Opposite Worlds

by Sasha Pop

“And what about you?” he asked. Jessica laughed instead of giving an answer.

  “Wow, you finally said more than just one sentence at a time!”

  Rodrigo smiled apologetically, realizing he had been behaving like this all morning.

  “Sorry, it has been a long night.”

  As they were approaching the Ferrari, he asked her if she wanted a ride back. Jessica however did not want for their meeting to be over so soon. “Not when I finally got him talking,” she thought!

  “My car is about one and a half miles away…we can walk, if you have time,“ she suggested.

  Rodrigo nodded.

  “I am a premed, at U of M,” she said. “In my third year. So we will almost be colleagues in a few years.”

  Nobody from Rodrigo’s neighborhood went to U of M, however he had met some of the students before, especially during the last months while working at the nightclub. Most of them had been snobby, entitled assholes. This girl however seemed to be surprisingly down to earth, even if her fancy outfit and expensive headphones indicated otherwise.

  Next, they exchanged some funny stories from their respective schools. It felt nice to remember the good times of freshman year – for a moment, Rodrigo could almost forget about the hell his life had become. As she was laughing and telling him about a time she did a keg stand, Rodrigo caught himself looking at her face for a little longer than it was appropriate. She was very pretty, that was sure. Her long blonde hair, gentle facial features and aqua-blue eyes were a real head-turner. As a man, he also couldn’t help noticing her nice model-like figure, delicate and at the same time tomboyish, so unlike the blonde bimbos he got used to seeing at the club.

  If only the time was different…then maybe he would like to get to know her better. But even if this was the case, they were from completely different worlds. Somehow the girl got the impression that he was a big shot manager at Docks, riding a Ferrari and all. She probably thought he was the heir of some wealthy family. But for some unexplainable reason, he couldn’t bring himself to destroy her illusion by telling her the truth.

  “There is my car,” Jessica said, clicking the ‘Open’ button on her keys. Here they were almost parting ways, and she didn’t even know his name yet. Thinking frantically of what to do, she considered suggesting that they get coffee some time, but that felt like it would be too bold.

  ‘’Listen, since Tara likes you, would you mind if I call you if she ever needs treatment? She is always so scared of going to the vets,” Jessica asked, trying to appear casual and hoping he would not see that this was an excuse to get his number. She would never have considered asking for a guy’s number before, especially since most of the guys willingly offered theirs first. But there was something about this one that made her step out of the comfort zone. Also, considering this unexpected meeting, which she felt was too unlikely to be just a coincidence, she didn’t want to leave it to chance that they never meet again this time.

  “Sure,” Rodrigo complied and gave her the digits. Thinking that she would never actually call, he decided to play with her for a bit. “Let me ask you a personal question,” he said while staring at her intently.

  “What is he going to ask me, if I have a boyfriend? Do I tell him the truth? Will I seem like a loser if I say no?” Jessica wondered in anticipation.

  “It is very personal. I feel that I have the right – after all you did ask me if I was gay.”

  “Oh my, he remembers!” Jessica thought, flustered.

  “Ready?” Rodrigo made a pause to emphasize the dramatic moment. “So…. what is your name?”

  This was so anticlimactic that Jessica let go a nervous laugh and hit him playfully. “You jerk, you made me worried there for a moment, looking so serious.”

  Rodrigo smiled in return. “I just don’t want some anonymous girl calling me, so it is a serious matter,” he said, not knowing where he got the energy from to make a joke, considering his sour mood. “I am Rodrigo.”

  “I am Jessica, nice to re-meet you,” she introduced herself, laughing. “So he does have a sense of humor underneath that gloomy appearance,” the blonde thought.

  Chapter IX

  Back in the tiny flat he shared with his mother, Rodrigo laid down on the mattress in the middle of the room, looking at the ceiling that had long begun falling apart. Everything in this place was decaying, from the walls that had cracks where cockroaches could easily pass through, to the furniture which would look more appropriate in a junkyard than at home.

