Please Don't Go (The Midnight Strike, #1)

by E. Salvador

“No one is going to miss me.” “Don’t say that. They are.” He exhales pressingly and urgently. “I have no one,” I voice indifferently…emptily. I’m not saying that for pity, it’s the truth. I pushed everyone away,

“My name is Daniel Garcia, but my friends call me Danny.” His words are soft, but friendly, laid-back almost as if he were talking to a friend. “And now you’re my friend, so call me Danny.”

“Please don’t go. Please don’t go. Please don’t go…” Daniel chants under his breath over and over again. “Please don’t go.”

“Please don’t go,” he delivers incessantly, vigorously, but delicately. “Please, please, please don’t go.” He doesn’t just hold me; he embraces me. His chest is firmly pressed against my back, and I realize then that the loud drumming isn’t coming from the water. It’s coming from him. It’s his heart that’s racing at a dangerous speed, all too rapidly, all too thunderous against me. “Please don’t go.”

I’ll hold her until morning if I have to. I’ll keep holding her until I can’t any longer because how the fuck am I supposed to let go?

She could be pretending or actually be asleep—I don’t know, but I don’t disturb her. I let her be, but I stay awake and watch over her.

It feels like I’m sitting in front of a television, watching my life play out. It’s all slow, excruciatingly so, but everyone and everything around me are all moving too fast. I can’t keep up.

As Angel stands next to me, I ask him something I never thought I would. “Can you distract Pen for me? I need to talk to Josefine alone.” He scrunches his nose, the staring at her like she’s already inconveniencing him. “Fine but I can’t promise there won’t be any arguing.”

They don’t hate each other, but they don’t care for each other either. I would say their relationship is like a brother and sister, which is great. I’d hate for Angel to get involved with my sister.

For the first time in my life, I’m speechless. Since that night, I’ve been thinking of everything I’d say to Josefine if I ever ran into her, but now that she’s standing in front of me, I can’t open my mouth.

“Josie…” “Hmm?” Her eyes never leave mine. “I’m so happy you’re here.” “You wouldn’t let go.” Her voice wavers, fragile like that night. “I couldn’t and I wouldn’t.”

If you need anything, I’m just a text or call away. I’m so happy you’re here, Jos!

“I’m so happy you’re here, Josefine.” My brows knit. “Why do you keep saying that?” “Because I am.”

“Well…when I was younger, I watched Rebelde.” Good, common grounds. “Which was your favorite character?” “Roberta.” “She was mine too.” I type her response.

He’s sitting with his friends a few tables away from us. I swear I wasn’t looking for him, and I doubt he was looking for me. Somehow, like magnets, we found each other, forced to connect by an odd electrical pull, and now that we’ve connected, it feels hard to look away.

“It’s dead and I don’t do parties.” I’m awkward as hell. I get too hot, too claustrophobic, and I’ve been ditched too many times to ever want to go again.

We stand in the corner but not for long before “Safaera” by Bad Bunny plays loudly from a speaker.

Maybe she wants to purposely stay in the shadows because she thinks that’s where she belongs, but that would never work for her because I see her.

She doesn’t smile, but that doesn’t mean she never has. Her eyes don’t spark with life, but I’m sure they once did.

“Give me until the end of the semester to help you fill that emptiness. If it doesn’t work, I’ll leave you alone if you want to be alone that badly, but until then, let me help you.”

I don’t know who gave up on her, but I know I won’t.

I turn my phone light on and stare, dumbfounded, at the tiny round rhinestone sitting in the middle of his palm. “You drove all the way over here to bring me that? How do you even know it’s mine? The girl who had her arm around you had some on too.”

Lol

I could make a list of all the things I’m shit at, but it would never end. But one thing that has always been on top of said list is people. I never know what to say or how to say what I want to say to them.

“Okay, maybe I don’t have what it takes to become a private chef, but let me tell you my rice is private-chef-level quality. You just wait until you try my tinga, and don’t worry, I’ll make it extra spicy for you.”

“You know how spicy I like my food?” “You said it’s hard for you to enjoy most foods if they’re not spicy. I also feel the same way.”

got you,” I gently say, keeping my gaze on his apprehensive one. “I promise, Danny.”

“Did you just call me Danny?” “Yes, but I think I like Garcia better.”

‘Tienen que ponerse las pilas, porque si me muero, que van hacer?’

“Sto facendo di tutto per non baciarti in questo momento.” I lift a brow, holding back a smile. “Well? You know I have no idea what that means.” He stares at me for a long beat, his amber eyes holding me in place and burning me up. “I said, I hope you’re ready to eat.”

“Honey, I’m home!” Daniel greets and I’m met with the same playful smile when he enters the kitchen. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“You don’t have to worry about that because if your mom ever met me, she’d tell you to run.” He studies me, taking in my words, then his eyes sweep over me. My brows scrunch together. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Because my mom would love you,”

My walk-out song, “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi blasts through the speaker. It was the last song Adrian listened to.

You should’ve seen the look on his face when we told him we wanted to pursue it and not soccer. You would’ve thought we had told him we became an America fan from the look on his face. He’s a Chivas fan, by the way,”

Begs, yeans, needs. My body is desperate. No, I’m desperate.

I promised her I’d help her fill the emptiness, and I promised myself she’d never have to go through life alone.

“Let’s make a deal.” Her lips quirk. “Okay?” “If we’re not married by the time we’re thirty, we’ll get married. And we’ll have four babies like we talked about.”

It’s been an adjustment, a weird one at that. Before Daniel, I could put up with the loneliness, but now it’s odd and I don’t like

She doesn’t believe in love, I know that much, but I’d love to be the difference. I’d love to win her over, but I don’t want to rush it either.

feel anchored and high all at once with her. I don’t think she knows the control, the grip, she has over me. I don’t think she understands what I’d do for her, how strongly I feel for her.

“I have pain; you have pain. I’m pretty sure they’ll somehow cancel each other out.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” He stares at me for a beat. “Because someone has to be. You won’t; you’re too hard on yourself.”

Don’t be afraid to open up because you’re worried about how people will perceive you. Your mental health is your priority; don’t let anyone else make you think otherwise. What can I do to help you?”

“It’s seventy degrees, Mom. It’s too hot to eat that.” She rolls her eyes. “One day you’re going to want my food, but you’ll be hours away.” I laugh, hugging her tighter. “Yeah, just not caldo.”

You are loving, Josefine, and I’m privileged to be the one you choose to love.”

I was scared because your ‘please don’t go’ words wouldn’t stop echoing in my head.