by Mari Sillva
-You meant" had, -if she walks out that door she will not be able to come back. Mr. Carter uttered the words cruelly, utterly cold.
Jesse did not respond to his father as he deserved, just lowered his head and continued to pace slowly into the room to sort out the few things he had. He took a small suitcase under the bed he bought to travel, his dream was to know a different country, but that day never arrived because of lack of financial condition. He thanked the gods for having saved a small sum in the bank for some emergency, never out of spending money on trifles. She managed to put all her clothes, some personal belongings, and there was still a little space left. She changed her pajamas into a set of old sweaters that her mother thought had been thrown in the trash a long time ago, could not get rid of something when she liked her so much.
-At least wait for the day to dawn, daughter, where are you going to get shelter these hours?
Maria tried anyway to stop her from doing that madness, and the father who was sitting on the couch watching the news on an old TV, the same time as the one they married, kept busy watching the weather with his legs crossed.
-Relax, Mother, I will. - She kissed the back of her hand, it was always the way he said goodbye to her before leaving in the morning.
She walked humiliatingly to the door, looked at her mother for the last time before leaving, and left. The young woman had barely reached the portal and was already in despair, dying for the dark. Her face was wet it was a silent cry, painful. She was alone in the world, thrown to her own devices. But after she took the first step outside, the feeling was another, of freedom. Every inch of the way away from Fifth Street in the Cleveland Ward, where he grew up playing on the same sidewalk and now holding his bag over his chest like a shield, he felt the breeze filled with expectations touching his face, a new phase of his life was beginning. Without the exaggerated care of the mother and the repression of the father, now there was a hopeful smile.
- I am free! - she released her suitcase, opening his arms like the Rose of the Titanic movie, only missing the Leonardo of Caprio as Jack for the scene to be perfect. It left singing and jumping in the middle of the street like repertoire chose the music of the drawing of Frozen.
I'm free, I'm free...
They can no longer hold...
I'm free, I left not to return.
I do not care what they're going to say, storm is coming...
The cold will not even bother me...
From far away everything changes, seems to be much smaller.
The fears that controlled me
I no longer see around me,
It's time to try
My limits will test.
Freedom came at last to me...
I'm free, I'm free
With the sky and the wind walking
I am free, I am free.
They will not see me cry anymore,
Here I am and I will stay...
-Shut the fuck up, you crazy man, - an impatient man shouted, nudging her incessantly, trying to get her out of the middle of the street, past a puddle of muddy water.
Grace to the Guardian Angels of the homeless, even humiliated and all muddy got a place in a safe place to spend the first night away from home alone, being independent was not being as difficult as expected.
-I can´t believe I'm spending my first night away from home! - She exclaimed euphorically, already settled as if he had traveled to the other side of the world and not in an inn three blocks from his house.
-I'm feeling so rebellious, almost outlaw. - She smiled proudly, finally growing.
It might even sound silly, but to her, it meant a lot. She yawned, tired, rubbing her eyes, turned to the side in the small single bed with a piece of the broken dais. It was a simple place, but clean, comfortable and safe. The only thing her money could afford. she had to save money for the apartment she would rent the next day. She called her mother and told her not to worry and stop sending messages every five minutes because she was fine. In fact, she was not, but she had faith that would stay ahead.
Until then came the day of the great ball, which Nayla did remind her during the week, more than a thousand times.
-I do not believe until now that you've stopped going to the prom with that beautiful fairy-fairy costume I drew especially for you, just to go with that dark thing. -Nayla pointed the delicate index finger at Jesse's fancy, sporting a small ring at the end with a crystalline diamond pebble- like water coming straight from the source, clean and shiny.
