Amelia, Run!

After two hours Amanda finally broke her silence. Well, it wasn’t as she was quiet all those hours—heavens know she would have exploded. It was more about the topic of Julio (James.) He was the only guy she hasn’t slept with that coughed her eye and she took it personal. Sometimes she would use him and the situation to agree with her negative comments about herself, like: why doesn’t he flirt with me? Why does that he treat me like a regular costumer? Why does he talk to you more, Amelia? And I would answer with: I don’t know. Maybe he is naïve? And you are costumer and he shouldn’t be flirting with them. It is his job to serve, not to flirt. And last: Are you serious right now?

Sometimes I’d wish that I had the ability to show my friends and family how I saw them: beautiful flaws with potential to do whatever they set their minds to. Apparently my words alone are not enough. I took a sip of my third Sangria through the tiny red straw and just looked at my stressed friend.

“Just ask him out.” Brad said with his fourth Mojito—he is really resistant to alcohol. “There are other girls who might take him away.” He knows how to push everyone’s buttons.

Amanda grunted, “That’s the problem. There are other girls prettier than me. What are the chances that he would say yes when in the past I have dropped massive hints that I want his sexy body pressed in mine?” She hugged her shoulders and looked at Julio with lustful eyes.

“Maybe he is gay and lied to all of us.” Suggested Brad with a hint of hope. Plus he wanted to get back at her. He didn’t know it was ladies night and now he is the only one who has to pay for his drinks.

I shook my head. “Negativo.” I took the last sip from my drink and I made sure I sucked the last drop. “I saw him kiss a girl.” I looked at my empty plastic cup. “Welp. Time for another.”

Amanda grabbed my arm. “Why am I hearing this now?” she glared at me as if I just betrayed her by keeping a secret for so long.

“Because,” I pointed at the bar. “You see that girl that just arrived?” There was a girl with her knees up in the red stool, with her butt out and her elbows on the counter, leaning over and in that moment she pecked his lips. “She came earlier, while you were in the bathroom with Veronica, and greeted him with a kiss, just like now.” We saw how she kissed him again.

Amanda leaned over the wall and sighed. “How could have I been so blind?” we all shrugged. “I actually feel kind of relived.” I assumed she felt like that because she realized that the reason he didn’t pay attention to her wasn’t because he didn’t find her attractive but because he was faithful.

“Are you gonna move on?” asked Brad and took an ice from his cup and chewed it. “Please move on—no, wait. Don’t. I need a reason to drink.”

Veronica chuckled. “Since when do you need a reason to drink?” Brad hushed her and pressed the little red straw on her shoulder and she laughed while pushing his hand away.

Amanda nodded and pressed her beer bottle between her breasts. “He will be the one that got away.” And let out a dreamy sigh. I grunted and turned away and went for the bar. Brad whispered that she never had him since the beginning and Amanda glared and I took that opportunity to get my drink.

The girl was beautiful; she had fair skin, short black hair, skinnier than Amanda and Asian. I would not dare guess from where. Julio looked at me and was already pouring me another drink. “You are such a darling, Julio.” I smiled. The girl gave him a look and chuckled.

“So,” she addressed to me. “You are the famous Amelia that keeps changing my guy’s name.” I nodded.

“I didn’t know I was famous.” I took a sip and an ice escaped and landed on my mouth and I immediately chewed it making my jaw tremble. I extended my hand. “You already know my name.”

She took it and smiled. “Nari,”

She was wearing a plain black shirt and shiny skinny jeans and some platforms. Nari looked like a model that just came out of a runway party and then I felt self-conscious because such a gorgeous girl was looking at me and I just knew that I looked a big mess (literally).

“You are cute,” she said and I felt my cheeks and neck get hot. I let out a nervous giggle (mostly because of the alcohol.) I realized we didn’t let go of each other’s because she raised it and kissed it. “and sweet.” This woman didn’t realize that she was about to give me a heart attack.

Nari didn’t break our gaze and I felt like I was getting dizzier. Maybe it was because I stopped breathing when she called me cute. “All right,” Julio said and I staggered back and looked at my drink quizzically, which Julio was handing me…again? “You need to stop drinking before this one eats you up.” I looked at him confused.

