A child called Gio, so he went to play with them. I glanced at Gian, who was now smelling his hand that had touched Gio. “He smells so good! His scent rubbed off on me!”
I pinched him for what he said, and he just giggled.
“You said he’s jealous, right?” Gian pointed out.
“Well, he doesn’t seem like it now. Maybe he’s getting better at controlling it.” I said
“In all fairness, he’s leveling up! I mean, he’s now respecting your personal space, and maybe he’s starting to trust you more. When you say ‘he’s just a friend,’ he’s just a friend.” Gian continues to tease me.
Gian also played with the kids, and even Dario mingled with the others. Nothing happened. So far, Gio hadn’t thrown any punches, which is… good.
Gian left after a while. When there was a chance, Gio came up to me.
“You have a nice friend,” I looked at him, raising an eyebrow, not expecting his comment. Gio gazed at me. “I’m just glad you have them. That there are people here who are looking out for you, especially when I’m not around.”
I was genuinely surprised by what he said, but I tried not to show it. I never expected all those words to come out of his mouth. Wasn’t he jealous?
“Normally, I’d be jealous,” he began, a smile gracing his lips. “But I’ve come to realize that I want you to be free in choosing the people you want in your life. You have your own decisions, Millie, and I don’t control them. I trust you, and I know you wouldn’t trust someone who could harm you. I want you to be free; I don’t want to be the controlling partner.” Gio gave me a restrained smile before walking away to help the children organize their things.
I didn’t expect that, really. I thought he would sulk or get angry. I thought he would talk to me and tell me to stay away from Gian because he was jealous. So his words really took me by surprise.
I concealed a smile. For some unknown reason, I was pleased by that. It seems I’m not the only one who’s had some realizations while we’ve been apart, huh? It looks like Gio is growing too.
Today is the town’s fiesta. I’ve never experienced this kind of celebration, so I’m excited. There’s a gathering at the plaza, so I joined Laura when they went there. I even spotted Gian and waved to him when he noticed me. He was with his family while his father spoke in the middle of the plaza.
There were many vendors, especially in the plaza. Many children were around, and when I saw the kids I used to teach, they greeted me.
The people were lively, and there were even some dance performances. I’m excited because whether or not I have memories, I’ve never really experienced something like this before.
“There’s a mud wrestling contest later. Marcos and Gelo are participating. They say the prize is substantial. Let’s watch, okay?”
We were eating near the plaza. There was a variety of food that enticed me to try new dishes.
“Is that so?” I asked them, referring to the mud wrestling contest.
“Yes! They do it here every year. It’s a shame to miss it, especially since the prize is big, plus they have a pig!”
They were visibly excited, which got me excited as well. Ida and Amy’s husband was participating, so we would definitely watch to support them.
When the time was right, we headed to the location where the competition would take place. Many people were already gathering there, so we had to squeeze our way through. I scanned the crowd, hoping to spot Gio, but I hadn’t seen him since this morning.
“Hey, Tasha. How are you and that foreign friend of yours? Are you getting along well?” Amy grinned widely at me. Referring to Gio.
“Oh, yeah! You’re always together, huh. Is there something going on between you two? You look good together,” Ida chimed in with a laugh.
My three friends teased me, but I brushed it off. “Gio was just helping me with the kids, and there was nothing romantic between us.” I explained.
The competition began, and I was excited because it was my first time watching something like this. Two contestants entered the ring, with Gelo, Amy’s husband, being one of them. His opponent was…
My smile vanished when I saw Gio. The women in the crowd screamed, so I unintentionally turned to look. The contestants were topless, and their bodies were on full display. The flirtatious women in the audience couldn’t contain their excitement upon spotting Gio.
Gio, however, seemed unfazed by their reactions. He was busy scanning the spectators. When he saw me, his gaze lingered on me, and a ghost of a smile played on his lips.
“Wow, Gio, you’re hot!”
I glanced at the women who were screaming and realized they even knew Gio’s name. Well, he had been here for quite a while, so many people recognized him.
The competition started, and I watched with a somber expression, reminding myself not to be jealous.
Gio was clearly in control. He was well-versed in this, thanks to his MMA training. He had no problem with this kind of challenge. In fact, he could probably finish the match quickly. But for entertainment’s sake, he seemed to be dragging it out.
Gio managed to knock Gelo down, but Gelo swiftly pulled Gio by the leg, causing Gio to fall. Gelo was the first to get up, and we expected Gio to follow suit. When he didn’t immediately rise, alarm bells went off in our heads.
We noticed that Gio was wincing in pain, clutching his hand. It dawned on us that Gio might have injured himself in the fall.
Dario quickly approached Gio, helping him up and out of the muddy ring. People in the crowd were asking about his well-being, but Gio didn’t respond. I saw the pain in his face, and out of worry, I couldn’t stop myself from approaching the scene.
“Is he okay?” I asked, concerned about Gio’s condition.
“Ma’am Millie?” Dario was visibly surprised by my presence, but he managed to respond to my question. “It seems Sir Gio may have dislocated something. I’ll take him back to the hotel.”
“No, I’m fine. You’re participating, aren’t you? Enjoy the game, Dario. I can handle myself,” Gio objected to Dario’s suggestion.
“But, Sir-”
“I’ll take care of him, Dario.” I don’t know what came over me, but I was genuinely worried about Gio.