My Boyfriend and Best Friend Whispered in Spanish, My First Language Chapter 01

My Boyfriend and Best Friend Whispered in Spanish, My First Language Chapter 01

At dinner, my boyfriend and my friend started chatting in Spanish again.

Back in college, they’d both taken it as an elective and tried to convince me to join them, but I wasn’t interested, so I passed.

I ate in silence, not saying a word.

Then Derek Holloway suddenly said, “Relax, Elara’s too dumb to get any of this.”

When I looked up, my face tense, he smiled at me.

“What’s wrong, dummy? Food not to your liking again?”

I looked at him.

Every time I was around, he and Mira Caddel would switch to Spanish. They always had endless things to talk about.

When I asked why, he said they were just practicing since most of Keller & Associates’ clients are Spanish-speaking.

Whenever I asked what they were talking about, he’d brush me off.

“You wouldn’t get it anyway. I told you to learn it back in college, and you didn’t.”

Mira laughed behind her hand.

“Are you sure she has no clue? That night she had a high fever, you didn’t even check on her. You were at my place all night.”

“What if she finds out?”

Derek glanced at me and chuckled.

“So what if she does? Do you honestly think she could live without me?”

I froze. My fork nearly slipped from my hand.

They had no idea.

My mother was Spanish, and I was born in Spain.

After she died in an accident, my father brought me back to Port Emerson when I was ten.

—

“Elara? What’s on your mind? Overthinking again?”

Derek picked up the tender piece of fish belly and placed it into Mira’s bowl, then turned to me with that gentle smile of his.

“If you’re not happy with the food, just tell me. You always keep it bottled up.”

“I’ll get the server to bring a menu so you can order something you actually like.”

I didn’t answer.

Every dish on the table was Mira’s favorite.

We’d been together for five years, and he probably didn’t even know what I liked to eat.

Mira switched to Spanish again.

“She really can’t understand us? You’re not worried you’ll slip up?”

Derek laughed. “Relax. You really think she’s gonna pick up on Spanish?”

I kept my head down and kept eating.

I chewed the food for what felt like forever, but it had no taste.

Mira looked at me.

“Elara, Derek and I are just practicing. Don’t read into it. You know most of our clients are Spanish-speaking.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Derek looked pleased with my response.

He reached over and pinched my cheek.

“I knew it. My Elara’s always the sensible one. So good.”

He was right. I’d always been the easy one.

Even when the food was terrible, I’d clean my plate without a word of complaint.

The desserts arrived. There were only two.

Derek slid the warm apple pie over to Mira, then pushed the icy mango smoothie toward me.

“Mira has a sensitive stomach. She can’t do cold stuff. You take this one.”

I stared at the smoothie without touching it.

My stomach couldn’t handle cold food either. Derek knew that.

But whenever Mira was around, he conveniently forgot.

Mira took one bite, then suddenly bent over and held her stomach.

“Ow… I don’t feel so good.”

Derek immediately leaned in.

“What happened? Was it that iced Americano you had at lunch?”

“I’m fine. Probably just got a chill.”

He turned to me, flustered.

“Elara, you’ve got a hand warmer pack in your bag, right? Quick, give Mira one.”

I did have one. I’d packed it for myself.

Derek used to tease me for carrying one around all the time.

Now, suddenly, it wasn’t so ridiculous.

I took it out of my bag and handed it over.

As she took it, her fingers brushed against Derek’s hand. Neither of them pulled away.

Their eyes met. The spark between them was unmistakable.

That flicker of intimacy sent a chill right through me.

Without a word, I stood up and walked to the restroom. The face staring back at me was pale.

I suddenly remembered the night I had that fever.

Derek had posted a photo online.

[My little dummy’s sick. Kills me to see her like this. Soon as I’m done with work, I’m racing home to take care of her.]

The post got dozens of likes. Everyone praised him for being the perfect boyfriend.

Only I knew the truth.

He never showed up.

When I returned to the table, Derek was peeling shrimp for Mira.

Each one was perfectly cleaned and lined up neatly on her plate.

In five years together, he’d never peeled one for me.

After I sat down, he didn’t even look up.

“Elara, just grab a ride home later. I need to take Mira back. She’s not feeling well.”

My grip tightened around my fork.

“I’m not feeling well either.”

Derek finally turned toward me, frowning.

“What? What’s wrong? Weren’t you fine a minute ago?”

Mira softly said in Spanish, “Derek, I think she’s just jealous. She wants your attention.”

Derek answered in Spanish with a grin.

“Ignore her. Same old thing. I’ve spoiled her rotten.”

I stared at the neatly arranged shrimp.

Then I finally spoke, “Derek, what did you just say?”