Chapter 12

CHLOE DUARTE

While we wait, Samanta snorts and turns to face Matt who sits down next to us when a man vacates one of the stools.

"Why did you scare him away like that, Matt?", I smile seeing my friend getting angry at the poor guy who shrugs his shoulders.

"I'm just trying to protect you from malicious men, Samanta. You should thank me for taking care of you when."

"I appreciate your concern and protection for what happened when we first met, but it will never happen again, Matt."

"I know that, but you can't forget a situation like that Samanta. I love you as my sister and I will always protect you even if you don't like it, so get used to it!", I foresee another big scolding from Samanta, but I am surprised when she grabs Matt by the shoulders and hugs him tight.

I rest my elbows on the counter watching the beautiful connection of my friends' friendship, smiling when Matt strokes Samanta's back when he realizes that her eyes are watering.

"Don't cry, Sam...", he asks wiping her face.

"I know or my makeup will be ruined! Thanks for being the brother I never had, Matt!", she thanks him, wiping the corners of her eyes before her mascara smudges.

I turn to the bartender who leaves our drinks on the counter before quickly walking away, apparently Matt's threatening look has serious effects...

I place the two drinks in front of them before picking up my glass and raising it in a toast:

"A toast to our beautiful and loyal friendship, I love you too much!", I say with a smile as they also raise their drinks and toast with me.

"Now let's stop being sentimental and have fun, people!", she drinks her drink in long, quick sips before walking out onto the dance floor, leaving us here at the bar.

I close my eyes as I take a sip of my pina colada, feeling the wonderful taste and flavor on my tongue. I don't realize it, but my glass is soon emptied, and when I turn around I am surprised to see that Matt is already on his second glass.

"Did Mr. Colucci give you a hard time?", he asks, staring at me while our friend dances and ends up on the dance floor behind us.

"No, but luckily we managed to find the contract, the previous assistant left it stored in a folder and I guess we forgot to tell him...", I answer leaving the empty glass under the counter, but when I raise my head I see Matt's brown eyes fixed on my bandaged hand.

"What happened to your hand, Chloe?", he asks in a concerned voice as he holds up my hand to examine the wound more closely.

"I knocked over a vase and ended up cutting myself with a shard of glass, but I'm fine!"

"This cut looks pretty deep, why didn't that jerk Colucci take you to a hospital for stitches?", I quickly pull my hand away, frowning.

"It wasn't his fault, he even wanted to take me, but I refused, you know I hate hospitals, Matt..."

"I'm well aware of that princess, are you sure it doesn't hurt?", I look at the palm of my hand and do a test with the muscles and open and close feeling a slight discomfort and burning.

"It's okay, if it gets worse I promise I'll go to the hospital to have it checked out, but there's nothing that plain old alcohol won't fix, right?", I joke, but he doesn't smile, he just keeps staring at my bandaged cut.

Then I remember that one of the things Matt hates most in the world is to see one of the people he loves hurt, and it reminds him of when his mother was hurt and injured daily by his father.

And I know what these horrible memories do to him, Matt gets bad and finds refuge locked inside his own house punching a punching bag.

"Hey, I'm fine, okay?", I approach him and lift his chin to look at me.

"If you're not feeling well, please let me know, okay?", he asks, and I nod quickly before leaving a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Mr.Ortega...", I joke, managing to get a soft smile out of him.

"It's always a pleasure, my little Brazilian princess..."

We call the bartenders three more times on my count, and my vision feels slightly dizzy after the second shot of tequila, after finishing our drinks we join Samanta on the dance floor.

We are in an expensive nightclub with VIP tickets, likely, I will never come back here again if it depends on my salary, even with my raise being a personal assistant, so I better make the most of it.

"Where are you going, Chloe?", Samanta shouts over the volume of the music as I make my way to the stage in the corner where a DJ is organizing and playing the beats.

With the alcohol already taking effect on me, I rush back to the dance floor after my request to the friendly DJ and ask several people to step aside as the familiar beat of a Brazilian song begins.

The alcohol in my blood makes me lose all shame, I close my eyes and start my dance moves when the song Envolver by Anitta fills the whole ballad while the colored lights illuminate the center of the dance floor where I am.

Shouts and applause are heard as I begin to roll and dance to the chorus of the song, the style immediately reminds me of Brazil, my home and family that I left before I came here. I dance with my heart and my thoughts on the memories and remembrances of my country.

I open my eyes when I get up and see everyone smiling and shouting around me, I find my friends looking at me happy and content, I feel my eyes watering and the image of my mother smiling and proud is projected in my mind.

I wipe the corners of my eyes and run towards my friend who stares when I pull her towards the dance floor.

"I don't know how to dance to this style of music, Chloe!", she protests again, but I don't listen.

"Just follow my movements, like this!", I teach the steps in a slow rhythm, when the chorus starts again she smiles before starting to follow me in the dance.

Louder shouts are heard as we lie down on the dance floor and make a movement while rolling our asses, we stand up realizing that everyone has started to dance and imitate our movements.

When the music ends we stand up and hug each other smiling before approaching our friend who is watching us awestruck.