Chapter 33 - Just Stay Away - mduno
I was very upset.
"I’m not easy to shop with. I always try on several dresses, so don’t pressure me."
"The meeting is at three in the afternoon." I looked at the clock; it was barely noon.
"You’re so rigid."
He raised an eyebrow. We got into the SUV, and I cooled off with the air conditioning. He stopped in front of a boutique and, like he owned the place, started giving orders about the styles of dresses he wanted to see me in. I didn’t say anything, just waited for him to finish. The saleswomen smiled and flirted with him, and I could feel my blood starting to boil.
"Which one do you like?" asked the blonde, addressing my boyfriend. I crossed my arms.
"I like these three," Roland said. I looked around. There was a cute orange striped dress and another one with a beautiful pink gradient.
"I don’t like any of them!" I exclaimed sharply, looking first at the saleswoman and then at Roland. Just one look was enough to understand that I would never play the role of a paper doll, especially not with these attitudes.
"You’re supposed to wear white," he commented, justifying his behavior.
"I’m not wearing white. I like the pink, the orange, or the aquamarine one on that mannequin. Do you have size eight or ten? It depends on the fit."
"You’ll be the only one different, Veronica." He seemed irritated.
"I don’t care. I’m not like everyone else. If you want to be accompanied by a subordinate," I gestured to the saleswoman, "take her."
"Veronica Vasquez..."
I ignored him and called another girl, asking her to bring one of the three dresses I had chosen. She politely went to find them.
"Are you doing this just to spite me?"
"No, Roland," I looked at him. "I’m doing this because I’m not a trophy you can dress up as you please. I have no problem wearing white; I just didn’t like the way you persuaded the poor saleswoman right in front of me, ignoring my presence when I’m the one who will be wearing the dresses."
"I’m sorry, but you have to wear white."
"Then I’m not going, because when you make a mistake, you have to face the consequences."
"Do you just want to oppose me?" he muttered through clenched teeth. Just then, the girl arrived with the dresses. I took them and went to try them on. I chose the orange one first and walked out to show it off. He was sitting on the couch, waiting, quite annoyed until he saw me. He raised an eyebrow.
"Do you like it?"
It was form-fitting but not too tight, flattering my silhouette. He licked his lips, and I understood that it was a yes. I tried on the second one, the pink one. It was knee-length and flowy, very classic and sophisticated, perfect for a cocktail after six in the evening.
"What do you think?"
He said nothing, but his eyes sparkled. I understood that it would be much easier for him to touch my legs in that one. I blushed a little, and he smiled, realizing I understood his thoughts.
"One more to go."
I undressed again and put on the beautiful aquamarine blue one. This color suited me very well. It was long and loose, appropriate for the evening, making me look fresh and decent.
"I get it, Veronica!"
He didn’t let me model it. He came closer and kissed me in a very indecent way. When he pulled away, he said, "We’ll take all three, and you’ll wear this one now and the pink one tonight." His eyes locked onto mine. "Can I at least have a say in that?"
"Granted."
I bought shoes to match the dresses, underwear, and at that point, I let him choose. Every time he picked a set, he looked at me. His mind was wicked.
"Tomorrow, we’ll buy other types of clothes. For now, this is enough."
I had already bought a couple of jeans, blouses, dresses, and shoes for more than seven days. What more clothes did he want to buy? I had never shopped so quickly. The apartment was white except for the wenge-colored furniture, giving it a classic black-and-white look.
I had to admit, Roland knew how to recreate each space as desired. He didn’t skimp on details or money to achieve his vision. It was a side of him I didn’t know. The other places were different, more regional.
Now, seeing only black and white with the silver of the kitchen appliances, the paintings also matched the mentioned colors, and some had a touch of yellow. I liked it a lot!
The master bedroom, where he placed the packages, was like something out of a movie. I never thought such spaces existed. It was so cold and elegant. He didn’t say anything. He looked at me, approached the immense closet, where there were only white and black clothes—his clothes. What’s his problem? He pulled out some black jeans and changed his shirt to a white one with four pockets.
He headed to the bathroom, which was spacious. My heart skipped a beat. We would be alone. That’s why, Veronica, control your hormones because he must be desperate to be with you. Hold on—this self-advice was depressing.
