Chapter 7 - Strange Behavior - mduno
I was curious, I shouldn't have been, but I wanted to know if he was engaged. So I asked her while she was overseeing the appetizers.
"I wish. Roland is a gentleman, proper, hardworking, honest. In short, a great catch, my dear, very discreet about his love life. I know Beatriz catches his eye, but nothing's come of it yet."
All that about being a gentleman can't be true, or does he have two lives...? It was better not to get involved with him, because he definitely wasn't a good match.
"Tell me, how's your mom?" My heart sank, my silence caught her attention.
"My mother died more than three years ago, breast cancer, and we found out when it was too late."
"No way!"
She put the appetizers aside to give me a tight hug. I didn't realize I needed that kind of affection, my eyes welled up, and just then people entered the kitchen. I wiped my tears and tried to smile.
"Your boyfriend seems a bit bored," Roland commented.
"Yes, he must be feeling uncomfortable. Mrs. Gisela, I need to go back."
She squeezed my hand, and I left, that look as if threatening to kill me if I spoke. I bumped into his right hand and tried to dodge him twice, but he blocked my way. I sighed in defeat, it was impossible, besides, they can't kill me here. I put my hands on my hips.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Rat." That nickname was ugly, but after calling him that so much, it became his name.
"The name on your ID," I insisted.
"That's none of your business. I just want to warn you..."
"Tell your boss the threat isn't necessary. I have no idea who he confuses me with, I'm not a snitch and I'm not interested in his life to be talking about it. He's probably used to seeing the world revolve around him. Tell him not all moons belong to Jupiter." I looked him in the face. "If you'll excuse me, I came with someone, and I've already wasted enough time."
I didn't know anyone besides Juan's father, and I hadn't seen him. I found Raúl having a soda, he doesn't drink if he's driving.
"I want to leave," I said as soon as I reached his side.
"Did something happen?"
"No, but Mrs. Gisela didn't know about Mom's death, you know how..."
I got emotional, his arms comforted me.
"I'm sorry, Vero," he kissed my forehead. The music got louder. "We have twenty minutes left, I want the time to fly, I want to get out of this house, I don't know what to talk about with these people."
"At least they put on some music."
I said, hugging him by the waist. The topic of my mother was off-limits with my friends, I had forbidden it. It's true, we all die, the problem was that I couldn't easily accept it, Mom was special, she was my world. A lump formed in my throat remembering her.
"Shall we dance?" I shook my head.
"Your ex-boyfriend's friend hasn't stopped staring at you, he wants to kill me."
Raúl whispered near my ear, the topic was out of fear of revealing his double life.
"I just want to leave," I said, wiping my nose.
"Don't cry." Skinny took out his handkerchief.
"Thanks, I'll say goodbye and we'll go."
"Better not, they won't let you leave, Mrs. Gisela's minute turned into half an hour. Besides, I have to take you home, I have work, tomorrow is the party with Lorena."
"You party a lot!" I turned, and Roland was arriving with Juan.
"I'm sorry about your mother, Vero."
I knew it was true, my parents liked him a lot. I smiled, my friend's arms wrapped around me.
"We need to go, Juan, can you say goodbye to your parents for me?"
"Stay, this thing will get better," he said jokingly.
"We have things to do."
Raúl commented to avoid giving too many explanations. Roland crossed his arms, still analyzing me, when I looked at him, I saw his eyes, they were two empty icebergs, they conveyed nothing, they were insistent, cold, emotionless, and yet intimidating, also penetrating. God, I don't even know how to describe it.
"I just want to curl up in bed."
I noticed his shoulders relax a bit. His fear was about me revealing the true identity of the boss. I should be angry, but I wasn't. I extended my hand to Roland, and he said goodbye normally, a little more relaxed. I'm a threat, Juan, on the other hand, was more effusive and hugged me.
"Raúl, I don't want to be a bother, but we've become friends again, I'll call her several times."
Skinny shrugged, I bit my inner lip to avoid showing any nervous gesture, hoping the lie wouldn't fall apart.
"Thanks for the evening."
My companion commented, the host kissed my cheek, we managed to leave the house. With the city's night chill on our faces, I sighed, I could breathe deeply, now the atmosphere was pleasant.
"What happened in that house?"
"I don't know, if you talk about this, I'll kill you." We reached the parking lot, I grabbed the helmet and the vest.
"Is Juan's friend that Roland Sandoval?" I nodded, Raúl's eyes widened, I almost had to fit his jaw back in place. "The bald, handsome, macho guy they introduced us to?" I nodded again.
"I can't deny it, the guy is just how he wants," I answered.
"Is that the hunk you spent the night with?" I gave him a slap.
"Shut up!" I said in a low voice. "Start the bike, I want to get out of here, please."
"So, your ex-boyfriend's family is mafia?"
"No." I was very sure of that, they are people with legal businesses. "That's why the guy kept staring at me, he was afraid I'd rat him out."
"You're right, Vero, get on." The boss of bosses was leaving with his entourage of bodyguards.
"Are they going to do something to us?"
"Does he know where you live?" he asked, starting the bike, I nodded. "Well, my parents will love it when you answer the phone tomorrow, Saturday." I smiled and kissed his cheek, got on the bike, and clung to his waist.
