by Sasha Pop
Marta understood what she was hinting at, intrigued at this turn of events.
“So what did he do?” the redhead asked, barely able to hear the juicy conclusion.
“He gave me a hug,” Jessica concluded, with a hint of pride in her tone.
“Wait, a hug….that’s it?” Marta asked, not hiding her disappointment at the anti-climactic conclusion.
Jessica felt slightly insulted that the redhead dismissed the moment she had shared with him as being “just a hug”. “So what if I don’t even know his name,” she thought…at least at that moment, she had believed him fully that everything was going to be alright.
“So what is next? Are you going to try and find him? We can always go back to Docks you know,” Marta suggested.
With some effort, Jessica dismissed her idea, feeling tempted for an instant.
“No, I need to focus on myself now, with the exams coming up. I can’t get involved...It is the year I have to submit my med school applications, and I worked for so long to get here. There will be more guys for me until the summer,” she announced.
As Marta stayed silent, trying to process her friend’s declaration, Jessica went on the offensive.
“So, are you in?”
“In on what?”
“In on the ‘No more guys until the summer’ thing,” The blonde said, laughing. Somehow she wasn’t in such a terrible mood anymore. “Come on, let’s make a promise.”
“…” Marta just stayed quiet, not knowing what to say in return.
Chapter VI
The rest of the week went by uneventfully, with Jessica trying to get back on track in school, after all the drama and the hangover that lasted for a few days. It was easier said than done though, as she found herself getting distracted more often than not even during her favorite subjects, just staring outside into the distance through the window while the teachers rambled on about molecules and enzymes. On Friday, while enjoying a cappuccino at the cafeteria during a break, she saw Bob passing by with some blonde bimbo that she recognized from the cheerleader team; she didn’t remember her name as they looked all so alike to her, so plastic and fake. Before Bob noticed that Jessica was sitting just a few feet away in the corner, he was caressing the lower back of his new companion, and being his typical loud, mouthful self, he was hinting at the “fun” that they were going to be having tonight. At first, Jessica thought logically that she should feel hurt at that moment, seeing how quickly she was replaced…. but somehow all she felt was emptiness…combined maybe with a slight touch of amusement, at the sight of Bob obviously overcompensating, and trying to affirm his manliness even more than usual.
“What do they see in him?” she wondered, paying more attention to how happy the cheerleader looked while listening to his dumb stories than to her ex. Maybe it was the status that came with being with the captain of the football team…or maybe they just didn’t know any better. Smiling sardonically, Jessica concluded to herself that it was probably the second option, remembering her own experience. “Poor thing….she doesn’t know what she got herself into,” Jessica thought, contemplating telling the girl that Bob would probably be imagining somebody else, someone more manly when they would be having their “fun”, however she decided that it was not worth getting involved.
As she kept observing them, their glances finally crossed, with Bob turning red like a crawfish and turning away at once. The cheerleader asked immediately if he was not feeling well. He headed quickly outside towards the exit at the other end of the cafeteria after offering her some lame excuse, clearly uncomfortable being spotted by somebody who he had been so close with just a few days ago, and who now knew his deepest, darkest secrets.
“Men…so pathetic,” Jessica thought of the whole thing, as if she was above it all. Looking at her pocket watch, she was happy to see that afternoon Biochemistry class was about to start. It was a challenging one, so she would have to focus and not let depressing thoughts take over, or else risk falling behind even further before the quiz next week. She could at least get the notes for the Wednesday class she had missed from Philipp, who was always more than happy to share them with her. She suspected that if she really asked, he would even take the exam for her. Unfortunately, everything he did came with a price, as she always felt a little uncomfortable around him, like he hoped that she would return the favor for all his nice guy gestures…and not in an academic sort of way.
She came to sit on her usual seat in the front of the auditorium. Philipp was already there, reviewing the manual.
“Jess, how are you? I have heard the news,” Philipp said worriedly, putting the book away.
“You and half the school,” Jessica thought. Rumors spread fast, and everybody knew about her recently single situation already. The wildest rumors went around about the reasons for their breakup, but she would bet that none hit on the nail the real thing.
“Oh that? It is nothing,” Jessica casually dismissed him, not willing to go into details about her love life. Despite considering Philipp as almost being one of her girlfriends, Jessica was aware that due to his not-so-secret crush on her it hurt him whenever she told him details about that kind of things, so she came to avoid the topic. He would always badmouth Bob, commenting how he wasn’t a good fit for her and how she deserved someone better behind his back. While she agreed, especially over the last few months, it really annoyed her how he would try to stick his nose where he was not invited. Even worse, despite all the insinuations about how that “someone better” could be him, he never dared to stand up for her in public whenever Bob disrespected her. Instead, he would just shy away and disappear like a little puppy. They were long-time friends though, so Jessica always turned a blind eye to this.