Nari giggled and puckered her lips. “Don’t scare her, Julio.” She winked at him and he rolled his eyes and ignored her. “It was nice meeting you,” she smiled and I nodded and I walked (if you call stagger and wobble walking.)

When I arrived where my friends were the three of them were trying not to laugh. It took me awhile to realize what was happening. Finally, when they couldn’t handle it, they all burst into laughter. Brad patted my pack a little bit too rough because it made me spill my drink a bit. That made them laugh even harder.

“Don’t drop your drink again!” said Amanda.

I looked at her confused. “Again?”

Amanda nodded. “We saw the whole thing, you poor creature.” When I didn’t answer she continued. “The girl that kissed your hand,” Brad made kissing noises and tried to take away my drink for himself but I wasn’t completely out of it. “Your face!” she wasn’t making any sense!
Veronica chuckled. “When the girl kissed your hand you made a face”

“Like this,” said Veronica and made a blanked face. Motionless as if she was out of it. Like in a trance and in seconds she was back to normal, laughing.

Veronica continued. “And then dropped your drink and it spilled all over the guy next to you. He got pissed and James excused you.” I shook my head.

“What are you saying? I had my drink all the time. I didn’t see a guy next to me.” Amanda whipped a tear and padded my head.

“Oh, Amelia! Come on,” she urged me to drink my Sangria. “Drink up because this is the last one you will have for tonight.” I let her persuade me and took a big gulp. I was still confused, and then I felt an itch on my knuckle. I looked and I had a line, like a scratch, and it had little beads of blood. Amanda was right, I need to stop drinking. I don’t even remember my own bruises.

One hour and a half passed and we were ready to leave. Like I said before, Brad was drunk and we had to look for Amanda. She was with a guy and even though it was Lady’s Night she managed to find someone to flirt with. I wish I had that gift. And Veronica was having a casual conversation with a guy she took French with. I left her side because I didn’t understand anything and I didn’t want to think. Too many weird things happened at once.

As we reached the exit, the cold wind hit our faces; we each grimaced and kept walking. Brad started singing Ribs by Lorde and we all sang along even though I find it a sad song, at least for me. I skipped and twirled. Maybe it was a good idea to go out and drink and get drunk. Last time I couldn’t drink at all because I had to take care of these babies but tonight I recovered. Veronica danced with me and sang along while Amanda jumped with Brad, arms entwined. I didn’t care that I was making a fool of myself; I just wanted to have fun!

I took Amanda and Veronica from their necks and pulled them together. They even bumped their heads and whined. “I love you guys,” I said. They laughed. “No, I am serious! I would give my life for you! You are included too, Brad.” I squint my eyes at him and he rolled his eyes and smiled.

For some reason I remembered the time I went to visit my family back in Puerto Rico. I went alone because I couldn’t bring my friends and my mom and sister were already there. The plan was to spend some time with them and then head back to my apartment. Don’t get me wrong, I always have fun when I go back. The music, the warmth, the people, the food! Plus, I wanted to see my cousin Ismael. He was a year younger than me, studying in the University of Puerto Rico and is currently doing his bachelor in Languages and had the greatest ass ever. The guy is a dancer so it was obvious that he had that type of body, even though he was shorter than me. Ismael texted me the day before that he couldn’t wait for me to get home.

When I did, he received me with a warm hug and a spank, something innocent that we’ve allowed over the years as a family. “Man, I have missed you!” he said and he hugged me tighter. He had gotten stronger.

I looked to his face and saw that he had gotten more piercings. Ismael had gotten his plugs stretched, the septum and one under his lip. “I didn’t know you got new piercings! What did Titi Nora said when she saw you?” he smiled.

“Nothing, actually. Just looked at me and threatened that if I get one in my penis she would beat the shit out of me with her new boyfriend’s belt.” He rolled his eyes. Her mother can be quite the strong character. When I was younger I was scared of her, I didn’t even dared to ask her for a glass of water. “Guess that’s one is out of the question. But enough about me! We are gonna drink tonight because I know how your mom gets when you drink.” I nodded.

“Where are you taking me, then?” I said excited and he smiled making his olive green eyes sparkle.

