Isabela Part 3

"Shit!" I huff.
When I'm almost at my destination, my feet freeze as I spot the climbing wall to my left, just before the Music building. Nate is standing in front of the wall, grinning widely, holding a bucket of spray paints. His eyes sparkle as he stares at something in front of him. I shouldn’t feel anything seeing the girl who invited me to the initiation next to him. She’s wearing a white top that shows off her large, firm breasts, a tight shirt, and her shiny brown legs are on display in a tight red skirt.
As he smears gray paint on her cheek, causing her to laugh while trying to dodge his touch, I can’t help but feel anger bubbling up inside me. It shouldn’t affect me at all, but seeing her wrap her arms around his neck, standing on her toes to kiss him while Nate grabs her ass, makes my blood boil. When they pull away, him turning her around and pulling her against him as he guides her away, I feel pure hatred for their intimacy, for the sweetness between them. I’m jealous of how they connect.
How can she like Nate?
He's such a bastard!
But there he is, looking like a romantic idiot with a hot girl who’s prettier than most girls around here.
Shit!
My heart races, and my entire body burns with rage as my feet angrily carry me away from him, grateful he didn’t see me because I have no idea what he’d do if we crossed paths. There certainly wouldn’t be sweetness; it would be more like drowning in the acid of what he feels for me.
I go on autopilot until I reach my classroom, realizing the little white puppy graffiti that started to appear on my first day of class is now finished, covering an entire wall in the campus recreation area. I bet if I go there today and look at the signature in a hidden corner of the artwork, it’ll have his name.
Shit: Is everything okay? You haven’t been talking much with me...
I stare at my phone, noticing two blurs that seem to be Cris and Vitor arriving hand in hand to class.
I: I’m fine! Just busy. Let’s plan something soon! I miss you!
Shit: Come over for lunch on Saturday. I’ll make your lemon pie...
I: And mimosas?
Shit: Yes, or course! Hahaha
Mimosas are a drink of orange juice and champagne. Ana and I used to sip them at Ipanema beach, chatting and laughing before everything fell apart and our friendship ended.
“Good morning, 'not a couple'!” I say as Cris rolls her eyes and lets go of her boyfriend’s hand, sitting next to me.
Wow, I love that she’s in pajamas in the middle of class.
Definitely, I didn’t pick the wrong new friend. She’s basically a "fuck it" kind of person.
“Good morning!” they say in unison.
Vitor has wet hair, as does his girlfriend. I don’t even need to think to know they just got out of the shower together. That’s why Cris is so adamant about not forgetting her birth control. Her sex life is definitely buzzing.
“Are you feeling better?” she asks, offering me a piece of Chokito she just broke in half.
“Man, you have no idea!” I reply, stuffing the whole piece in my mouth.
“What? Is it about the guy who’s organizing the initiation?” Vitor asks, chewing on an empty lollipop stick.
I raise my eyebrows in disbelief, shooting wide eyes from Cris to him. My friend whispers a “sorry” before hiding her face behind her blue-painted nails.
“Did you tell him about Nate?” I accuse, pointing my finger incredulously at her.
“No! He grabbed my phone and saw the picture you sent of Nate when he was a teenager. He recognized him immediately. Vitor’s a nosy brat!”
Shit! I sent Cris a picture of Nate as a teenager yesterday afternoon because I was so curious to know who the "wolf" was. She said she knew him from school, but then left me hanging and stopped replying.
“Yeah! A nosy brat!” I snarl in agreement, crossing my arms and ignoring him.
“Cris is my soulmate; we have no secrets!” he jokes, smiling in an annoying way.
“Yes! Exactly...” I respond to Vitor, just because I want to get information out of him. I then turn back to my friend. “I’ll tell you everything later, Cris. Things went really south at dinner with his dad.”
“Oh, tell me now! I’m going to chew my nails off in suspense.”
“What nails? You barely have any left. Vitor, what’s this about Nate organizing the initiation?” I investigate, trying to feed my gossip-hungry side to get answers.
“Oh, right. He and his sister,” he casually says, twisting a curl of Cris's hair around his finger as she squirms, pretending not to like his affection.
“Bianca studies here?” I almost scream, digging through my bag anxiously for gum, candy, or any damn trace of sugar. To my dismay, there’s nothing.
“Yeah. She’s in Fashion; we hooked up during my first semester,” he confesses, looking at his girlfriend. I roll my eyes when he smiles at Cris like he’s just said the most amazing thing. “Don’t get jealous, babe. I’m all yours now.”
“Jealous of what? I also hooked up with Bianca.”
I pretend to vomit, and they both start laughing, but Vitor stares at Cris as if he just heard the greatest thing ever. I can almost hear his loose screws grinding to work. I don’t even want to think about what his perverted male mind is imagining, but it definitely involves his girlfriend and Nate’s sister naked, together.

Bianca studies here too! Why do I feel like I’ve stepped into a time tunnel and am stuck in the past? What the hell! On top of dealing with Nate, now I have to put up with that spoiled brat?
It’s amazing how nothing good lasts long. Paradise seemed great, but it has this shit side that brings back ghosts from the past—ghosts with radioactive potential.
I ate a chocolate pie in the cafeteria, sighing between each bite that satisfied my absurd craving for sweets, while rolling my eyes at the melodrama of Cris and Vitor, who constantly exchanged little kisses or discussed how their schedules would clash that week. Vitor even swore he’d die of longing. Ugh, Vitor is so annoying! And way too cute! In an irritating way.
Now I walk alone back to my dorm. My heart feels a bit lighter, and I think those moments in class or with my new friends help ease the pressure a little, even if sometimes they make me feel cringy. My plan for the afternoon is to keep working on my song. I’m writing the lyrics and want to use this moment of “emotional turmoil” to push forward with it. I get strangely creative when I’m sad. At least that's one good thing that comes from the chaos.