As class started, Jessica found herself daydreaming again…at first she remembered the earlier meeting with Bob, and how the mighty quarterback had turned into a scaredy-cat at the mere sight of her nearby. Then there was Philipp, sitting right there, who she could feel was constantly throwing worried glances at her, as if she was a porcelain doll that needed special care. Worst of all, she thought about all the attention she started getting in the last few days from her male classmates, some of whom she always knew liked her, and others who were afraid to make it known with Bob around. Nevertheless, it was quite distressing to find out that many of those who she considered to be friends turned out to have hidden intentions, and appeared to be just waiting in line for her to become single. Her phone had been blowing up with text messages, some quite suggestive, which really infuriated her, so much she was considering getting a new number.
At least she never succumbed to the public pressure to change her Facebook relationship status to “In a relationship” – she always thought that was silly, and now she was happy that she didn’t, remembering seeing posts of some girlfriends who went “single” online, and then had to deal with dozens of desperate guys offering their shoulder to cry on.
“Do they think I am some desperate skank or what,” Jessica muttered to herself. Realizing that she spoke out loud, and that the teacher was just feet away, perfectly within hearing distance, she turned bright red and looked down. Luckily, he carried on as if nothing had happened, and Jessica started getting distracted again, this time remembering that fateful Tuesday night, which had such a bittersweet ending.
Who was he really, that mysterious guy, who for a moment made her forget all her pain? Despite her memories of the events being very groggy, she could still distinctively visualize his tallish, well-defined physique and tanned complexion; now she could tell that the way he walked and carried himself definitely indicated that he had earned his riches on his own, as he was so distinctively unlike her rich classmates who were so spoiled by mommy and daddy’s money. He appeared to be Hispanic, that was sure, but he didn’t have an accent. He could probably pass for a lead actor in a soap opera, appearing to have all the traits of a player from afar. But somehow, Jessica’s “player radar” didn’t go off. Either she was too dr
unk to tell, but behind those determined, greenish eyes of his she noticed a tiny hint of shyness. The gentle way he placed her hand on her lower back when he was helping her get in the car….that definitely didn’t feel like the rash movements of those guys who were just trying to “get some”. And then the way he turned around at the end of the night to hug her….Jessica started fidgeting uncomfortably at the thought of the stupid test she had played on him, and how it had backfired. Realizing that she was completely oblivious to what was going on in the lecture, Jessica repeated what had become her life’s motto over the last week, again louder than she intended:
“Definitely, no more men.”
Once class was over, Philipp took the chance to strike up a conversation with her.
“What were you saying during class Jess? You looked so serious,” he asked, looking a little nervous, as if he wanted to ask her something else but couldn’t get the guts to do it.
Realizing that Philipp might be about to ask her out on a date or something, Jessica really didn’t feel like sheltering him anymore, nor did she want to lead him on.
“Well, I did break up with Bob. But then last Tuesday, I met SUCH A GUY!” Jessica stated excitedly, omitting the minor fact that she didn’t even know what his name was. As she was about to start listing and exaggerating his supposed qualities, the terrified expression on Philipp’s face stopped her.
“But it’s decided, there will be no more guys for me until the summer – so come to the library, you will help me study!” On that note, Jessica playfully grabbed Philipp by the shirt, who was more than a little shocked and silent at her outburst, dragging him towards the exit. Only later would she realize though that he might have interpreted her declaration in a wrong way - as if she needed time right now to be alone, and eventually would give him a chance when the right moment would come. Nodding excitedly, Phillipp followed after her.
Chapter VII
Jessica woke up feeling something furry and wet poking her cheek. She opened her eyes to see Tara’s happy face staring at her eagerly, ready to go outside. During the weekend, she never needed an alarm clock as the Golden Retriever would infallibly come and wake her up to go on their routine morning run. Jessica enjoyed the peace and sense of freedom that came with jogging along the Miami coast – however it was difficult sometimes to get out of bed early, particularly after those nights when she went out or studied late. Looking at the antique Swiss watch on her nightstand, indicating it was only 6:45am, Jessica silently cursed and was about to fall back asleep. However, even her earplugs didn’t stop the pitiful whining of Tara nearby, so gathering all her willpower she finally got up.
“Maybe I will feel better…I really need to refresh myself before studying.”
A little later, having parked her car in the usual spot by the Miami marina, which was always empty this early, and feeling a lot better after being exposed to the fresh air and the gentle breeze, Jessica patted Tara, thanking her mentally for dragging her out.
“You are my only real friend…you know even better than me what I really need.”
It really was the best time of the day to go for a run, as during the weekends later in the day the beaches would be very crowded, even outside of tourist season. Setting up her IPhone 5s to an upbeat playlist, Jessica picked up a fast pace trying to clear her mind and just appreciate her surroundings. As she reached the end of the Sunny Isles beach 3 miles later, the point where she usually turned around, she noticed a bright red car in the distance, parked near the rocky area of an old abandoned pier. She caught herself thinking that it would be great if it belonged to the mysterious young man she had met last Tuesday. Jessica decided to casually go check it out, with her curiosity getting the best of her, justifying to herself that she was just curious about what a fancy-looking car was doing there, since she never saw anybody parked in the area this early. As she got closer, she could feel her heartbeat increasing. What if it was his? Would it be really awkward, considering her behavior that night? Or even worse, what if he didn’t remember her? And what if he would turn out not to be as cool and perfect as he initially had appeared to her in her drunk state? Jessica considered turning back, not wanting to be disappointed again.