  It was still his home though, which he associated with fond childhood memories. Lately however, the depressing state of the apartment only reminded him of his mother’s illness, so he avoided it as much as possible. He never had hated poverty before as much as he did now. He clenched his fists remembering how he ended up lying to Jessica about his student situation, feeling like a coward for not being able to tell her the truth. Thinking about Maestro, John, Juanito, and all the members of the gang he met, he clenched his fists. They actually treated him incredibly well, especially for a newcomer with no track record. But it turned out to be just a set-up – they knew all along about the desperate predicament he was in, and were going to take advantage of this to put him in a dangerous situation. They knew he had no choice…

  As Rodrigo’s exhaustion reached the limit, he felt asleep. Soon, he was dreaming about a different life, a life he could have led if everything had been different. If his father hadn’t mysteriously disappeared when he was but a child…if his mother hadn’t become terminally ill. If he hadn’t quit vet school and become a common thug.

  In the dream, he was at the graduation ceremony with his gown and cap on, standing proudly among his classmates while listening to the commencement speech. His mother was standing in the audience in perfect health, holding hands with a man he didn’t remember well but who strongly resembled his father. Between them was a small toddler – Rodrigo recognized his younger brother that he hadn’t seen in the past fifteen years. For a moment, he could also see Neri, his former sweetheart and the only real relationship he had in the past. The blonde, tall young woman was the only one not smiling, instead just looking melancholically past him. It was a sunny day with clear sky, and the prospects of a bright future right around the corner. As the ceremony had ended and Rodrigo rejoined the family, the dean personally came to congratulate him for his achievements. After excitedly telling him about the plan to open a non-profit clinic for the abandoned animals of Miami, they all headed back towards the parking lot. Once the red Ferrari appeared in the distance, the bright red took over his vision and the beautiful picture of the campus disintegrated, replaced by the dark ambiance of Docks basement. Rodrigo suddenly found himself surrounded by Maestro and the gang members, armed with weapons. He felt the killing intent in the air and that they could attack at any moment behind his back.

  “The time is up. So what is it going to be, the promise of life or certain death?” Maestro had slowly announced.

  Neri’s disappointed look resurfaced sharp in his mind. The faces of his family members appeared next, nothing left of their smiles anymore.

  “I will not be your pawn. I will never work for the likes of you,” Rodrigo stuttered. Before he could react, a sharp blow pierced his back. As he fell on the floor, he started getting hit from all sides by those around him.

  He wanted to call desperately for help, but every time he attempted to do so, no sound would come out. As the gang members had their fun beating him up, two gorillas immobilized him, holding his arms and legs still. Not that this was necessary as he was barely able to move. Seeing John’s towering figure approaching, holding a military knife in his right hand, Rodrigo resumed the struggle. Would it all end like this? Was this a dream or not?

  Sweating profusely, Rodrigo woke up, almost immediately jumping out of the bed. It had been a dream alright; it was obvious since he saw his father and brother in the audience… and then Neri… she would never have come. Still breathing hard, he realized that the f
inal scene of the dream was a very likely outcome in real life if he tried to pull a stunt like that. Almost in panic, Rodrigo reached for the clock, but this was not necessary – it was dark outside, and he had slept for whoever knows how long. Without getting dressed properly, he hurried down the stairs to catch the first bus to the city marina, cursing loudly for not daring to park the boss’s Ferrari close to his neighborhood when it mattered most.

  Seeing John’s cold, empty eyes that had seen much blood during their time greeting him at the entrance of the club was enough to confirm his recent realization. There had been no reason to drive himself nuts with worry deciding what to do during the last three days – after all, he never had an actual choice to begin with.

  *****some days later at the Perry Residence*****

  “Jess! Earth to Jess!” Mickey repeatedly called. “Isn’t that too much salt you are putting there?”

