrived in less than 30 minutes. I got a grape juice as a side, and Anne got pineapple juice. The pasta was divine. We finished eating, Anne took the dishes, and she told me not to worry, that she would wash them because she knew I was busy studying. I tried to object and say that I would wash them later, but she didn't let me. Since my shift started at 1 p.m., I still had some time. That's when I decided to check my phone. I was surprised by the number of messages.

— How was the test, my friend? - João was asking me. He was the first person I responded to.

— João, I did well. And how did you do?

I moved on to the next message on the list.

— Kyra, have you seen the news? - Lucy asked me.

— No, Lucy, what's in the news? - I asked without worrying about the answer.

— You and Dante are all over the headlines of newspapers and magazines. - She replied instantly.

— Oh, that's nice. - I responded.

— You don't seem very excited.

— Should I be?

— Yes, you looked stunning in that black dress.

— Thank you. Even I didn't recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. - I said sarcastically, ending with laughter.

— Stop that. You're beautiful, you just need to value yourself.

— I value myself. I know I have qualities, and that's why I don't go out with just anyone.

— I know, Kyra, but you don't believe that you're a bombshell and you should.

— It's just that I never really caught much attention, Lucy. You know better than anyone about that. Guys always approached you or the other girls, and on top of that, they found me weird.

— That's because they were idiots who didn't want anything serious, who have a stereotype of what a beautiful woman should look like. That's why they didn't deserve your attention.

But there's always someone more mature who realizes, right? - She said with a teasing smile.

— Maybe... But thank you for encouraging me. Your words warmed my heart.

— Don't forget about the weekend, okay?

— I won't, I promise!

I moved on to the next message and was surprised.

— Kyra, I'm sorry about today. I didn't make up excuses to avoid seeing you, I just had to handle the issues that came up about us. I'll explain it better when we see each other. Thanks for the coffee. - Dante said.