I shrug. “Yeah, we can talk for hours,” I grudgingly say. There were times we talked about ideas for very long periods. It was exhilarating for my brain! I have to admit it.
“You’re not only smart but beautiful too, Araceli.”
I energetically shake my head. “No, I’m not beau—”
“Yes, you are!” he insists.
By this time my irritation has grown to anger. “Look, Alfredo, there’s nothing special about my appearance. I don’t wear the right clothes, I don’t do up my face, and I never go to a hair salon. No one ever notices me.”
“I notice you,” he shoots back.
“I’m a plain Jane—no question about it.”
“Maybe you need to rethink beauty,” he insists.
“What?”
“Whether you believe it or not, you’re very pretty without the junk you’re talking about—you’re a natural beauty. But more than how some physical features come together I think beauty is spiritual—the light in your eyes, the amazing things that come out of your mouth, and the warm smile. I keep telling you that you’re beautiful. You’re gorgeous in more ways than one!”
I chuckle. “Thanks, Alfredo. You’re very good for a girl’s ego.”
“I haven’t finished with my assessment of you, Araceli,” he states.
My eyebrows shoot up. “No?”
“I haven’t told you what makes you fun.”
I snicker. “Me—fun? I don’t think so.”
“Not just amusement parks and parties are fun, Araceli. People who say smart things can be fun too. Talking for hours is fun. Being with someone who is nice is fun. You like to read, discuss things, and laugh at smart jokes. You’re fun, Araceli.”
“You mean I’m boring, Alfredo.”
He chuckles. “One person’s boring activity is another’s fun one, don’t you think?”
I smile. “I guess so.”
“Araceli, I want you to know that you can count on me for anything. Really you can. I’ll keep your secrets if you ever get sick and tired of keeping everything in and want to unload on somebody.”
Gosh!—Alfredo is such a friend, a real one! When had he sneaked into my private life space without me noticing? I want to say that it happened just today, but I’d be wrong. I had been finding myself looking forward to my talks with him and even seeing him at school for a while now.
It’s so cool that he’s not a fake friend who’s with me for popularity but a real one.
Wow!—Alfredo may be my best friend!
Sorry Dynamic Trio. You’re awesome, but Alfredo is in another category.
Justin:
The backhanded slap I had given the stripper comes often to my mind. The slut had really screamed at me after she had come back to the private room with bouncers. She screamed that I was less of a guy for having beaten a woman.
She had yelled at the top of her lungs that I was a creep!
She was making such a big deal out of nothing! It was just a little slap—barely touching her. I don’t know why she had made such a fuss over a little blood trailing from her mouth. I really wanted to slap her again, but her guards were waiting for me to make a move to let me have it.
My friends had no idea what was happening or I’m sure they would’ve helped me beat the crap out of the bouncers. I had to stand there like a coward and let her shriek at me that I was a poor excuse of a human being, that I was a rabid animal that should be put down, that violence was the only way someone like me felt good.
I had tried to laugh off her cruel words but in reality they had gotten to me.
They make me wonder if Lucette left me because of my occasional fits of passion.
That’s what I call my little episodes.
But I’m sure she really understood that I’m so passionate because I love her so much! She had to know that. I’m going to explain it to her very carefully when I see her, so that she knows without a doubt how I feel about her.
I’ll clarify how important she’s to me, and she’ll fall into my arms. Yeah, she’ll be all mine again.
She won’t ever be confused about me again.
She’ll never want to leave me again.
Chapter 26
Lucette/Araceli:
After clarifying my best friend feelings for Alfredo, I give myself permission to hang out with him more. I’m careful, though, that Danila understands without a doubt that Alfredo and I are just buddies. Nothing more. I’m not trying to steal her infatuation. She appreciates that I made my friendship with Alfredo clear, and she continues her pursuit of him.
I feel kinda bad for her. He seems to take no interest in her, but she persists. I had tried to get Alfredo to go out with her several times, but he had gotten angry and told me to quit playing matchmaker.
At least I tried, I tell myself.
At the moment, Alfredo and I are in my room studying for a Science test. He had just dropped in. He’s taken to showing up at my home unexpectedly, and I can’t say I blame him. When he used to call me to ask me if he could come over, I’d quickly call Danila as soon as we hung up. Danila would show up at the house as if by surprise.
It didn’t take long for someone as smart as Alfredo to figure out what was happening. Now he shows up out of the blue, so I won’t give a heads up to Danila. To be honest, I’m ashamed to say I’m relieved Alfredo forced my hand on this. I really like our private conversations with just the two of us which is why I don’t secretly call Danila while he’s in the house.
I do feel guilty though.
But not guilty enough to call Danila.
When Alfredo and I finish studying, we decide to watch a movie on TV. The Sanchezes are out with friends, so we have the TV to ourselves. We eat tuna sandwiches we had both prepared and sit on the carpet while leaning on the sofa as we get into the outrageous movie. Believe it or not, we’re watching Sharknado. It may be kinda a silly movie—I mean sharks in a tornado, really! But it’s a fun movie if you turn off your disbelief. And the movie is especially fun when your brain has been on serious work for hours with brain cells exhausted from too much pondering.
