CHAPTER 4

Pablo

I look at the glass of wine that I haven't touched since the beginning of the evening with a distant look. Suddenly, I feel a hand pass from my neck to my back. It is a woman, her hands are very thin.

I turn around with an incredulous look: it's Marita.

I almost choked on my whiskey when I saw her.

Me: Oh no! You can't be serious!

Marita: How?

Me: Well (pointing at Anthony) look at the way Anthony is staring at us. That guy is crazy about you. I'm not the one for you.

Marita: I...

Me: If you're so stubborn, I won't be able to do anything with you other than sleep with you and get bored.

In her eyes there is amazement. She can't believe that I am so direct with her, that I don't go through the motions.

She waits a few minutes but decides to leave.

I take a breath and return to my thoughts. Patricia! What's equally weird is that part of me wanted her to be the one to put her hand on my back in such a sensual way and not Marita. I'm confused, just a few seconds into the interview. We haven't even had a concrete discussion and here I am already daydreaming about her. I don't know what she really has as a particularity but this girl has something that makes me curious. This has never happened to me before. I am used to having a lot of women at my feet without knowing what to do with them or who to choose.

The reality is that at one point in my life I felt quite averse to women in general. I even had to talk to a psychologist several times about this subject.

So for a good part of my life, I've just been having fun with women. Yes, I am not an angel and I know it. But I have also changed. And this is thanks to the good sister who took me in and raised me as her son. She taught me that all humans are not the same and that there are good people.

The deafening noise that the DJ was making brought me out of my thoughts.

I didn't even notice how much I had started to dwell on sad emotions in a place where you are supposed to have fun and take your mind off things.

The DJ for the evening asked everyone to be quiet. Felix, Adriana's son, wanted to speak for the first time since the beginning of the evening.

I didn't notice him right away. And that's because of the princess who was next to him. Yes, she was on the podium with her brother: Patricia!

Being a little further away, I could observe her from top to bottom. She is just beautiful.

Medium height, she has a square blond haircut. The same blond color as her mother's.

She decided to wear a beautiful little cream colored oval dress. The top of the dress drew her curves perfectly. It took me a superhuman effort not to dwell on that detail.

And then, her lips! Her lips were calling to me.

Felix: Good eveningrrrrr everyone!

The room is in riot and people are shouting until their throats break.

I wonder what's so special.

Felix has his hand around his sister's waist, an affectionate gesture. You can see how much they love each other and how close they are.

He smiles with all his teeth and continues his speech.

Felix: So, first of all, I want to thank my loving mother without whom all this would not be possible. I love you mom!

People start shouting again.

Felix: with my sister, we want to thank you for your presence tonight: you are great! So, I ask you to have a great time, to drink a lot....Djjjjjj! Turn it up!

The DJ performs and the screams increase even more in the room.

Suddenly, I'm dragged onto the dance floor, even though I wasn't expecting it. When I come to my senses, I have in front of me a very beautiful brunette, very slender. She has a very sexy mini skirt with a quality top. It is easy to see that she is a rich girl. Everything she wears looks super expensive whether it's the glittering watch, the breathtakingly beautiful necklace or the emerald earrings. She is also wearing dizzying heels. The first question that comes to my mind is how she manages to wiggle so well on this long gauge. She is beautiful. I have nothing to complain about. She is just my kind of woman. She puts her hand around my waist and sticks languidly to me. She forces me to dance with her. My body follows the movement. I have to admit that it is still nice to move with her.

-You ... m...gn. .n t...i!

The deafening noise of the music prevents me from hearing clearly what she says.

Me: sorry?

She leans over me to repeat herself. Her lips almost touch my ears.

-I said, you're cute!

She smiled and dipped her eyes into mine. For all answer, I smile at her. We continue to dance like a good old couple. Until then I still don't know her name. The sensation is very pleasant. She drags me by the hand and we sit at the bar. It's funny, she behaves with me as if we were engaged. I am usually reticent, but my reactivity impresses me.

She orders whisky for both of us.

-Oh! Sorry, I ordered for you.

Me: it suits me, don't worry.

-Yolanda, what about you?

I run my tongue over my lips.

Me: ...Pablo, my name is Pablo.

She smiles. We continue talking. She tells me a little about her life. I have the impression that she is drunk and so am I. That's why I hardly kept anything she said.

One name just caught my attention in the discussion.

Me: What? What did you say?

Yolanda : Well, I was saying that I was with my friend Patricia earlier, which is when you caught my eye.

I almost choked.

Yolanda (incredulous): Is there a problem?

Me: Uh, no, no!

Patricia's friend? That's all I needed. For once I like a girl, she shouldn't be a friend of .... What am I saying? I'm talking about Patricia as if she were my girlfriend.

Yolanda continues to speak but I don't hear her anymore. I can hear her voice from a distance.

I have only my glass of whiskey in my hand which I drink in fits and starts.

Suddenly, Yolanda starts to pass her hand on my chest since I have a jacket with a shirt unbuttoned until half of my chest.

She that a few minutes ago made me effect, I receive her touch like a burning ember.

I hold my breath for a moment but I can't stand it anymore and pretend nothing happened.

Me: Sorry!

I almost run out of the room and walk out of the reception room.

Once outside, a breath of fresh air greets me, which feels great. I am over the moon.

I light a cigarette and take a drag.

One foot leaning on the wall behind me, I think back on my life.

I was about to open the most famous gym the city has ever seen, with all the top-notch equipment.

I think back to all those pending projects I abandoned for the sake of revenge. It's true that my main goal is to get revenge against the one who threw me out like a hot potato, but deep down I'm looking for answers.

I have a lot of unanswered questions.

I have the image of a boy who has everything going for him. All these girls are after me without knowing that deep down I am a broken person, that I need affection and love from the woman who gave me life.

I feel my eyes get wet with tears. What I hate, I hate crying. This world is not for crying. It's made for fighters. My psychologist at the time said that's why I got into the sports coaching business. Because of the fact that I didn't show my emotions for anything and I also didn't want people to see me as weak. I live under a shell. I like to portray myself as an insensitive tough guy when in fact it's just the opposite.

I have never understood why, despite this attitude, women have always been attached to me. Certainly I confirm the fact that women love bad boys as it is often said.

I just pray to God that she believed my lie.

This is the first time I've seen a girl so understanding.

I was about to reply when....

-Yolanda!?

She turns around and smiles with all her teeth.

Yolanda: Ah, Patricia! .... Let me introduce you to Pablo, Pablo? Patricia!

I swallow with difficulty and swallow my saliva. My sleep disappeared on the spot.