Chapter 2: Chapter 2

As I was driving home, an announcement came thru the radio station in which the city was to have a celebration with a Jamaica (Festival) and live music to re-open the downtown area. I decided to text my friends to go early and check things out before we eventually hit the club. I was beginning to feel that longing. How long had it been since I had been with a man? I knew it had been what five months ago. I was thinking that maybe tonight I would find a guy to sate my longing. I had no boyfriend and really didn’t want one. I just felt they were too much of a hassle and well my steady roommate B.O.B was doing his job, but I felt I needed a little more. As I arrived home, I turned on my radio and went to shower. I wanted to prep if I did find a bed partner tonight. As I was drying myself out after a quick shower, I glanced in the mirror and took a good look I thought for a minute and concluded I wasn't bad looking. I never once considered myself beautiful, so I thought I was decent. I was twenty-four years old. My eyes were chocolate brown, like the majority of Hispanic women. I had dark brown hair that cascaded close to my waist. I had nice perky breasts and voluptuous curves. My height was five-three which made me the shortest of all my friends. I shrugged at myself in the mirror. I was just an ordinary woman. Then, my attention was directed on the next song that came up. It was a song from Alejandro Fernandez a popular Mexican artist. His song was Canta Corazon (singing heart). I stopped to listen to his words and take in the music. “Te lo dije cantando ahi….” I sang along with him as I continued to get dressed. I had chosen a cotton purple see through blouse with a glittering purple camisole and a mini black skirt. I had decided to wear high pumps, but decided against it. If we were to go downtown it meant we would be walking parking was very limited, so I decided to wear my black flats instead. As I was applying my makeup; “Eres, el amor de mi vida…” the radio was singing a new sound. I stopped to listen and knew instantly it was Camila singing (another Latin artist). Was I really looking for love in my life today? Nope! I really wanted to release stress and if getting laid was the answer then that was what I wanted so I shut down the radio and grabbed the keys and headed out the door.

My first stop was to pick up Melba, I texted her. I am here and waited for a response. I switched the channel on the radio station not liking what I was hearing. I decided to plug in my phone, search my music list and settled for “Bailando por ahi-Dancing around here” and began to sing along with Juan Magan as loud as I could. I paused it for a minute and called Ricardo to be expecting us. It was then that Melba headed down the slope of her house. Unlike me, Melba was older she was thirty. She had a house and a son. She also had a fail marriage and was getting a divorce, but damn she looked good. She knew what she wanted and how she was going to get it. She was very flamboyant. She wore outrageous outfits that demanded attention. Her big loops earrings didn’t falter her outfit. She was always so cheerful and very intelligent. Unlike me she had black shoulder length hair and a pretty face that men seemed to look twice at. “Ready to party, girlfriend.” As she sat down on my brand new Laramie Ram truck. “Ready.” Placing my truck in gear.

Out of the groups I was more reserved, I didn’t take many risks as my friends. I hadn’t even the clue to flirt like Melba and Zulema could. I just hanged out with them and they attracted the guys and that was how I would hook up. I looked at her and hopped that her outfit attracted decent guys this time around. The last time we were out she and Zulema hooked up some losers and we all ended disappointed at the end. “What?” She asked. “Nothing, I just hope your outfit hooks us some good ones this time.” I told her looking at her. She began to laugh “Oh, silly Fio, you’re hot you just need to show how hot you are.” She said.

I accelerated the gas pedal and headed to my next stop to pick up Zulema. I knew that parking was an issue but I had a friend who lived near the downtown area and he had always told me if we were to be downtown to park the vehicles in his home. He felt it was safer for us. I had already called him to let him know we were on our way and he was expecting us. Traffic was vicious. We headed down Corpus Christi Street to avoid much of the congestion of the traffic. It seemed that many people were anxious to look around what was left of the downtown area after the drug war had spilled over. I too was anxious and was glad that my phone took great pictures. As I turned the corner I saw Ricardo he was waiting for us and he had the gates opened for us as we arrived.

“Hey, Ricardo” yelling as I got out of the truck the girls following suit. We said our hellos with hugs and air kisses on the cheeks. “You are going down to the club?” He asked and all of us said “Yeah.” At the same time and began to giggle. Ricardo pulled out a key and handed it to me. “Here take this key it’ll open the gate, I just installed them and placed a padlock on them.” Ricardo stretching out his hand towards me. I looked at him and thanked him. “Be careful” waving us goodbye. We all said we would. “Sara and Patty will meet us at San Augustine Plaza” Zulema informed us as we began our decent and I was grateful for choosing the flats. Unlike my friends who went with higher heels. It was hot, the temperatures in Laredo were extreme. I checked my phone for the temperature and it read 95 degrees and the sun was still blazing, dam and it was just 6:00 p.m. and late February. I saw the girls looking at me. “Yeah, yeah we should have waited till 9:00 p.m. but I really wanted to look at how the downtown looked like now.” They looked at each other and avoided talking about it. We walked along the stores and lucky for us the newly opened stores allowed cool air to drift outside. We decided to go inside a store and buy some water and headed to the plaza. As we neared the plaza we saw news vans of different broadcast stations. Some included well known stations as CNN, FOX, CBS, NBC and other stations I hadn’t heard off. We also saw military personnel walking and driving in military vehicles around the downtown area. We looked at each other and quicken our pace to the plaza. We noticed Sara and Patty and met up with them and we noticed the booths were on full view, music was already blazing and people were already swarming. “Wow, I haven’t seen so many hotties in this part of the town before.” Patty told us as she walked over to us. “Not to mention the hot news reporters" she pointed to one person in particular.” “Common, let’s see if they want an interview.” Sara said as she grabbed my arm and ushered me forward.