Turning off the brain and just vegging out.
Relaxing, laughing, adrenaline pumping. Flying sharks, clouds filled with the predators, and the main character getting swallowed by a shark and then getting out alive—preposterous for sure but fun to watch.
Alfredo agrees with me. Neither one of us had wanted to watch an Oscar award winning picture. After the film is over, he turns to me with a serious look on his face. “What a romantic movie.”
I start chuckling, a snicker underneath my laughter. “Romantic?” I burst.
“Yep?”
I laugh harder. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“It’s romantic when you don’t get eaten by a shark.”
“Okay, if that’s all you require out of romance.”
“Actually, no,” he murmurs, his eyes deeply climbing into mine. I can’t help but gaze back at the intensity of his stare. He takes a strand of my hair and starts twirling it around his finger. A crackling with electricity silence permeates the air as he plays with my hair.
I take a deep breath as I involuntarily move my face closer to his. It’s like I’m being pulled into him. He does the same as if he also needs to get closer to me. Then our lips meet. The warmth of his lips vibrate on mine. Gentle. Tender. Justin had never kissed me like this. He always tried to take everything—tried to swallow me up if he could. I had once thought it was unrestrained passion for me. Now I know better. Justin had to dominate everything around him, even a kiss.
Alfredo isn’t trying to dominate but share with me instead. His lips caress me, sending tremors through me. When I realize how into the kiss I am, I jerk my head back, disconnecting myself to him.
“Araceli, I’m so sorry,” he bursts. “Please forgive m—”
But I don’t let him finish. Crack! I plant a huge slap on his cheek instead.
Realizing what I had done, I start
trembling uncontrollably as I wait for the reciprocating attack. Horrified. Terrified. Shaken. Since we’re still on the carpet, I quickly contort myself into the fetal position waiting for that first whack.
That first punch.
That first kick.
The first agonizing pain.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I brace myself. I pray what I always do during these kinds of moments, Please let me get out of this alive.
“Araceli!” Alfredo exclaims, his voice dripping with concern. “What are you doing?”
At that instant I realize where I am and who is with me. Alfredo had helped two girls in danger. He wouldn’t hit a girl, would he? I flutter my eyes open and carefully stare at him as I slowly get out of the fetal position but stay on the floor.
He starts getting closer to me. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
I jerk back as his hand lands on my shoulder. “Don’t touch me!”
He pulls back, hurt in his eyes. “Araceli, I’m just trying to help,” he murmurs softly.
“Leave, Alfredo.”
“What?” he questions, startled.
“I asked you to leave,” I blurt.
“But—”
“You want to help me?” I burst.
“Yes, of course.”
“Then give me some space,” I shoot back. ”I really need it right now.”
“Okay, Araceli but before I go I need to tell you how sorry I—”
“Not now,” I murmur. “Just leave please.”
He sighs and then nods. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“That’s what I need.”
The worried puzzlement still shows on his face as he steps out the door. Slow tears start rolling down my face. Will things ever be normal with me? I wonder.
Will Justin ever stop being a threat in my mind?
Justin:
The freak is stiiiiiill in the hospital! Stupid, stupid Ratchet! I’m at my wits end!
Can you believe that he actually called me to tell me he’d soon be out?
“Stop being impatient, kid,” he snarled. “I’ll find her.”
This didn’t make me feel at all better. As far as I’m concerned, the longer he takes, the colder the trail gets. I’m about to break something out of sheer frustration when I hear a knock on my door. I swing it open wondering who could be bothering me as I’m about to explode. When I see the pack of beer in my friend’s hands, I grin.
“How did you guess I needed a drink?” I grunt.
Rocco shrugs. “Don’t we always need the comfort and relief of booze?”
I chuckle darkly. “Yeah!”
“And don’t worry about there being enough beer for the both of us.”
“What do you mean?”
He chuckles loudly. “Buddy, there’s more where this came from—a lot more. My cooler in the back of my truck is loaded with beer.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” I burst. Just then I decide that Rocco is my best friend.
We settle on my sofa and start drinking. The cans feel cold to my touch. It’s just the way I like my beer—frosty. Rocco asks me why I needed a drink so much. I explain that Ratchet is still laid up in the hospital. Meanwhile, Lucette seems to be getting further and further away from me.
“Tough luck,” he grumbles.
“You can say that again.” I take a huge swig of beer.
“That Lucette was so hot,” he murmurs dreamily.
The jerk seems to be fantasizing about my wife! I shoot up from the sofa, ready to beat the crap out of my new best friend. “Hey—”
“Calm down, Justin,” he soothes, “I’m just complimenting your taste in girls. I know she’s your wife.”
I hadn’t told anybody that my marriage to Lucette hadn’t been real. Lucette is my wife no matter what some stupid judge says.
I glare down at him from my standing positon. “You’d better not be having any sexy thoughts about her!”
“Justin, we’re friends, right?”
“Not if you want to get it on with my wife!”
He groans. “While Lucette is really beautiful, I’d never mess a friend over.”
“No?”
“Heck no!”
I feel reassurance flood through me. I hate the idea of fighting with Rocco. The guy always brings me beer. Plopping back down on the sofa, I open another beer can.