The costume was a gift given by the director of the jewelry company that would sponsor the parade, Bredon Fox, son of the Dono, who after meeting the girl at a meeting about the event, did not stop insisting until he agreed to go out with him. They had been dating together ever since, but only as friends, at least that was what the girl thought. It had been two weeks since Carter had left home, spent a few days at the boarding house until he could rent a tiny apartment. The problem was that the building was in a dangerous neighborhood, near the bar where it was almost violated. She was the only one that her money could pay, could not spend the little money that had kept with luxuries, it was a fact that almost had no right water and lacked energy sometimes, but it was her song. No one could bother her anymore, it was her hiding place. In the early days, it was kind of difficult, especially since it had no furniture it was sleeping on a hard mattress on the floor. The worst was the dark, she was terrified of being alone at night, so she spent nights crying until she was forced to get used to it. At work the father would not even look at her, pretend she did not exist and give the worst cases for her to investigate and as far as possible so that she did not have to face her. The sister, whenever she could visit her was very busy, but when she went it was a real party. Already the mother appeared every day carrying almost the whole house inside the bag to take to her, until money brought, but Jesse never accepted. She was not joking when she said she would go it alone.
-You know I do not like the pink color, Nay, strong colors make me dizzy. - Jesse looked up and stuck us in his friend, with a playful air inside them.
She was sitting in front of her friend in front of the little oval mirror hanging over an improvised dressing table in what she called a room, which was split in half to improvise a kitchen. There was an almost new comb on the dressing table, which was not widely used. No makeup, not even an embellishment lipstick. Just a few thumbnails of the characters in the movie Star Wars was a fan of the series. A lot of books, Cd´s and in the leftmost corner, the masculine scent he liked to wear, though he'd been avoiding using it in those days because it reminded him of someone who used it too. Still on the furniture was the badge played anyway in a corner. For an instant, his eyes rested on a special object that stood out in the middle.
-The more I can hide from the world is better, going around like a walking rainbow will not help much.
She still had her attention turned to the music box, but the thoughts were in her former owner. Jesse had stuck piece by piece, spent two days for it, but it was worth it. It did not look as if it had broken it was as beautiful and glamorous as it had been before. When you are a low income person, you need to learn the power that a needle and the good glue were capable of doing.
-Colors are a sign of joy, Jesse, of life. You should have some more colorful pieces in your wardrobe, at least a scarf or a pink jumper. The researcher lowered her gaze, did not know the meaning of the word "joy," she never knew.
-There's no way I can show you what you do not feel, maybe that's why I've never enjoyed bright colors or unnecessary attention to my clothing.- He rubbed the tip of his nose lightly (the brush tickled), but very carefully not to ruin the painting. -I can´t complain when people call me a clown if I look like one. - Besides, when you want to call attention, I put a watermelon on my head, it's quicker and more practical. - She took a quick look in the mirror, but Nayla turned her face before she could see anything. She would only see the result after she was ready the problem was that the rese
archer had many problems with anxiety.
-So you're calling me a clown, Jesse? - You know full well that I love mixing vibrant colors, to me, the flashy better. Nay loved creating colorful and cheerful pieces. He had a pure heart and a beautiful soul.
-I think it's nice of you Nayla because anything you wear looks incredible. - She looked at her radiantly beautiful friend in an angel costume, thinking that it certainly would not have the same impact.
It was a four-fingered white dress above the knee, short sleeved and all worked in lace with shiny pebbles, vines and a nice neckline showing a small part of the beautiful bust. It was very tight to the waist but quite loose in the skirt that was quite wrinkled, giving it a cloth doll appearance. The hair was in a hairstyle stuck half purposely messed up, with some loose curls festooned with tiny white flowers, just as she wore in her teens. On her back she carried two small wings made of artificial feathers, she was an animal defender and would not use legitimate feathers, but she was as perfect as a real angel. To top it all off, in the high-heeled crystal shoes, which certainly not even the Cinderella's was so handsome.
-Where did you get such a delicate little music box? - The designer noticed how intensely her friend had looked at the object in front of her.
