Isabela Part 2

“He deserves a lawsuit right up his ass to learn not to threaten a student over something trivial!” I mutter, cutting a piece of orange cake that, with the fruit topping, I know my little one made. “Sue him.”
“That wouldn’t fix the expulsion. You know there’s a contract with Snic, the record label, for whoever gets the best grades at the end of the music course, right? That’s my dream!” Cristina says. She really wants her songs to take off in the world. Her voice is deep and beautiful... Her compositions are even more perfect, filled with emotion.
“Well, you weren’t the only one with a crazy guy last night,” Ana interrupts, turning her phone toward me. She presses the button to play the audio:
“What were you doing shaking that ass in that video at midnight? Look at that skirt, your whole butt hanging out! We’re going to talk when you get home, but first, I’m going to have you while I fill your face with slaps!”
Yeah, they love to have sex like two wild animals. It’s embarrassing to see Ana marked all the time. Now they’re taking it easy because their daughter asked if she was “sick,” pointing to one of the hickeys on her neck.
“Josiah might get jealous; he’s your fiancé. You two are getting married soon. But Nate? That guy treated me like a pile of crap, and now he comes to throw a fit...”



***



I park the car in front of a plain-looking parish. Today is the rehearsal for the wedding, and I’m about to see my entire circle of friends from Ravina. Ana stopped by my house before coming here, and I took the chance to drop off Belladonna with Hellen. I had to listen to half an hour of sermon, nearly dozing off, while my grandmother went on about how we need to keep our wild side away from the public eye, and a bunch of other things about morality and modesty. Besides that, she forced me to bring a bunch of herbs for a “cleansing bath,” claiming she was worried about possible bad energies. Of course, I’m not using that crap, but I took it just to make her stop nagging me.
The unbearable heat returned with a vengeance, and even though I’m wearing denim shorts that keep my legs free, I’m still sweating like I’m walking in the desert. I’ve got on a loose white crop top that ends just above my navel.
Ana told me to wear something more covered since it’s a church, but honestly? It’s too hot for any extra layers. As soon as I step inside, I’m taken aback by the beauty of the place. It’s stunning, in a baroque style, with walls and ceilings adorned with golden carvings.
I spot Harry arguing about something with my friend while Josiah and Bill are off in a corner, laughing at whatever my friend is saying. Ana is giving him a furious glare, her face flushed, arms crossed over her chest, dressed in a tight, dark dress that has a deep neckline.
My heart warms at the sight of Marta, Josiah’s mother, gliding through the space with Julia in her arms. I adore how elegant she is, her hair always styled in a chic bob, regularly dressed in designer outfits with low heels. She smiles when she notices me, pointing me out to Julia as she sets her down on the floor.
“Auntie!” the little girl shouts, running awkwardly toward me, her black frilly dress bouncing with each step.
I crouch down, smiling as I pull her in for a tight hug. Her familiar strawberry scent calms me, making my heart beat more gently. How does this tiny being manage to elicit so much emotion from me?
“Hi, my love!”
“Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle, party, Papa…” she starts babbling nonsense in her own little language, but I know she’s talking about the rehearsal because she points to the carpet and runs toward her dad.
“Hey, killer doll!” Josiah waves at me, laughing at the middle finger I throw his way. “Look, you’re on holy ground!”
“I’m going to hell anyway…” I shrug.
He’s dressed in his usual color: black. He’s always in combat boots, jeans, and oversized shirts that hang under his armpits. He’s a huge man and extremely good-looking. His green eyes are the real draw for his incredible face. I hated him back in school because I had to share Ana with him ever since I met her, since the jerk fell for her. At least he brought another amazing person into my life: Bernardo, his best friend. I lock away memories of the pale-faced boy with kind blue eyes and a slim body, who used to make me laugh harder than anyone else in the world. Ber isn’t coming back, and I need to let his soul rest. I don’t want to think about him, but every time I look at Josiah, the piece missing from my chest—taken by Bernardo when he died—bleeds.
“How are you?” Jow asks, setting his daughter down because she starts bouncing around. She can’t stay still for too long without wanting to run. “I heard there’s an asshole bothering you. I’m gonna drop by with my guys at that college; I want to have a little chat with him.”
“Not happening! I can defend myself just fine, you idiot!” I punch his enormous arm, which is still bigger than both of my thighs put together. “You can chill.”
“Chill? That dude’s playing with fire, huh… messing with our little sister. He’s asking for a beating. Just wait and see!” Harry warns, pulling off his gray beanie to scratch his head, annoyed.
It’s incredible how everything this kid says sounds comical. I smile at him, knowing what I’m about to do will surprise everyone around me. I stop in front of him, annoyed that everyone in this damn place is taller than me, stand on my tiptoes, and wrap my arms around Harry’s neck. His citrus scent soothes me. Okay, he’s another idiot I love in this world. His gray t-shirt brushes against my neck, and the frays from the rips in his jeans create friction against my legs.
“I love you, you idiot!” I whisper in his ear.
“Can I hug you back?” he asks, amid our friends’ shocked murmurs, since the only people in our group I’ve ever hugged were Ana, Bernardo, and Bill. Not that they’ve seen me like this with my ex-fling, and that was only a few times.
“You can, but here…” I guide his hands to my waist, then set my feet back on the ground as Harry leans down to squeeze me.
I miss him a lot because we used to see each other every day. We were really close after everything fell apart. Ber got sick, Ana stopped talking to me. I only had these three men around me now, but my closest friendship was with Harry. We’d go out to the movies; he used to sleep in my living room sometimes because he’d ride me home on his motorcycle after shifts at Ravina. Belladonna is the biggest suck-up to him, having known him for years. Of all my friends, Harry is the one she purrs for when she sees him. But yesterday, I got the impression that the little fake had fallen even more for Nate.