I heard the shower. There was space in his closet for my clothes. Without asking for permission, I put away what I had bought. I looked in his drawers, and to my surprise, everything was arranged meticulously, each item in its place. I felt envious. I’m not that messy, but storing shirts in the same way and size was too much. There were several empty drawers. I took one and put my underwear in it, leaving it messy. It was in a drawer; no one would see what was inside. In another drawer, I stored my blouses.
He stepped out of the shower, wrapped in his white towel, revealing all his muscles. I bit my lips; there was no need to speak to understand it was time for me to leave. I entered the bathroom, and before closing the door, I noticed he was smiling.
The bathroom was beautiful, all in black marble and white walls, with sophisticated fixtures like the one in the tub and the modern shower tower. I didn't know how to use it; it had too many buttons.
I ended up showering with the small showerhead attached to the tub because it was the only one I could identify how to turn on. The rest was digitalized; he liked technology. What was wrong with traditional showers, the kind where you just turn the knob and the water comes out, problem solved?
I didn't take long. I got out of the shower, grabbed a white towel, and also saw a black one. The bathroom clock showed it was one-thirty in the afternoon. I opened the door, and he was dressed, looking at the closet. Was he angry? He didn't take his eyes off his clothes, and all I saw was my mismatched outfit in his neutral palette.
"Dis..."
"It just looks different. It's nothing, just different."
He smiled. I clung to the towel when he came over to kiss me.
"Define different."
"Something out of context, but incredibly unique."
"Is that how I am?"
I stepped back. I needed to understand; it was time to leave, and I needed to get dressed.
"You're much more than different, and I'm only going out today."
"Don't take that for granted."
He burst into laughter, in his unique and tender way, and left the room. His shaved head made him look more dangerous, yet he had an angelic shadow. I didn't take long to get ready. Twenty minutes later, he knocked on the door as I was finishing my makeup. I looked in the mirror; I looked good. He walked over like a predator towards its prey.
"You look beautiful, Veronica. I'll have to keep an eye on you." I brushed my nose against his.
"If you knew me, you'd know you don't need to take care of me because I'm a one-man woman."
"You're not mine yet."
His hands encircled my waist, making me tilt my head to see him better.
"Take your lipstick because you'll be using it a lot. It's time to go."
I turned around, the image of us together in the mirror was beautiful. He looked perfect. Roland took my hand, and we left the apartment. He left the air conditioning on; the heat in Miami was suffocating despite the breeze cooling things down a bit. I was from a hot climate, but I had gotten used to the cold.
He opened the door of a white convertible parked in the building's lot. I noticed he was nervous, anxious. My heart was racing a mile a minute. He took my hand, and with our fingers intertwined, he drove. It didn't take us long to reach a huge house, like one of those belonging to celebrities in Miami. I imagined it was one of the best neighborhoods in the city.
Several young people had arrived. I felt like I was in a movie; everyone was looking at the convertible. The men smiled while the women showed expressions of disappointment when they realized Roland was accompanied. The first face I saw was Juan's. I looked at him, and he made a subtle gesture of displeasure. I was starting to know him; he was upset.
"Is he why you were nervous?" I asked.
"He was your first boyfriend." I noticed a hint in his voice. How did he know?
"From high school, and we kissed a lot."
"I know that." I raised an eyebrow.
"And does he know about us?" He turned off the car and looked at me before getting out.
"Yes, I called him yesterday and told him. The time he introduced us, he wanted to devour you with his eyes. I liked seeing you with someone, so he didn't pounce on you like a vulture. Although back then, I didn't know Raul was gay and your best friend."
"You're crazy!"
"I take care of what's mine, what I care about and want."
I sighed. The party was black and white. I was the only one different, wearing an aquamarine dress. When we got out, Roland's hand wrapped around my waist.
"You are mine," he whispered in my ear. He led me to his friends. It was a vallenato party. My boyfriend smiled, looking like an ordinary young man. No one would believe he was the owner of a diabolical empire. Here, he seemed very different, calm, relaxed, youthful. I noticed the women whispering to each other.
"Hey, man," Juan approached. "My Vero," Roland tightened his grip on my waist as Juan greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. "Mom would have liked to see you."
I remembered what Juan's mother had said. She dreamed of seeing Roland married into their family through Beatriz. Is she here? She must look different now. The last time, she was a spoiled fifteen-year-old girl, or a bit older, from a good family. Now she must be around twenty.
"Juan," my boyfriend glared at him. "Limit yourself to calling her Vero. Don't use 'my' again."
"Calm down!" The tension between them was palpable. Was I causing it?