Rocco eyes me with relief. “You really love Lucette, don’t you?” he questions softly.
“You can’t imagine how much I love my wife!” My speech is already starting to slur. I had already downed quite a few cans of beer. Rocco will have to get us some more from his truck pretty soon.
“You’re such an inspiration to me.”
“How is that?” I ask.
“I envy your love affair with your wife. I hope that someday I love a girl as much as you love your wife. She’s everything to you, and you refuse to give up on finding her.”
“NEVER! I’ll never give up on finding her!” I bellow. “She’s got to understand that we belong together!”
“Yeah!”
“I don’t care what I have to do to find her! I don’t care how much money I have to spend! I don’t care how many mountains I have to climb! I don’t care how many oceans I have to sail! I don’t care!”
“You’re such a poet, Justin.”
“I’m just a guy who totally loves his wife, and I don’t care what I have to do to convince her we’re soulmates—destined for one another!”
“What passion! What an amazing love story!”
“Yeah, amazing. Once I find her my life and hers will have meaning again.”
“You know you can count on me to help you any way I can.”
“Yeah, thanks a lot,” I assert. “It’s quite enough that you get me beer.”
“Anything for you, buddy.”
“I hate this underage business. If I’m old enough to be married then I should be old enough to drink.” I’m slurring my words a lot more now.
“Yeah, right.”
“The marriage noose is tight around my neck!”
“Right.”
“My lovely Lucette!” I yell from way inside of me as I squeeze the beer can to my face. “Where are you, my love?!!!”
“Yeah, where?”
“There’s no one like Lucette,” I garble, sighing.
“Hey, that gal at the stripper club kinda looked like her, right?” Rocco mentions nonchalantly.
“That skank made a big deal about the little slap I gave her!” I snap.
Rocco’s eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. “Little?” he questions.
“Yeah, little.”
“Buddy, I have to tell you that the slap you gave her wasn’t a little one.”
“You weren’t there!” I retort defensively.
“But I saw the blood on her face.”
“It was just a little trail.”
Rocco eyes me with surprise. “It was a lot of blood. The only reason the police wasn’t called was because it was illegal for you to have been allowed in the club, and the owner hates problems with the law.”
“Rocco, I’m telling you that I hardly touched the slut except to put dollar bills in her G-string,” I assert guardedly.
Rocco sighs, eyeing me warily. “You’re my best bud which is why I have to tell you that a friend of mine went to the club yesterday. The stripper hasn’t been back to work because of the injury.”
“She’s lying! She probably took advantage of the situation to get some time off!”
“Maybe,” he mutters.
“Stop pissing me off and do something useful like getting us some more beer.”
As he goes outside for the alcohol, I rub my temples. Rocco’s words slap at me. Not a little slap. Lotsa blood. Injured stripper.
No!!! I say to myself. I didn’t hit that slut that hard nor was I that rough with my wife either. They both deserved whatever came to them.
Deserved it!
Chapter 27
Lucette/Araceli:
With all the freaking out about the slap I had laid on Alfredo, I hadn’t thought about the kiss. But at night when all is quiet and my nerves finally calm down, the memory of it comes to me.
His kiss.
Soft and gentle.
Putting my fingers to my lips, I can still feel his. I can still feel him close to me. So much warmth. Zero violence!
Stop it! I tell myself. I can’t be having any amorous feelings for Alfredo—for so many reasons.
One—he’s my friend, a good one that would be a shame to lose over romance.
Two—I’m not who he thinks I am. Even my name is a lie.
Three—I’m not ready for a romantic relationship, may never be ready.
Four—Justin, Justin, Justin! Need I say more? He’s dangerous and I’d be putting Alfredo in lots of danger. Besides, I can’t get past what the monster did to me.
Five—Danila. I’d never betray my friend by going out with the guy she wants to be with.
So, Alfredo is off limits to me. Totally off limits. That goes without question.
In school, Alfredo tries to casually cozy up to me. His eyes stare at me with fidgety concern. Because Danila gives us a funny look, I try to stay away from him. She asks to talk to me in private. As we go to a solitary bench outside during the lunch break, my stomach is really hurting. I’m worried about what she’s about to tell me. I’m guessing that this is about Alfredo.
I’ll have to convince her that there’s nothing between us and that there’ll never be.
“What do you need to talk to me about?” I question nonchalantly as we arrive at the bench.
“Alfredo.”
My stomach lurches. I hate having been right. “What about him?” I murmur, concern twisting inside of me.
“Do you like him?”
“What?” The question had taken me by complete surprise.
“I think he likes you.”
Nervous, I try to undo the conversation. “We’re really good buddies and like each other in the friendship way.”
“Don’t think so,” she asserts calmly. “There’s more to it than friendship.”
“Don’t be silly,” I rush. I try to get out of this specific talk. “What I want you to tell me about is how did you get an A plus out of old curmudgeon Mr. Smith? I haven’t been able to get him to even crack a smile during P.E.”
Danila sighs. “We were talking about Alfredo,” she states dryly.
I just can’t get out of this talk no matter how much I try. “What about him?” I give up.