“Maybe it is better to just keep the good memory,” she wondered. However, the thought that she would regret missing the chance of seeing him again, and maybe losing the opportunity to build something really especial kept her going forward. As she reached the car, her suspicions were confirmed. It was a red Ferrari Testarossa, that if not the same was at least awfully similar to the one she had ridden in last week. Her eyes quickly turned to the deserted pier, looking for the owner of the car. Not finding any signs of him, Jessica started getting more anxious. Did something happen? If he was in the nightlife business, and since he appeared to be some sort of big shot, maybe he had crossed the path of somebody dangerous and gotten into trouble.
Heading now to the actual pier, she noticed all the trash lying around and various random pieces of old maritime equipment forgotten by the world. “Definitely not the prettiest of places for a date,” she thought. No wonder people would usually avoid this spot. Jessica for the second time considered heading back, looking with apprehension at the two decaying warehouses covered in graffiti that appeared to come straight from a ghost movie, fearing for her safety.
Her inner debate was interrupted by Tara, who usually was very obedient and could be trusted to stay unleashed, suddenly running towards the warehouses, as if she had sensed something. Not able to catch her right away, Jessica called her loudly.
“Tara, Tara, get back here! Tara!” she repeated her name several times to no avail, as the silhouette of the dog disappeared in the small corridor between the warehouses. Jessica had no idea where it led to, but now she had no choice other than finding out. As she followed Tara’s path, Jessica was imagining the various intricate punishments she would be giving her dog after she would catch her for being so irresponsible. Never mind the fact that she never actually brought herself to punish the Retriever; even after Tara ruined her favorite shoes, she only stopped giving her biscuits for a day or two.
As the light at the end of the narrow corridor intensified, so did the smell of the sea. To Jessica’s surprise, a breathtaking view awaited her here. There were no signs of old, broken-down ships and garbage that was so prevalent in this area - instead there was just a small beach with beautiful, natural-looking rock formations that probably survived in the last fifteen years after the pier was dismantled, partially covered by the crystal-white Miami sand. The reflection of the sun and the rocks could be clearly seen on the water. As there appeared to be not a single soul nearby, there were many seagulls and other small birds flying around, undisturbed. The sound of their singing was being silenced by the small waves hitting the shore. She stayed still for a moment, enjoying the calming sound of the sea. Her trance was disturbed by a very familiar bark. Worried, Jessica saw that Tara was being petted by a young man sitting on the edge of the rocks.
“Oh my!” Jessica thought of the sight. It was him, no doubt – the blonde felt her heart skip a beat. Almost as surprising as finding him in such a desolate area was the fact that Tara was eagerly playing with him. Usually she never allowed strangers to pet her; it would take her a long time to trust people and many she never did. When Tara had met Bob for the first time, at the beginning of their relationship when he still played “Mr. Nice Guy” trying to get her into bed, and bringing Jessica home, Tara behaved more like a bloodthirsty Rottweiler than an amicable Retriever. Another time, on her birthday, about one month into their relationship, Bob gave her his first (and only) present, a stuffed teddy bear with his perfume on, telling her that if she refuses to sleep with him, she should at least sleep with the bear to remind her of him every night. The next day Jessica found the poor stuffed animal disfigured and dismembered. She was quite sad and angry at the sight, still infatuated with him in the honeymoon stage – now she was very glad the bear was gone.
&
nbsp; *****one hour ago*****
Rodrigo just arrived at the small beach. He had first found the place about ten years ago with his childhood friends from the slums. It was a true mess at the time, with debris from the shipyard making the place resemble a war zone more than a beach. They took some time to clean it out, making it a sort of secret hangout spot. Most of the kids from the group of friends were now long gone; some trying to make it big outside of Miami, others haven gotten into trouble locally. Still, Rodrigo kept the habit of coming here whenever he wanted to be alone and regain some inner peace.
Sometimes though, even a familiar place with happy childhood memories failed to do the job. “Damn it,” Rodrigo muttered through his teeth. “Damn it all.” He rarely cursed; despite his poor upbringing, his mother has instilled in him the values of politeness and education, so much that by middle school he was much more well-read than the high school students who would pick on him for being from a different origin.
His mother, who had given her all to offer him the opportunity to live a decent life by working two jobs during the day and doing laundry and ironing for the rich at home at night was now on the brink of life and death. After spending many years in a polluted factory, she looked well older than other women in her forties, very thin and exhausted. The final blow came recently when she had been diagnosed with a rare form of bronchial cancer. The news were particularly shocking to Rodrigo, who despite being well aware of how tough she had it, never realized the true extent of her sacrifices, as she always remained smiling and cheerful even in the face of these difficulties.
“I am sorry to say this, but unless she has an urgent surgery, she will pass away,“ the physician in charge of his mother had told him after her condition had worsened.
“How long do we have?” Rodrigo managed to ask, terrified to hear the answer.