Chapter 10: Sofía

Chapter 10: Sofia 

Part 1 

We had finished eating and everything seemed to be going well. Adolfo seemed to have had as much fun as I had this had been an ideal date, we were about to say goodbye when, suddenly, what had been a perfect day turned into a tragedy. 

Blood. Bright red slipped through Adolfo's fingers, and for a moment, everything was silent. Time seemed to stand still. My mind couldn't process what my eyes saw. How? Why? What had happened? 

Adolfo looked at me, surprised at first. But his expression changed when our eyes met. His face transformed into a mask of worry, pain, and even something else... something I couldn't figure out. His lips trembled, and though he tried to speak, words seemed to escape him as well. 

"Sofia... This isn't your fault, is it? His voice was barely a whisper, broken, and his hands, covered in blood, trembled more than he wanted to show. The gravity of the situation was reflected in his dark eyes, which now looked at me with a mixture of fear and compassion. 

It's not my fault... How can he say that? But the words did not come out. A lump in my throat grew larger and larger, stifling any attempt at an answer. 

(What did I do? Why did this have to happen? If it's my fault... I ruined his life. Now, he will never be able to play the piano again.) 

My breathing became heavy. I felt my legs turn leaden, as if the ground was dragging me down. I couldn't stand, and before I knew it, I fell to my knees, the blow cushioned by the hardness of the pavement under my legs. 

Adolfo leaned over to me, his face contorted with pain. I kept trying to calm down, but I could barely hear it through the ringing in my ears. Why can't I do anything? Why can't I help him? 

The words that could not come out, at last, did, in a desperate cry that came from the depths of my being. 

"Adolf!" This is all my fault! If only there hadn't—" Tears blinded me, my hands trembling as I tried to reach for him, as if somehow that could reverse what had just happened. 

Adolfo raised his voice, a cry drowned out by pain, which shook me like a slap. 

"Stop! He lowered his head, his voice now filled with a sadness that broke me even more. This is not your fault. Listen. It's not... 

His words pierced me, and somehow, brought me back. The noise returned to my ears: the racing beat of my heart, the distant murmurs of people around, and the sound of my gasping breath. 

I had to do something. The ambulance. I have to call the ambulance. What seemed obvious from the beginning was now seen as a salvation for me, why did I barely remember it? I don't know, but I didn't have time to lose. 

With trembling hands, I tried to pull my phone out of my pocket, but it slipped out of my hands and fell to the floor with a sharp noise that made me jump. I hurried to pick it up, my fingers clumsy, barely responding to my will. I managed to swipe the screen to unlock it. 

The sound of "911, what's your emergency?" rang in my ears, but my mind was still dazed. 

"I-I'm in the... What's the name of this place?" I murmured without thinking, unable to concentrate. 

"Excuse me, miss, can you repeat what you said?" 

"Yes," I replied without conviction. I'm on the street... My friend... his hands are... 

"I need you to calm down, miss." 

I looked at Adolfo's hands, his fingers seemed to be completely broken, the skin covering his bones seemed to be separating from his hands and the blood was a miracle that he had not yet fainted. 

I looked straight ahead, and with gnashing teeth, if I saw my own face, I don't think I would be able to recognize myself right now. 

"Miss!" Is it still there, please answer, I need to know what's going on. Can you hear me?! 

"It's my fault!" Your hands! Your hands! I shouted, as if saying it out loud was a kind of punishment that was due to me. 

Everything else vanished. The voice on the phone, the sound of the ambulance siren approaching, the people around me. I only remember that the tears continued to fall uncontrollably, as I watched how the paramedics took Adolfo away. 

"Adolf, please, I'm sorry!" I cried, my voice broken by the guilt that consumed me. This is all my fault! 

My screams died off as the ambulance drove away, and I was left alone in the middle of the street. Alone, with tears that didn't stop flowing, as if those were the only words I had left to say. 

Day 1 

A very strange classmate is late for class, claims to be a pianist and apparently will play at the gala party that my family organizes to establish connections. 

There was something in his gaze that was different from what he normally saw. Did he stay up late playing the piano? Does he care that much? Without realizing it, I smiled. 

Between his and the teacher's conversation, I could hear her mentioning that she wouldn't tell his parents that he stayed up late, and that he was sent to the infirmary. 

A pianist who fears his parents know, that he stayed up late... Now that's interesting. 

Day 2 Gala. 

Glances surrounded me instantly when I arrived at the living room. "The beauty inherited from the mother," some people murmured. 

Adolfo's presentation was fantastic. I was intrigued to know why he fled as soon as it was time for his rest. To be sure, that man was one surprise after another. 

I saw it, I fantasized in the small garden Oh, but how nice. I decided to intervene and get into Adolfo's story. 

Day 3 

I think what I said to him was something very cruel, but I really want to keep our relationship a secret. I'll fix it later. 

*** 

Isabel, I wanted to take this in stride, but the slap you gave me hurt my pride. Now, I don't care how I'm remembered in this pianist's story. 

Part 2 

She was lying on the floor, muttering "This is all my fault." 

"Daughter, are you okay?" 

"I didn't want that to happen to Adolfo!" I ruined his future! 

Those were the last words that came out of that room. 

*** 

Ding dong. The doorbell rang, informing of someone's arrival. Quickly, the mother rushed to open the door, hoping that her daughter's salvation might be behind her. 

"Good afternoon... 

Seeing the guest, he interrupted his words. 

"You're Adolfo, aren't you?" 

Adolfo, surprised by the way he received him, replied timidly. 

"Yes, it's me. 

"I'm glad to see that you're much better. I guess you came to see Sofia. 

He nodded, and the mother dragged him into the house with silent urgency. 

They went upstairs. With each step, Adolfo's anxiety grew. Each step brought him closer to reality, one that hit him hard. 

He knocked on the door gently. 

"Sofia, are you there?" Please, I need to talk to you. 

Nothing. There was no response. After five unanswered blows, Adolfo's desperation intensified. 

"I'm going to open the door..." 

He opened the door carefully. 

The silence in the room was dense. Adolfo's eyes moved, frantically, looking for Sofia. But he wasn't there. 

And then he saw it. 

"Ahhhh! 

He screamed in desperation. An empty room, but not quite. In the center, a bench and a rope hanging from the ceiling. And Sofia... At last she was calm. 

The next morning, Adolfo did not dare to set foot at the funeral. After all, he had taken everything from her. 

The end