Let’s just say I didn’t get home until the next morning and my mom got angry at me but all was worth it because Ismael took his car and brought me to one part of the city to dance and sing karaoke. It was a little club that was on a second floor of a house. I was skeptical at first because most of the people were outside of it and it looked kind of sketchy but as soon as we entered the place was warm, filled with people chatting, dancing, singing and drinking. It was so small! It had three rooms and two bathrooms.

For me it was the most antisocial social place I have ever encountered. Sure, there were a lot of people but everyone was on their own groups. No one talked with strangers. If one approached them would smile politely and slowly get back to their group shunning the other person. Something cruel but I could understand.

The first one that I saw had a plasma TV and people were playing video games like Mario Bro. but the old version, and on each side had a retro arcade game and only one was on. I couldn’t see what type of game because there was three guys huddled in the middle watching and playing. Then there was a piano and on top a cow skull. One the other room was the bar and the wall that was facing it had a world map with some scratches and a little further there was the hall with the bathrooms (both unisex, no one cared. As long as it was unoccupied anyone could use it.) and last but not least the third room had a wall where the projector was on and someone was singing while the others sang behind him. The walls were painting with cartoons, stickers, posters. Each room had worn out couches and chairs. It was surreal and I didn’t fit in at all. But Ismael didn’t care. He just wanted me to hang out with him and have a good time. My cousin was actually glad that I was there with him.

Quickly a tall guy with a thick beard approached him and spoke Spanish. “¿Cómo estas, Lagahoo?” he seemed friendly.

“Don’t fucking call me that. We are in a public place…” he whispered and looked up, no mind reading powers to know that he didn’t like that. “What’s wrong with you?” the guy let out a cackle but didn’t break eye contact.

“Well, that is your title, no?” he smirked and took a sip from his beer bottle. “Who’s this?” he eyed me. One of Ismael’s eyebrows twitched.

“My cousin. Muevete.” He pushed him aside and we entered the third room.

“Who was that?” he grunted. “And what’s a Lagahoo? A pet name or something?” he stopped and looked at me a little taken aback, which I didn’t understood.

Then he burst into laughter. I asked myself if what I said was that stupid. “Oh, honey. You don’t want to know, trust me and that is my ex… and fuck body for the mean time and if he keeps at it, he won’t get to touch this fine ass.” He swung his hip and I heard that cackle again from the other room, almost challenging.

As he turned to face the crowd someone screamed to the microphone. “… like an atom bomb about to oh oh oh OH OH EXPLODE!” and started dancing and singing along.

Well, we got out at five in the morning, drunk. We danced on the road and in one we laid our bodies in the middle of one and giggled. I’ve never done that and it is a good memory. This reminded me of that one movie where two white young adults fall in love: The Notebook. After that we slept three hours in his car and then went home. I miss that guy.

Brad doesn’t like him, tough.

But that’s another story.

In the midst of our laughter, Veronica stopped and hushed us. “Do you hear that?” for a second or two we listened but we didn’t hear anything. “I heard a girl crying.” It was odd that she pointed that out.

“I don’t hear anything,” said Brad and we kept walking. I noticed that Veronica was alert and looking around. She definitely knew what she heard. As soon as we took two steps I was the one who heard it, also very clear as if I was meant to hear it.

I stopped and looked over at the dark alley. “Wait, I heard it too. It’s coming from over there.” I walked towards it without thinking and Brad took my arm.

“Where are you going?”

“To see if there is someone hurt.” Brad looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Since when did you start playing hero,” he was right. I was never the courageous type. Because of that I lost many opportunities that got piled up in the ‘what if’ archives of my memories. But there was something I learned from my mom is that when someone is in need of help, the least one can do is ask. I have seen her doing this to old ladies at the bus stop and people who didn’t have enough change for the groceries.

Then the crying continued but louder. We couldn’t ignore it. It was literally a cry for help. But this time, I didn’t realize that it was a little girl’s voice. She sounded more desperate with every breath and that got me nervous. At first I thought that it was a woman, maybe it was the alcohol in my system. “Just dial 911 in case she is really hurt.” Brad let go of my arm and took out his phone.