  Jessica slowly looked at the ravioli she was cooking and realized that she had been pouring salt for the past minute. Two days went by, and she still found herself daydreaming about the meeting with Rodrigo. “I wonder what is he actually like?” she fantasized.

  There seemed to be so much more to him than what he had told tell her. The temptation to reach for her phone, and come up with some medical problem for Tara was increasing by the hour. Feeling unexplainably shy, Jessica decided to ask Marta to meet her for coffee later that day.

  At the “Seine”, named after the Parisian river, the two girls ordered exquisite pastries and natural juices made of exotic fruits. Jessica didn’t want to wait till the food was ready to start talking and Marta was dying from anticipation too – she barely remembered the last time Jessica invited her to eat like that, so there must have been some big news.

  “So, come on, spill the beans.”

  Jessica told her the story of the second meeting with the mysterious stranger from Docks, attempting hard not to sound as excited as she actually was. Marta tried to remain unimpressed, slightly jealous that her blonde friend had found a cool, good-looking guy like that. She had been in a sour mood for the last few days, as the celebrity singer she had met turned out to be a narcissistic asshole who was really only after one thing.

  “You shouldn’t be so happy. If you act like that around him, he will think you are desperate, you know,” Marta said.

  A little taken aback, Jessica asked herself if this is why Rodrigo seemed to be so distant around her.

  “I wasn’t acting like that… I think it is just an interesting coincidence we met again, that is all,” she retorted.

  “You said he is a vet student during the day, and a manager at Docks at night?”

  “Yes, impressive, right? I wonder how he manages to fit it all in,” Jessica answered, not noticing the suspicion in Marta’s tone. The redhead was clearly thinking this guy sounded too good to be true.

  “Did he at least ask you for your number?” Marta inquired.

  “No, he didn’t…but…” Jessica said pondering about revealing how she got his number instead. She stopped herself, not wanting to be judged further.

  “But what?”

  “But maybe… he was just too busy.”

  “Well, then he probably wasn’t interested in you,” Marta concluded, oblivious to the slightly hurt Jessica’s expression. “When guys are interested, they will find time, you know.”

  This bluntness was too much for the blonde to bear, so she finally confessed to Marta what had happened.

  “I actually asked for his number instead.”

  “Jess!” Marta exclaimed, starring at her incredulously. “No you didn’t!’’

  “Well, it was just for Tara’s sake, in case she needs something,” Jessica sheepishly justified.

  “Listen, as your friend, I have to tell you – if you do call him, that will send a really bad vibe, like if you are clingy. Guys like to make the first move.”

  “But if I don’t, how will we ever meet again? If he doesn’t have my number.”

  “I think if he really is some sort of big shot at Docks and wants to see you, he will find a way to reach you. Plus, this whole story sounds a little shady, so maybe it is better if you don’t see him again.”

  ***** meanwhile at a Florida wasteland*****

  “So which one do you want to try?” Juanito asked, holding a Magnum pistol in his left hand and a Beretta revolver in his left.

  They were both standing in an abandoned gun range on a ranch some fifty miles outside of the city, far away from any signs of civilization. The only things on the horizon that could be seen were broken down stables and a gray mansion that easily fit the stereotype of a haunted house. This place had been used by Maestro’s gang for a variety of purposes over the years, its remoteness making it the ideal location to hide weapons and to bring in inquisitive members of police and enemies of the gang for “special treatment”. Over the past three days, Rodrigo had been living and preparing here with Juanito for the upcoming mission, per Maestro’s orders. As the more experienced one, Juanito was taking the lead and going over all kinds of possible scenarios, including armed confrontation for when Rodrigo would cross the border with a large shipment of a new type of methamphetamines from Mexico. The plan relied on the fact that Rodrigo was still completely unknown to the authorities, so he was the gang’s best bet not to raise any suspicion. They would both first travel together to Chihuahua to meet and pay the supplier, but on the way back, they would be splitting ways and Rodrigo would be carrying the shipment on his own in a rental car. The first time he heard of the plan, having seen several movies in his youth where smugglers would get arrested by police, and some get life sentences Rodrigo was sure that he was heading for certain disaster.