Jesse was like that when she does not hand over his thoughts unintentionally with words, her eyes reveal everything. It was very transparent, even more than it should.
-I found it in the trash, - she lied. It would be too complicated to explain to her about that strange night if it were not for the music box she could swear it had been a dream. Blade was too handsome to be for real.
- Who would throw something so sophisticated in the trash? - Nay asked suspiciously as she dusted the paintbrush over the area around her neck, she was just finishing the painting that completed the fantasy.
Jesse preferred not to wear a mask so as not to make her vision even more difficult in the event since even if she took her glasses she would not see much, they would have a lot of lights in place. It would also help to hide better the marks of the father's belt that even after two weeks were made present in the neck. The leg marks that were lighter had already disappeared, those of the arm the gloves above the elbows would cover. Since she did not know if makeup asked from help for her friend, she had to tell them where the bruises had come from. The two of them cried together, and the only one who knew was the mother. Whenever she could sleep there to keep her company, she even thought of offering help to pay the rent, but Jesse would not accept it.
-You look incredible I confess I did not like this fantasy. But looking at you like that when you're ready, I do not see you going with someone else. Nayla assessed her friend from top to bottom, turning her face to the mirror so she could see the result. Carter never looked pretty, but at the moment she thought she was at least reasonable.
- Honey! - Said a thin, irritating voice that Jesse knew very well. It echoed throughout the small three-room apartment, including the tiny moldy bathroom, like the rest of the house.-I'm here, - the thirteen-year-old boy materialized at the bedroom door, neatly dressed in a strong yellow suit with wide shoulders and a dark blue tie. Opening his arms broadly, displaying a scandalous smile on his face showing the gleam of iron-clad teeth, he wore an apparatus. Apart from the bottle-bottomed spectacles, the face full of pimples and blackheads, it was the beginning of puberty coming up with everything.
- Less Kevin ... Leave Jesse alone for at least tonight. Nay was angry with her younger brother, the preteen had a crush on Carter, in fact the boy thought they were already married.
-Do not disturb our relationship, Nayla, envy kills, did you know, my dear? - Our love is written in the stars! - He winked at Jesse's side, accompanied by a kiss that launched into the air toward her. - Wow! How sweet my little candy is today! Just thinking that all this belongs to me, I'm even moved! He pointed his little finger up and down the girl's body, making a sexy pussy at least he thought it was.
- This party promises! - Jesse took a deep breath, not wanting to go.
- Oh! If you promise me, sweetheart, I'm already imagining the two of us in the dark! - Kevin held her arm as if he were a passionate lover, wore even a ring on his finger to show that he was a committed man.
-Sorry about that, Jesse, my parents will be a little late in the parade because of their work. So they asked to take this bag without a handle with us, but as soon as they arrived at the event I got their book. - Nayla rolled her eyes in frustration, taking a small silver mask from her purse and placing it gently, looking more beautiful than it already was.
-You're crazy if you think I'm going to leave my wife loose at this party with a bunch of hawks on the loose, my daughter! - Where my Brown Candy is, I am going with you! He leaped at Carter's waist like a chewing gum on the sole of his shoe.
-You can leave Nay your brother makes me laugh.-She caressed his head, loved children. -At least one man at this party thinks I'm beautiful, that's enough for me. - Now let's go or we'll be late, the sooner we go, the faster I am back.
Jesse thought that perhaps, luckily, the parade would end quickly, so she would have time to at least see the movie she had rented or caught up on the new book she had bought.
- Even with everything organized you should arrive before the guests, you should stay in the door to receive them.
She picked up the key of the apartment and walked towards the door, the designer watched her walk, the fantasy she had chosen was really sweet delicate would be the right word. Disguisedly, he glanced over Carter's new house, felt like crying in sympathy with the chaotic form he was living, but he did not. For the first time, I was seeing her real happy friend, free to be herself. The three of them left laughing in the direction of Mozart, the city's most celebrated ballroom, where only large events were held.
