Antonio
Antonio Zaragoza has always known that he could get all the girls. He knew girls would worship the ground he walked on. He was aware if he flashed his dimples and pearly whites, girls would run to him and ask for his number. Not only was he a sweet talker, he was also a straight-A nerd too. He could recite all mathematical formulas in his sleep and build a rocket without touching the instruction manual. He knew everything from stealing a kiss to finding the exact value of pi. Yet, he didn’t have a clue of what would transpire that October night.
It was Halloween when he and his secret girlfriend dressed up as Romeo and Juliet. It was a reminder of their first date which had taken place at a local theater showcasing scenes from various works of Shakespeare. It has already been a couple of months since they’ve been dating but Cindy still didn’t want to be publicly known as an ‘item’. Antonio was completely fine with it. To him, only one thing mattered: being able to call Cindy his. Although they haven’t admitted to anyone that they’ve started dating, the two of them have been labeled as a couple nevertheless. “Cindy Zaragoza and Antonio Gomez”, classmates would call them. It started as a joke but soon became reality. A few of their friends dared them to go to Tatiana’s Halloween bash together which didn’t really bothered them since they can just hang out without having to worry about labels. “Hiding in plain sight,” as Antonio had said.
That night, Antonio came back to Cindy’s house. Her parents were out on a business trip. That left the two of them alone. Cindy walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water and Antonio followed suit. She bent down to put her glass back and at that moment, he couldn’t resist. The alcohol had finally taken a toll on him. He grabbed her waist and pushed her against the kitchen counter. Their lips met. He moaned against her like she moaned against him.
Desire and lust filled the air. Antonio's hand wandered up Cindy's shirt. Her breath hitched in response. She was clearly affected but she didn't let the situation escalate.
"We can't," Cindy breathed. She stopped Antonio's arms. Her eyes fluttered closed, knowing what his response will be.
A low growl escaped past Antonio's lips. He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated with his girlfriend. Antonio stared at Cindy, "we've been waiting for a long time, Cindy. Don't you think we're ready for this?" Cindy merely looked down; a sure sign that she didn't want to start a fight.
Antonio pressed against her more. The kitchen counter made her backache. Cindy was scared. She was scared that Antonio might hurt her. It pained Cindy, knowing what she had to do.
Cindy pushed Antonio. He stumbled back a couple of feet. Anger flared inside him. Antonio didn't realize what he had done until the aftermath was staring right at him.
Cindy's right hand hovered over the handle of the knife that was now embedded in her stomach. Her left hand clutched the counter in a struggle to keep herself up. She looked up at Antonio.
Antonio's eyes were wide with surprise. His eyes told Cindy that he was sorry but there was no hint of remorse. Slowly, Cindy succumbed.
Antonio was quick to dispose of the body. He knew he couldn't get caught. He promised himself that he would leave this alone.