Veronica walked next to me and grabbed my arm. I guess she didn’t want to leave me alone. I know that I shouldn’t be playing hero and less in my condition. My heart was racing fast because I didn’t know what I might see, in the middle of the alley, behind the dumpster and I think that made be more alert; the unknown is scary. Though I know the social poison made me more—quote—brave—unquote—or stupid. I wasn’t the type to take risks but there was something in that crying child that convinced me to walk over there. I looked back and Amanda was next to Brad but decided to walk with me. I could see in her eyes that I was probably making a bad decision or that I was taking any decision at all. I do not work well with initiative.

When I got there, there was a person. It was bigger than a girl and or a normal woman, unless she was a really big woman. The person had their knees up like a fetal position. I took a strand of hair and pushed it back my ear as I bend down to see the crying person better even if it was very clear that this was not a child at all.

“Excuse me, are you alright?” I tried to sound as delicate as possible. I didn’t want to startle the person.

The crying stopped; there was silence apart from my heart beat and the noise of the city. I heard a whisper, maybe my ears were failing me but I heard enough to notice a distortion of it. As if it changed from one voice to another. But I didn’t say anything and waited, why did I wait? The person’s head moved up slowly and I realized that this was the guy that was watching us before. I moved back a bit and that made all three of us stagger. He was actually crying. The tears drops rolled down from his cheek, to his jaw line, to his neck and disappeared inside his hoodie. His was biting his lip and drops of blood rolled down his chin. His eyes were black.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered again, with the unsettling distortion in his voice. “I’m just so fucking HUNGRY!” and in the next second he pushed me aside, I could feel my body’s weight disappear in midair as if I was a small animal, then he pinned Veronica to the ground.

I hit my head pretty bad and I felt something wet. Whatever it was that pushed me, it had a lot of force because I was almost at the other end of the alley. It took me a while to realize what was happening because everything was going around in circles. I landed on a puddle of filthy water and I could taste it in my mouth. Slowly I moved because my whole body ached. What was happening? I tried to lift my body but when I used my hand of support, I fell down because the pain was unbearable. My left wrist was broken. It was swollen and limp.

Then I heard it, Amanda screaming. My glasses got broken and I had to take them off, the shards and the dirty water made it difficult for me to see. I could see my own breath, I was so weak and in pain. What am I supposed to do? I saw how Veronica was trying her best to fight the man on top of her. Brad was paralyzed at how far I was thrown and Amanda’s leg gave out and she was trying her best to get up and run but she could only crawl away with horror in her eyes. My friend pleaded for help but all her strength was on her body trying to push him off. I looked around and saw a shopping cart full with garbage and it had a long pipe. I took it and limped towards him. I couldn’t let my friend be murdered but I was so scared. I yelled at Brad and Amanda to run and call for help.

I hit him.

Or I think I did. I didn’t move my arm. The thought of lifting it and hitting the psycho did cross my mind but my body didn’t respond. I looked down and I had unconsciously dropped the pipe out of fear before the thing hit him. It was a block of cement.

The man fell on top of Veronica and she pushed him aside. She had drops of blood on her face that mixed with the pebbled of concrete and tears running down her face. She got up and looked at me, I wanted to cry but I was still shocked. What she did next made my tears run down… she held her hand out. “Come here, let’s go.” She pleaded. I lifted my shaky right hand and grabbed hers. We rushed out without looking back. “Let’s go before he wakes up, ok?” She said pulling me away.

And as if on cue I felt someone grab my ankle. I fell on one knee and instinctively I tried to stop the fall with my hand I screamed in pain and collapsed completely. I looked back and the man grabbed me, he was still crying and between the sobs he kept apologizing. The desperation in his voice made him more frightening. From what I could see between my tears, my screams and struggle, his mouth was covered in fresh blood and it dripped to the ground like he couldn’t help it, almost as he was puking. I kicked him face three times but he still wouldn’t let go and finally he bit my calf and I gasped in pain. His teeth pierced my flesh and I would feel them, hot like fire and endless.

I heard Veronica scream and I looked back at her. The only thing I could do was to scream at her and it was painful. I had to get all my energy to scream “RUN!” and as I did I felt a force dragging me away from my friend as she ran away.