-Will not you carry a purse? - Nayla asked when she saw her friend taking the keys to the apartment and the cell phone in her hand, nothing more.
-No, I will not- she said simply.
-For God's sake, Jesse! - A woman should at least carry a bag with a simple make-up remover and two different lipstick colors.
- For starters, I do not even have a purse. Nay rolled her eyes, took the cell phone and the key and tucked it into her purse. - The way Jesse was, he would lose the objects before arriving at the Mozart he was inattentive. -When you leave, remember to pick me up, otherwise, you'll be stuck outside. - she chuckled, imagining the scene.
-Do not worry, passion, my bed is at your disposal. - Kevin raised a frown full of ulterior motives. -Let's get drunk on chocolate milk without fear of being happy the night will be short for both of us.- She wiggled her hairy eyebrows together like a wide, as if that was an irrefutable proposal, making them both laugh.
While some were going up to the party, others were all designed to end it.
-Are you sure we're all set to invade the place? The parade is almost over, -asked an Englishman anxiously, looking like a little boy waiting for dessert after eating all the vegetables, sitting waiting for his mother's answer. They were inside a van disguised as buffet deliverers, standing strategically in front of the Mozart.
-If you ask that again, I do not know what I'm capable of doing, Stephen! - My patience with you is past the limit, go see if the Julius or Blade need help with something and let me do my work in peace. - Li was nervous, he hated when someone intruded on his things mainly putting your intelligence to the test.
Li was really flawless in what he did and had no modesty in making that clear. He turned the chair with his back to Stephen and facing the wall of the vehicle stamped with HD footage from the cameras in each corner of the ballroom. They were all ready to enter as soon as the last model paraded when the jewels were returning to the chest. And he began furiously typing on his latest-generation modern-model laptop, which would only be released in ten years or more.
-Let's go through the plan again before we go in, a mistake and everybody's screwed up, - Julius exclaimed, spectacularly ins
ide the Don Juan costume, his posture all crooked.
The van was too small for a man of his size. Like the others, he was neatly camouflaged under a black cap that covered the costume, which concealed a white, long-sleeved, medieval-style shirt showing the beautiful, rich, muscular chest on display dark trousers of soft tissue, very loose. In the face a black mask highlighting the beautiful honey-colored eyes.
- Let us wait for the parade to finish and enter through the back door, Estevão goes to the main vault to steal the most expensive piece of the event, a necklace of a black diamond worth an estimated ten million. Blade and I are left with the other safe to steal the rest of the jewels, then we will get rid of the black coats and mingle wearing costumes among the guests, leaving as soon as possible through the front door to avoid suspicion before the robbery is discovered, everyone understood? - She asked authoritatively, like a mother who had just explained something very important to her son.
- Yes! But it is good to remember that this robbery is different from the others we are accustomed to, there will be a lot of civilians in the place, our secret identity is at stake because of an unsuccessful steal of Stephen. I'll be your eyes out here, I'm going to monitor everything from the cameras, so see if you can´t get the fucking off the ear. The Chinese almost screamed, he was worried the risk they were running was too great. But it was all drama he would be able to give his life to save any of the partners, especially Bobbi. They were loyal to each other, an unusual, close-knit family.
-Is the chili already over? - And see if you stop talking about low-key words, I do not want Bobbi to have a dirty vocabulary like yours. -Stephen, - he exclaimed, adjusting his mask with all its elegance, -did not need much to create the prince of darkness costume he was wearing.
His usual appearance was rather somber. The only difference between his cloak and those of the others was the lining on the inside in the blood-red color, fully enclosed, covering what lay beneath. Like a vampire hiding from the sun, in the matter of beauty and mystery, he lost nothing to Count Dracula gorgeous and full of revenge for something that did not quite happen the way he thought. The smooth black hair split in half, just below the back, was his trademark. He was a man of remarkable presence.