  Juanito could understand Rodrigo’s reluctance and fear, so he was trying to teach him all he knew to ease his doubts. He had done similar missions in the past with himself being the carrier, and he could still remember vividly the terror he felt whenever he faced Border Patrol. Now it was a different story though. This new type of methamphetamines was printed on paper, and looked virtually the same as regular notebook sheets. Even trained dogs could not detect it. Plus, they both would have fabricated documents showing their purpose of visit to Universidad de Chihuahua upcoming Physics convention as student representatives from University of Miami. Never mind that Juanito had never even finished tenth grade…

  “I recommend the Magnum. It is heavier but easier to control when you are starting,” Juanito said, handing the gun over.

  Rodrigo had once held an empty gun as a kid that some neighborhood drunkard let him play with, but shooting a loaded one was a whole different story. Plus, this was training to actually shoot at real people, not for fun. Slowly, he raised his right hand and pointed at the target circle about sixty feet away.

  “Bam! Bam!” Two shots were fired, but the circle stayed intact, the bullets flying into the distance without scraping the circle.

  “You better hold it with two hands for accuracy,” Juanito said, approaching his former classmate to show the correct posture. Raising his Beretta with two hands, he fired three straight shots, all landing near the center of the circle. “Like this, see?”

  Widening his stance per Juanito’s advice and holding the gun tightly with two hands, Rodrigo fired again. It was difficult enough to hit the circle when he had time to prepare – could he ever hit anyone in a real life situation?

  “Bam!” Miss. “Bam!” Miss.

  “Come on, relax a little! You are forgetting to breathe,” Juanito said noticing how tense the newbie shooter was.

  Looking over at Juanito, Rodrigo was grateful for his support. During the past few days that they spent together honing their physical skills and discussing the details of the plan, they had gotten a little closer again, and sometimes it almost felt like their high school days when they were care-free buddies. Rodrigo got a little light into why Juanito dropped out of school and joined the underground, and did not feel he had the right to judge him anymore, even if he w
as drowning in money, drugs and women. “I guess everybody has their reasons,” he thought.

  Focusing, he pulled the trigger again.

  “Ha! You actually hit it,” Juanito commented, as the bullet scraped the outside of the circle. “If you practice for the next week you won’t be so hopeless anymore.”

  Rodrigo let a small smile surface for an instant, only to return to the concerned expression a moment later.

  “I have been meaning to ask you…. What do you think are the chances we will actually need these?”

  Juanito stayed silent for a few seconds, looking seriously at him. “You never know. In what we do, you never know. The suppliers can turn out to be a scam; our contacts at Border Patrol can turn out to be double-agents. And remember – today’s best friends can be tomorrow’s fiercest enemies.”

  Seeing the negative effects his comments had on Rodrigo’s already low morale, he added:

  ”I think the chances we will need them are low. However, it doesn’t hurt to learn to protect yourself and those close to you.”

  Rodrigo nodded. He was tempted to ask whether Juanito ever actually used the gun himself in real life, but decided he would rather not know.

  “Alright, let’s do it, “ he said, nodding in agreement.

  Chapter X

  Reluctantly, Jessica had followed Marta’s advice not to call Rodrigo, and a week had already gone by. She could tell that the redhead had been a little envious while listening to the story, and wouldn’t put it past her to give counter-productive advice, considering her track record of subtle sabotage in recent years that led Jessica to distance herself from her once “bestie”. Yet, she had a creeping doubt growing inside her that maybe Marta had been right. After all, when guys were interested, weren’t they supposed to make a move? But now she remembered clearly how difficult it had been to get the curly-haired boy to talk.

  “Maybe first impressions are really not possible to erase,” Jessica thought during the evening Biochemistry review session, sitting in the back of the auditorium in order not to draw attention to herself. “Maybe he does despise me after all.”