Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Any. A faint darkness that predominates in the air, the huge windows whose height reaches the ceiling that I could not touch even with the slender stairs under my feet and their curtains very little open, projecting strange geometric shapes on the floor due to the absence of electric light. . If I had not been outside, being here I would never know that it is daytime outside. I take a couple of steps forward, beginning to imagine that the cause of this dark scene is a power cut or something similar, when one of the lamps that escort the sofa and the armchairs comes on, illuminating that area a little more with its Orange luminescence, product of the warm cloth shade that covers the light bulb. I squint, puzzled, and move closer to the side of my father's chair, which seems to be busy.

Upon noticing my presence, the mysterious individual looks up and leans forward, resting his elbows on his legs and making the light from the lamp illuminate his face, exposing it. I am surprised to see him and not at the same time, since, after all, that is his chair, but it is impossible for me not to ask myself: "What is he doing here at this hour?"

However, he seems not to want to start any conversation, but is just looking at me strangely, so I ask him the question mentioned above out loud. He just smiles coldly and points to the sofa to his right. I take a seat crossing my legs, a gesture that reveals my nerves.

May: If you don't have anything to say to me, I'm going to change that I'm late for class.

- Today I did not went to work.

He recounts examining his hands as if he had never seen them.

May: Well ... that doesn't happen every day.

Tomás (lets out a short laugh): My daughter doesn't come home at seven in the morning either.

May: Stop, I ...

Tomás (interrupts me): And I don't see things like the one I saw every day yesterday.

He comments smiling at first, but that grimace transforms into a remarkably serious look when he says the last three words. I swallow hard and feel the typical cold breeze that appears on my back at times like this.

May: What did you see?

Tomás: I think there are several things you have to tell me.

He says rubbing the non-existent beard on his chin, in a tone of voice whose intentions are unknown, making them impossible to reveal and that mystery that he generates every time he speaks seriously, so that no one can ever discover exactly what he is thinking about that. moment.

I'm not sure I know what to say and he huffs when he catches that, reaching his hand towards the table between us and stopping it on top of a yellowish envelope whose presence I never noticed. He slides it with his fingers over the surface of the table until he “parks” it in front of me.

- Open it.

...

The day at the faculty passes slowly and, as always, the bad mood of the teachers seems to be a virus that spreads through the air, since everyone leaves the classrooms as if they had just attended a funeral. I return alone by taxi, knowing that Mia will come a little later.

I spend most of those few hours when no one is home locked in my room with the music blasting. The first thing that comes to mind is Mía when I hear a knock on the door. I lower the volume and open the door, finding someone completely different. Without a doubt, life hates me.

May: What are you doing here?

- Won't you greet me?

May: Hi.

I say as if I were advertising a product on a teleshopping show. He laughs and takes a step forward, entering my room and moving closer until he is millimeters from me.

May: What are you doing?

He asked putting both hands on his chest. He frowns.

- I salute you. Something happens?

I slip out of his grip, spinning him around and he spins, watching me disengaged.

May: No. I already greeted you, now go. What's more, I don't understand why you come into my room like that.

He only just laughs out loud.

- Like what?

May: Nothing. Can you go Samuel?

He laughs again, taking my face with both hands and getting closer to the point that I can feel his lips brush against mine.

May: GO!

I shove him brutally and he backs up awkwardly, bumping into the nightstand. He looks up, but this time he no longer laughs, but looks at me in amazement.

Samuel: What's wrong with you?

I find myself next to the balcony door, which I open at that precise moment and go out there. He's still in place, staring at me from inside the room.

May: I already told you: nothing, I just don't have to go anywhere and I don't need you now. When you need to take me you will...

Samuel: What the fuck did you get stung?

He interrupts me with a tone of voice that manages to scare me. I never heard him talking like that.

Samuel: In the morning you left and left me asleep, nor did you call me to take you to college. Now I come, I want to kiss you and do you throw me out?

May: Let's see, and why am I going to kiss my bodyguard?

I question reproachfully, raising my eyebrows.

Samuel: Did you get amnesia or are you sick in the head?

May: TALK TO ME GOOD!

Samuel: I TALK TO YOU HOW I WANT!

May: Don't forget that you are just an employee in this house.

The fury in his eyes fades, turning into something much more "peaceful." He sighs patiently and approaches for the third time, placing his hands on my cheeks and stroking my cheekbones with a delicacy that makes me shudder. I feel the pressure of the iron bars of the balcony behind my back.

Samuel: Is this a practical joke or something?

May: MARTÍN!

I scream turning my face towards the garden and I see the guard looking at us and starting to run towards the house.

Samuel: What are you doing?

He asks calmly, as if he does not grasp my intentions or does not want to accept them. I begin to hear footsteps coming from the corridor and am surprised by the speed of this man.

Samuel: May, what happened? What did they tell you?

His pleading tone and the sweetness of his voice make a lump in my throat. I take a deep breath and release it, trying to show myself cold, hiding my state.

Samuel: Aren't you going to talk ...

His words are interrupted when the door is yanked open and the man in a suit walks over, taking him by the shoulders.

- What is he doing here?

May: You should know that, you are the guard.

The man grimaces in disgust and forces Samuel who struggles to free himself from his grip.

May: Take it away.

Martín begins to walk backwards, trying to drag Samuel with him, but he lets go with a nimble movement and comes back to me at fast steps.

Samuel: You know what? I think your brother wasn't as stupid as you said after all. He was right. YOU ARE JUST A REBEL GIRL THAT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT SHE WANT IN THIS LIFE.

He sneers and turns, pushing the guard away and leaving the room. Martín follows him and they both disappear down the hall, leaving the door open. I walk quickly to it and lock it. I stay in the same place for several minutes, staring at the heart-shaped key ring, that moving piece of metal hanging from the lock. I roll over, leaning my back on the surface of the door, and release the pressure on my feet, letting myself fall to the floor. I surround my bent legs with both arms and sink my head into the hole that is generated there, releasing the first tear of all those that I kept in front of Samuel, until I finish in a disconsolate cry while the last stanza of the song that I listened to a while before whose lyrics identify me and completely destroy me.