Boy For Rent
Page 10
“He’s an idiot! He told me that his name was David, and now it turns out that he’s your best friend! I don’t want to see him again!” Paula yells like a madwoman while Javier tries to figure out the face he should assume. For now, a look reflecting the surprise he really feels doesn’t seem so bad.
“I don’t want to see you again either!” The tone in which he says it provokes laughter from the two members of the unknown urban tribe who, not being part of the situation, are the only ones who really capture the essence of the scene. It’s pure theater, and poorly acted to boot.
Paula goes running, followed by Ana. Javier, who doesn’t know what to do, chases them in turn toward Ana’s car. The rest remain standing in the sidewalk, confused by what’s happening.
“Would you like to let me know why you hit me again?”
“I didn’t know what to do!” Paula is sincere. She’d gotten nervous and decided to arrange that argument on the spur of the moment.
“The next time that you don’t know what to do, cross the street without looking, beautiful!” he says, while rubbing his aching cheek.
“You guys have lost me...” Ana has no idea what’s going on. She thinks for a while without knowing what to say. “So? Are you two going out or not?”
The two look at each other and shrug while they laugh. Neither is sure.
“I don’t know Ana, maybe he won’t forgive me for having hit him.”
“Maybe she won’t forgive me for being Ángel’s friend.”
“Everything depends on those two things.” Paula and Javier have accurately summarized the mess they’ve gotten themselves into. And yet they’ve avoided answering Ana directly, with the reply that is by this point obvious.
“If you don’t end up going out only because of those things, you’re idiots. If you’d worked things out earlier I might have been with Ángel, instead of here driving two indecisive people through Madrid. What annoys me most is that now Susana will get him.”
“Don’t worry, Susana barks, but doesn’t bite. Ángel will definitely end up giving her a pass.”
* * *
Ángel doesn’t sleep that night. Susana tried to stick to him, but he finally threw her off in the living room of his house, and shut himself up in his room behind a locked door. The following morning he doesn’t come out for breakfast. Nor does he emerge when the hour for lunch arrives, save for a few brief trips to the bathroom in which he carefully avoids the rest of his family. He only shows his face when his mother says to him, two days later, that Paula wants to speak with him though the door. Ana and Javier have already tried other times, without success.
“Have you come to tell me it was you who rented Javier?”
“No, I guess you already know that.”
“You didn’t have to do it. I could have accompanied you.”
“You know that’s not true. If I’d appeared with you, I’d probably have had to marry you afterward. You know my dad! If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that I don’t want to hurt you. Although I’ve made a fool of myself...”
“So you prefer him?”
“Ángel! You’re as important to me as César or Eduardo. You’re my brother, just like them. I can’t see you in any other way. I don’t think any guy I know is as good-looking, fun, or attractive as you, but I don’t feel anything more for you than tenderness. What I want is for you to forgive us, for having lied. Your anger hurts me a lot.”
“Look...”
“Marta and Raquel have already forgiven us. Please! There are two people waiting for you downstairs, Ángel.”
“Who?”
“Come down.”
In the entrance hall Ana and Javier wait as Paula convinces Ángel to end his confinement. When they see him coming down the stairs, Javier takes the initiative.
“Ángel, I... I want you to forgive me, because... I should have told you as soon as I knew.” Ángel moves slowly toward his friend, wearing a expression mixing bitterness and forgiveness. When the space between them has shrunk enough, he gives Javier a kick between the legs. Javier falls to the ground, unable to breathe.
“And next time you get with a girl I’m in love with, don’t tell me! From now on, let’s pretend nothing’s ever happened.” Ángel grabs Ana by the arm and they leave the hall. “I’m hungry. Would you like to get something to eat with me? But you’ll have to pay because I only came down in my pyjamas.”
“I’ll eat with you, and pay too if you want, but go up first and get dressed, and take a shower!”
“Fine. Want to come?”
They climb the stairs in laughter. It seems that Ángel, for the moment, is thinking of turning over a new page. Paula stays behind, looking at Javier, and instead of feeling pain or anguish at the state of her boy for rent, she bursts into uncontrollable laughter.
“Hey, cut it out, it’s not funny for me!”
THE END
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