AN: This is my first ever "Ugly Betty" fanfic, so please be gentle. It is mostly a Gio fic, as it is from his POV about his feelings for Betty ('cause I just love Gio so much). It takes place immediately after "Bananas for Betty" after Hilda tells him she doesn't think she is the Suarez sister he likes. I also added my own twist on his home life/family life. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own "Ugly Betty" or any of the characters, so please don't sue me. Thank you.
Gio put the key into the door of his small one-bedroom apartment and turned until he heard the lock click. He opened the door slowly and walked inside, throwing his keys into a small dish on the end table. He walked into the small family room where an older woman in her 60's was sitting on the sofa watching TV. "Hey," Gio whispered, and she turned to look at him, "is she asleep?"
The woman nodded and got up from the sofa, "Like a baby."
"Thanks again for coming on such short notice," he said as pulled out his wallet and handed her a $20 when she reached him.
She shook her head and took his hand, putting the money back in his hand and closing it tightly. "Don't worry about it."
"No, please, you have to let me pay you."
She shook her head once more, "Don't worry about it, dear. I only live across the hall, so it's not like I've gone out of my way. Besides, what are neighbors for?"
"Really, Mrs. Peterson, let me pay you. It wouldn't feel right if I didn't pay you."
Again she refused, "You know I am always happy to help you, and if that means watching that sweet little girl every once in a while, then I am happy to do it. You can pay me back by taking good care of her and making sure she gets a good education like your parents would've wanted her to. And, of course, you can always make me one of your magnificent sandwiches." She added with a wink.
He smiled and gave her a hug, "I really appreciate it."
"I know you do," she said, giving him a warm smile. They said their goodbyes and he opened the door for her, watching to make sure she got into her apartment safely before shutting the door and locking it. He kicked off his shoes and plopped down on the sofa.
He let out a sigh and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling, replaying the events of the evening in his head. "I don't think I'm the Suarez sister you like." That's what Hilda had said. But that couldn't be. He couldn't have feelings for Betty. It just wasn't possible! Then he remembered what it was like when he had danced with Betty. How fast his heart was pounding when he took her hand and pulled her to the middle of the room, how she was reluctant at first, but then eventually let loose and began to dance with him.
He felt the corners of his mouth creep up into a smile. Then he remembered Henry showing up and his smile quickly faded and he felt a twinge of annoyance and, could it be... jealousy?
"Shit!" he said, shooting straight up. She was right! Hilda was right! How could he not realize? How does someone walk around blinded to their own feelings? Then he realized: he wasn't blinded to his feelings. Gio knew they were there all along and he just didn't want to acknowledge them, hoping they'd go away. Betty was with Henry and she was very happy with him. He was a smart accountant who probably made more money in a day than Gio could even hope to make in two. Henry probably had a nice place in a nice neighborhood. Why would Betty ever want to leave that for this; a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Queens where the heat didn't even work?
Hell, he hated having to bring up his little sister in a dump like this. But things were going to be different once he paid off all the money he borrowed from the bank to open his deli. Once that was finished and he started to make some real money, he was going to get her out of here. He was going to get a better place in a better part of town and he was going to give Antonella all the things she deserved. He looked down at his hands. They deserved better than him, both Antonella and Betty.
Gio got up off the sofa and walked quietly to where the door to Antonella's bedroom was. He peaked in, as her door was open ever-so-slightly, and when he saw that she was fast asleep, he opened it a little more and crept inside to get a better look at his baby sister. He thought she looked the picture of innocence, like an angel sleeping on a cloud. He smiled and brushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen into her face as she slept,and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. She moved slightly as he did so, but did not wake. He stood there for a minute or two, making sure her windows were locked tightly and closing her curtains, before quietly leaving her room and closing the door behind him.
He took a quick hot shower before setting himself up a bed on the sofa, like he did every night. It had been a long night and he needed his sleep.
¤ ¤ ¤
Monday morning, bright and early, he got Antonella off to school and then headed off to open the deli. As he was setting everything up he heard the bell over the door ring as someone came in. "Good morn-" he began as he looked up at the customer, only to have his heart jump into his throat. It was Betty with a bright smile on her face. He cleared his throat, "Good morning, Betty." He hadn't seen her since Saturday night, which was only two days ago, but now that he had accepted that he had feelings for her, it felt like every hour since he had last seen her had been a day and he found himself wanting to grab her and kiss her passionately. He quickly pushed that urge aside as she came closer to the counter.
"Morning, Gio!" she said cheerfully. He felt his stomach do summersaults when she said his name. "Can I have my usual, please?"
He smiled and fought the squirming feeling in his stomach as he answered, "Turkey with sun-dried tomato, extra tomato, coming right up!" He wrapped her sandwich when he was finished making it and rang it up at the register. She pulled her money out of her purse and handed it to him and he handed her sandwich to her. Their hands touched during the exchange and in that split second Gio felt a tingle in his fingertips.
"Thanks, Gio. Have a nice day." Betty said with a smile before turning to leave. The bell above the door rang once again as she opened it and he watched her walk until she disappeared from the view of the window. He felt his heart sink in the same way it did when he watched Betty walk away with Henry just two nights previously.
Gio felt a stab of jealousy as his fist clenched. 'Someday,' he thought, 'I'll be worthy enough for her. Someday she'll look at me the way she looks at Henry.'
Someday felt like an awfully long time.
AN: I hope you liked it. Like I said, this is my first "Ugly Betty" fic, so please be kind. Also, I do realize that in "Bananas for Betty" Gio said to Hilda "just give my mom a haircut and don't tell her about her bald spot" and I do have an explanation for that in a sequel I am writing for this fic. Just so ya know.