I called Lorena to tell her I'd be sleeping at Raúl's place. I promised to tell her everything, and as for Flaco, he wouldn't say a word. That was one thing about him; he was like a vault, loyal and trustworthy, a quality that made me proud. There would never be another like him in the world.
Raúl lives in a studio apartment, with a table, a sofa, a bathroom, and a double bed. A simple place, not too luxurious, but not shabby either.
"You know where I keep my clothes. Don't worry about me. With all the work on my thesis, I don't think I'll sleep. If I do, I'll sleep on the sofa."
"Thanks, Flaco. I'm really tired."
I went into the bathroom with his sweatpants and a t-shirt. When I came out, I went straight to bed. He turned off the light and switched on his desk lamp. I don't know when I fell asleep, but the next day the phone rang. Groggily, I picked up the receiver.
"Hello?" Silence.
"Raúl, please?" The voice sounded expectant. It was his dad.
"Sure." I tossed a shoe at him to wake him up; he was sprawled on the sofa.
"Your dad, Flaco." I snuggled back into bed as he sat beside me.
"Hi, Dad." He started talking, and I saw him smile. "Yes, she's pretty, very pretty," he said. Silence. "Her name is Susana."
I smiled and went to the bathroom to put on yesterday's clothes. We had cereal for breakfast. Afterward, he showered and tossed me my jacket.
"You never change; you leave everything scattered everywhere." I smiled and blew him a kiss.
We arrived just as Lorena was getting out of a taxi, tanned and carrying a hundred packages. I got off the bike, and we went to help her, bringing everything into the apartment.
"These bags are for you guys."
She handed one to each of us. I made a face; she was incorrigible.
"You didn't have to, Lore."
Raúl went into the kitchen. The cereal was just an appetizer before a proper breakfast, and I always kept the fridge stocked.
"We have plans today."
"Yes," I replied, heading to my room to change.
I wanted to be alone. I took out a sweatshirt and held it in my hand. Could Juan's family be involved in drugs? I didn't think so; Mrs. Gisela seemed so sweet. No, there had to be something else. I knew them; they were hardworking people. More likely, that Roland guy had deceived them. They probably didn't even know who their "great friend" really was. I remembered his intense gaze; it was threatening, intimidating—that was the word. It was a shame he was a bad guy, and I had no reason to remember how he looked at me. Three knocks on the door brought me back to the present.
"Breakfast is ready!" It was Raúl.
"Coming!"
Flaco stayed at the apartment. He didn't have to go home to change because Lorena had bought him two sets of clothes. She gave me a pair of jeans and four amazing blouses. We were running around changing clothes, while he only did it once, and we paraded every piece.
"We're going out to celebrate, just the three of us," he said.
Raúl was desperate, tired of waiting. He was referring to Lorena, who knows what plans she really had.
"I don't care about your dates; you'll dance with me, period. I only accept a few university friends, the ones we always go out with."
"What are we toasting to?" I asked, sitting next to the sofa, wearing one of my new blouses.
"To you being the first woman to sleep next to the famous Don Roland Sandoval without sex!"
I blushed. Lorena looked at Raúl.
"When you meet Don Roland..."
"Lorena, I already met him."
Flaco looked at me, eyebrows furrowed. He blurted out the comment and apologized. I smiled to show him it was okay; I was going to tell him anyway.
"Where?" he asked, eyebrows still knit.
"Last night, at the meeting. He was there."
I said it casually, ignoring the images my brain sent me of him watching me, following me. He looked like an angel, just as people say.
"The bald, super handsome guy, tall, slender, a real man," Flaco commented out of nowhere, making me smile. "The Colombian Christian Grey."
I burst out laughing, and Lorena nearly choked on her saliva, either from surprise or who knows what reason. She ended up laughing just as hard.
"You nailed it!" she said. "In bed, he's... well, he left me breathless, and the same happened to my friends."
"That's depressing."
I commented, my stomach churning at the thought of how filthy he could be in that regard.
"Him? Not at all, Vero. He's perfect!" she said, sighing.
"I think he's a man who's created several personas in his life. He's too meticulous. Plus, he has that psychopath look," I added.
"Believe me, he is, in every aspect." Flaco checked his watch. It was almost time to leave.
"The only thing I can say, aside from intimidating me, is that he knows how to protect his true identity under a well-structured facade. It's a bit sad; it's clear he has everything and gets what he wants, yet at the same time, he has nothing." I don't know why I said it, but something about him told me he wasn't what he seemed.
"You should have studied psychology," Lorena said, putting her hand on my thigh. "You always know our moods. You must be the reincarnation of a psychic; you always get it right with me." That reminded me of the pending conversation about her trip.
"By the way..."
"Leave it, Vero, I don't want to talk about it."
My heart sank at her comment. I imagined what she had to do; that's why she felt that way.
"I just wanted to..."
"Another day, friend." Her eyes welled up, and I smiled at her.
"You know, I love you, crazy head."
She kissed my forehead and, taking on a different attitude, stood up and said,
"What if we leave Roland Sandoval aside and focus on having fun? We're going to a club to dance. We won't run into any big-time criminals there."